The Country Music Association (CMA) has invited Sammy Kershaw and his wife to walk the media red carpet before the CMA Awards, after they were earlier denied access, according to Rolling Stone.
Earlier this week, Kershaw, a lifetime CMA member, accused the organization of shutting him and his wife out of the media red carpet. He was still able to attend the awards show as a ticketed guest, as all non-nominated artists are. In a social media post, Kershaw shared his “disappointment with the CMA” and claimed he was “strung along” by the organization for months. He added that there should be room to recognize artists “who have spent their lives contributing to this organization’s success.”
Riley Green, Carly Pearce, Jake Owen and other artists voiced support for Kershaw, and by Monday some content creators were suggesting a boycott of the CMA Awards, according to the report.
On Tuesday, Kershaw shared a statement saying that after a “sincere and meaningful private conversation” with CMA leadership, the organization invited him and his wife to walk the red carpet. “They have acknowledged how this situation was handled and extended a sincere, heartfelt apology, which I have personally accepted,” he wrote.
Kershaw thanked fans, fellow artists, friends and others in the country music community who spoke up, adding, “This was never about the red carpet.” Rolling Stone’s report commented that the CMA has appeared to acknowledge the need to do better at recognizing artists who helped build country music, while other issues involving the organization and country radio have yet to receive the same attention.
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Source: Rolling Stone Music
