Bret Michaels is joining a growing list of artists who are no longer performing at Freedom 250.
The 63-year-old Poison rocker confirmed on Friday (May 29) that he is no longer going to perform at the gig, set to take place on the National Lawn in Washington, D.C.
He is now the fifth artist out of the nine originally announced acts to pull out, and he issued a statement about the decision to social media.
“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,” he wrote.
“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.”
Freedom 250, which Donald Trump announced last year, is described as a “national, non-partisan organization leading the celebration of our Nation’s 250th birthday.”
Bret Michaels’ full statement:
Hello to all my awesome friends & fans,
I wanted to jump on here real quick and talk about the upcoming Freedom 250 event in Washington, D.C.
When this opportunity was originally presented to my team, it was described as a celebration of our country through music and a chance to honor our veterans, active military, first responders, teachers and hardworking Americans from all walks of life. As the son of a veteran, and coming from a family that has proudly served, that is something I have always been honored to support.
As many of you know, I’ve spent my entire career bringing people together through music, positivity and good vibes. My shows have never been about politics. They’re about giving people a place to come together, have a great time and forget about life’s stresses for a few hours.
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.
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.
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.
I will continue to proudly support our veterans, active military members, teachers, first responders and the organizations that serve them, just as I always have.
I also want my amazing fans in Washington, D.C. to know that I love you all, and I fully intend to come back and perform in our nation’s capital under circumstances where the focus can remain on what it should be – the music and the fans.
In the meantime, we’ll keep the Live & Amplified Tour rocking, and I look forward to seeing all of you out on the road soon. This is said with much love, gratitude, and respect.
Your friend,
Bret
(A lead singer with long texting issues)
Click through to find out who pulled out of the concert so far, and who is still set to perform...
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