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Garth Brooks Explains Why He Won’t Perform At Donald Trump’s Inauguration

By Lindsay McCane
Published on: 01:47 PST, Jan 18, 2017

Garth Brooks is finally explaining why he chose not to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration.

During Brooks’ most recent Inside Studio G, a Facebook live chat he hosts every Monday, Garth explained that he was originally approached by billionaire Steve Wynn about performing at the inauguration, and he decided to “leave it up to karma.”

“We left it up to karma,” Garth Brooks, who performed at Barack Obama’s inauguration in 2008, said. “If Cincinnati goes two weekends instead of one, then of course we are out. Sure enough Cincinnati did five shows, two weekends, and backed us up into there. So we got knocked out of it.”

Ticket sales for Garth’s current tour were so in demand that he realized he needed to add more Cincinnati tour dates, which ended up conflicting with the date that the 45th President of the United States is sworn in.

“I’m going to tell you, with this whole presidential thing: We’ve got one going out, pray for him and his family. And for the president going in, pray for him and his family to guide this nation,” Brooks said during the Facebook Live video. “Let’s stay together. Love, unity, that’s what it’s all about.”

Garth added: “In the immortal words of Martin Luther King, the most durable thing that we’ve known is love. It will always be that way. Again, can’t thank the Obamas enough for serving this country, and may God hold Trump’s hand in the decisions that he makes in this country’s name as well.”

Although Garth Brooks will not be performing at the inauguration, there are plenty other performers set to take the stage.

  • 3 Doors Down
  • Toby Keith
  • Lee Greenwood
  • Jackie Evancho
  • Big & Rich
  • the Rockettes
  • the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
  • The Piano Guys
  • Sam Moore (of the duo Sam & Dave)
  • Tim Rushlow
  • The Frontmen of Country
  • Travis Greene
  • DJ Ravidrums
  • the Talladega College Tornado Marching Band

“As an American, I am honored to perform for President-elect Donald Trump,” Sam Moore said in a statement. “I was a participant in the civil rights movement and have seen many positive changes and advancement in my 81 years of living in this wonderful country, but I know we must all join hands and work together with our new president.”

Earlier this week, country singer Toby Keith defended his decision to take part in the inauguration, and said he would not apologize for “performing for our country or military.”

“I don’t apologize for performing for our country or military,” the country singer told Entertainment Weekly in a statement. “I performed at events for previous presidents [George W.] Bush and [Barack] Obama and over 200 shows in Iraq and Afghanistan for the USO.”

Jennifer Holliday made headlines when she dropped out of the list of performers, and then issued an apology for those she offended by originally accepting the invitation.

“I was honestly just thinking that I wanted my voice to be a healing and unifying force for hope through music to help our deeply polarized country,” she said. “Regretfully, I did not take into consideration that my performing for the concert would actually instead be taken as a political act against my own personal beliefs and be mistaken for support of Donald Trump and Mike Pence.”

Although Garth Brooks says a scheduling conflict lead to him dropping out of the list of performers, some of his fans aren’t buying it, and are furious with the country music singer.

Donald Trump’s inauguration will take place on Friday, January 20 on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol. The security gates will officially open at 6 a.m. and at 11:30 a.m, the opening remarks will begin.

[Featured Image by Rick Diamond/Getty Images]

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