Bret Michaels and The Commodores have become the latest musical acts to drop out of the upcoming Freedom 250 concert series in Washington, D.C. as plans for President Donald Trump’s patriotic event continue to fall apart.
“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 regarding the safety of my fans, band, crew, family and myself, including threats that are completely unfounded and unforgivable. Because of that, I have made the difficult decision to step away from this performance,” Bret Michael said in a statement on his website.
The Poison rocker continued to underline how personal threats impacted his decision-making: “This isn’t about politics. It’s about staying true to what I’ve always believed in. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. That’s one of the freedoms our veterans fought for and something I’ve always respected. But as a father, friend and bandmate, I have to take threats and safety concerns seriously.”
Michaels also struck a decidedly patriotic tone in his lengthy post: “I believe in our country, in the freedoms we’re afforded and in the idea that for over 250 years we have gone through both highs and lows together and remained resilient. Music is a universal language that unites us, not divides us. Just like it did when I entertained a record-breaking crowd of over 100,000 at the St. Louis Arch for an Independence Day celebration with people from across the country who came together to honor our freedoms through 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 dropping out of the National Mall bash soon 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 single political party. We support the betterment of all Americans,” the legendary group said in an Instagram post.
The concert series is set to be held June 25 to July 10 on the National Mall in Washington D.C. and is part of the Freedom 250 public-private partnership backed by the Trump administration designed to celebrate the 250 years since the Declaration of Independence.
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