It looks like Sammy Kershaw isn’t the only country music veteran who won’t be walking the red carpet at this year’s CMA Awards…
Following the recent controversy surrounding Kershaw being denied red carpet access at the upcoming ceremony, fellow country star Rodney Atkins has revealed that he and his wife, Rose, were informed the same disappointing news.
In a statement shared to his Instagram and Facebook account, the “Take A Back Road” singer explained that despite being a CMA member for more than two decades, he and his wife were denied clearance to walk the red carpet. And as a result, they’ve decided to skip this year’s ceremony altogether.
“After more than 20 years as a CMA member and countless CMA Fests I’ve played for free, Rose and I were denied red-carpet clearance, just like Sammy Kershaw. So we’ve decided not to attend this year’s CMA Awards.”
While red carpet access is understandably limited, it certainly hasn’t been the best look for the Country Music Association this week. Many country artists, including Carly Pearce, Riley Green, Jake Owen, Mark Chesnutt and Drew Baldridge voiced their support for Sammy Kershaw, with Chesnutt adding, “It’s a shame they don’t respect the stars that dominated the charts in the past thirty years or before that, but they sure roll out the welcome mat for pop stars and Hollywood movie stars and even hip hop artists.”
Atkins has sold over 14 million records and scored six No. 1 singles at country radio, including “Take a Back Road” and “Watching You,” both of which are certified triple platinum by the RIAA.
As of writing this, the CMA’s have yet to address the growing criticism. Read/watch Rodney’s statement below:
