Bret Michaels and The Commodores have become the latest music acts to pull out of the upcoming Freedom 250 concert series in Washington, D.C. as plans for President Donald Trump’s national event continue to unravel.
Bret Michael said in a statement on his website: “Unfortunately, what was presented to us as a celebration of our country has evolved into something much more divisive than what I agreed to be a part of. Concerns have also been raised about the safety of my fans, my band, my crew, my family, and myself, including threats that are completely baseless and inexcusable. For this reason, I have made the difficult decision to abandon this show.”
The Toxic rocker continued to emphasize how personal threats influence his decision-making process: “It’s not about politics. It’s about always staying true to what I believe in. Everyone has the right to their own opinions. This is one of the freedoms that our veterans fought for and it’s something I’ve always respected. But as a father, friend, and bandmate, I have to take threats and safety concerns seriously.”
Michaels also spoke with a distinctly patriotic tone in his lengthy post: “I believe in our country, in the freedoms we are afforded, and in the idea that for over 250 years we have been through the highs and lows together and have remained resilient. Music is a universal language that unites us, not divides us. Just as I did when I welcomed a record crowd of over 100,000 people to the St. Louis Arch to celebrate Independence Day with people from all over the country coming together to honor our freedoms by Music The focus was on the music, the fans and celebrating together.
The Commodores also followed Young MC, Morris Day, Martina McBride and others in pulling out of the National Mall bash shortly after the concert series was announced. “The Commodores will not be performing at the Great American State Fair. Our music has always been our voice and we choose not to publicly affiliate with any one political party. We support the betterment of all Americans,” the legendary group said in an Instagram post.
The concert series is scheduled to take place from June 25 to July 10 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and is part of the Trump administration-backed Freedom 250 public-private partnership designed to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
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