Country musician Martina McBride has pulled out of a music event linked to President Trump that she was due to headline, a day after it was announced.
The announcement came hours after several other performers confirmed they were pulling the plug on their appearances, citing communication problems about how the event was sold to them.
The Great American State Fair was announced Wednesday, and is set to take place on the National Mall between June 25 and July 10 as part of the extended celebrations for America’s 250th birthday.
The line-up for the run of free gigs included McBride, rappers Young MC, Flo Rida and Vanilla Ice, soul band The Commodores, dance act C+C Music Factory, Poison frontman Bret Michaels, pop duo Milli Vanilli and funk act Morris Day and The Time.
However, confusion over the fair’s MAGA-affiliation meant that by Thursday, four of the nine acts announced on Wednesday had pulled out. Most said they were not informed of the connection to the Trump administration when they were booked.
McBride, 59, who has sold over 14 million albums since 1992, posted on social media on Thursday that she wanted to “clear the air” about her booking. The musician said she was “presented with an opportunity to perform at a nonpartisan event but that turned out to be misleading.”
The country star said she “asked lots of questions” before signing on, and believed it was a “great way to celebrate the states and also bring people together in the way that only music can.”
She added after the announcement, “things started changing and what we were told is, in fact, not what is happening.”
McBride, who said fans had “reached out” after her involvement was announced, said she has made a career out of attempting to give people a voice.
“It greatly upsets me that any fan who has been moved by my music may now feel like I’m abandoning the meaning behind those songs,” she wrote. “I assure you, that is not the case.”
The announcement came an hour after The Commodores, the group once fronted by Lionel Richie, announced on Thursday that they would not be performing.
“Our music has always been our voice and we choose not to publicly affiliate with any single political party,” the band said in a social media statement. “We support the betterment of all Americans.”
The band currently tours with one original member, William King, who co-wrote the 1981 hit “Lady.” Richie left the band the following year.
Rapper Young MC and Morris Day and The Time pulled out of the event on Wednesday.
The Daily Beast has contacted Freedom 250, which has organized the event, for comment.
The backlash around Trump’s links to the public and privately funded Freedom 250 events has grown, with many of the companies sponsoring Freedom 250 events having significant government contracts
A source close to the show told the Daily Beast on Wednesday, “This is not a White House event,” and said it will represent all 50 states and six territories.
The Freedom 250 website only has a generic Great American State Fair page listed, where people can register for free tickets, but no artists are mentioned.
However, the Freedom 250 X account still has the original tour picture pinned to the top, with no update to the lineup, even though nearly half the acts have now canceled.
The bill featured two acts with band members who had died, adding to the confusion surrounding their inclusion.
Milli Vanilli’s Rob Pilatus died in 1998, leaving Fab Morvan to tour the retro circuit under the band’s name. They were busted lip-syncing to their hit records, although Morvan now sings in concert himself.
Morvan, whose picture was used in the publicity material, confirmed on Thursday that he will be performing.
However, the band touring as Milli Vanilli, featuring the actual original vocalists from the hit records, said it was not performing at the Freedom 250 event.
“I am here to entertain and unite people, not divide them,” Morvan said in a statement to Consequence on Thursday.
“Let’s celebrate life and music and take a trip down memory lane. I feel honored to be a part of the Great American State Fair as it will celebrate the 250 Year Anniversary of America with so many other accomplished artists. Looking forward to reconnecting with you across the USA this summer and to finally sing Milli Vanilli songs live in person!”
The Daily Beast has contacted Morvan for comment.
Yesterday, C+C Music Factory frontman Williams revealed in an explicit Instagram post filmed in his toilet that the backlash to the event actually made him want to perform.
Williams said his agent had never mentioned Trump when booking the show, and that he was getting messages saying, “We’re gonna cancel C+C Music Factory, this is going to be a terrible show.”
He said, “I don’t f--- with Trump. I don’t give a f--- about Trump… I know the type of f---ing anarchy he creates. But the day I let you motherf-----s tell me what to do, is the day I die.”
Confirming he will perform and has no fear of being canceled, he also pointed out his audience is “90 percent” white people, and said, “70 percent of those white people probably voted for Republicans.”
Williams has turned off comments on his post.
On Wednesday, rapper Young MC, who had a hit with “Bust a Move” in 1989, said he would not be performing.
“The artists were never told about any political involvement with the event,” he stated on social media. “And despite the claims by the organizers that the event is non-partisan, SPIN magazine describes it as Trump-backed.”
The rapper later told Vibe Magazine he had no clue the event was MAGA-aligned.
“I was told one thing and then it was a bait-and-switch. All the comments I’ve seen from the artists that have dropped out thought it was supposed to be a regular show in D.C.”
He said he is happy to play in front of crowds regardless of their political beliefs.
“But when an event is presented to an artist they’re booked on as nonpolitical and nonpartisan, and then turns around and becomes hyper-partisan like it’s a rally, that’s when I have a problem,” the rapper said.
That leaves Flo Rida, Bret Michaels, C+C Music Factory and Milli Vanilli still on the bill.
And while MAGA has yet to hit up their more high-profile musical supporters, including Kid Rock and Nicki Minaj, “Ice Ice Baby” hitmaker Vanilla Ice has also promised he will be there.
“He is proud to help celebrate America’s 250th Anniversary!” a representative for the rapper told the Associated Press. “Everyone is welcome to attend and celebrate USA’s Birthday and our Freedom!”
Vanilla Ice has performed at several New Year’s Eve parties at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.
