Sammy Kershaw and Rodney Atkins spoke out about being denied permission to walk the red carpet at this years Country Music Association Awards, prompting criticism over how the organization treats veteran country artists.
Last week, Kershaw, 68, shared a statement on Instagram in which he revealed that the organization rejected his request to walk the carpet at the upcoming ceremony with his wife, Mendy, a decision that he called “extremely hurtful, embarrassing and very disappointing.”
Following Kershaw’s post, Atkins, 57, announced that he and his wife, Rose Falcon, were also denied red carpet access and would no longer be attending the ceremony, which will be held on Nov. 18 and marks the CMAs’ milestone 60th anniversary.
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After facing backlash from other country musicians and fans, the CMA issued a response in which the organization explained that its red carpet criteria helps manage limited space and security needs and apologized to those who “felt excluded by those decisions.” The CMA also added that it was speaking with Kershaw’s team.
On Tuesday, Kershaw shared a post in which he said that he had accepted an apology from the CMA as well as an invitation for himself and Mendy to walk the red carpet and attend the ceremony.
The controversy sparked an uproar among country artists, who argued that the CMA has welcomed influencers, actors and crossover celebrities onto the red carpet while sidelining veteran performers. In addition, other country musicians raised broader concerns about how the industry as a whole recognizes artists who helped shape the genre.
In his initial post on Nov. 5, Kershaw wrote that the denial of his request to walk the CMAs carpet “really hurts me.” He explained that he learned of the rejection just two weeks ahead of the awards show after he and Mendy had already rearranged his touring schedule and booked flights and hotels.
“My wife, Mendy, and I don’t get to attend these events very often, due to touring and schedule conflicts,” Kershaw wrote at the time. “She was really looking forward to us sharing a special evening together celebrating country music. Then, to find out I was denied the red carpet two weeks before the show, after being strung along for several months and expecting we would be attending, WTF?”
Kershaw pointed to his decades-long career and longstanding relationship with the CMA to question why he was excluded. He cited his more than 50 years in the music business, millions of records sold, over two dozen Billboard hits, a past CMA Horizon Award nomination and his status as a “lifetime CMA member” since 1992.
The musician also noted that he previously “donated” his time to perform at CMA Fest, and that he hoped he had earned the right to walk the carpet alongside his wife just as they had in the past.
“Im blessed to still be out on tour every year, performing for the greatest fans in the world doing what I love,” Kershaw wrote. “I believe there should be room to recognize the artists who have spent their lives contributing to this organizations success.
“I love country music, but never in a million years would I think that a successful country music entertainer (and Im not the only one) would not be able to walk the red carpet. Its ext
