After the mass shooting at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, more musicians have canceled performances at the National Rifle Association’s annual meeting in Houston .
Why it matters: Singer Don McLean was the first major performer to announce he wouldn’t play at the NRA convention after the shooting that left 19 children and two adults dead.
– Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) also canceled his convention appearance Friday to travel to Uvalde to further respond to the shooting at Robb Elementary School, his office said. However, he will deliver a video address at the event.
What’s happening: CNN reported that at least four other musicians have canceled performances after this week’s tragedy, including Larry Gatlin, Lee Greenwood and T. Graham Brown.
– The convention begins Friday and runs through the weekend at Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center.
What they’re saying: “As a father, I join the rest of America in being absolutely heartbroken by the horrific event that transpired this week in Texas,” Greenwood said in a statement to Axios, noting his band canceled the NRA event “out of respect for those mourning the loss of those innocent children and teachers in Uvalde.”
– Gatlin told CNN, “I cannot, in good conscience, perform at the NRA convention in Houston this weekend.
– McLean said in a statement, “In light of the recent events in Texas, I have decided it would be disrespectful and hurtful for me to perform for the NRA at their convention in Houston this week.”
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More musicians are canceling performances at the NRA's annual meeting in Houston this week https://t.co/TWCIwga8Bb
— Axios (@axios) May 27, 2022
presidential https://t.co/FA7jwx0KCS
— Sonny Bunch (@SonnyBunch) May 27, 2022
The performers were smart to skip this bash. The NRA was foolish to let it go on as scheduled.
And Donny’s performance, as usual, was atrocious. He read the names of the victims, stumbled over a few of them and far from showing proper decorum, he looked and sounded like he would rather have been on the golf course. He was bored. Zero affect whatsoever. His blatant narcissism was obvious.
All in all, this convention has been a horrible display of callousness. But what do any of the attendees care about 19 kids and 2 teachers? I’m sure the performers who canceled knew how this convention would look and they wanted no part of it.
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