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PEOPLE/ARTS Monday 9 october 2017
Many in country music mum over gun issues after Vegas deaths

By KRISTIN M. HALL features performers such as ity of education and safety
Associated Press Hank Williams Jr. and Trace — most certainly when it
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Adkins. It’s unclear how relates to what we value
When singer Meghan Lin- much the NRA has spent most, our children,” Mc-
sey first started her country on the brand, and repre- Graw said in a statement
duo Steel Magnolia, a part- sentatives of the group did in 2015. “I can’t imagine
nership with the National not respond to requests for anyone who disagrees
Rifle Association was sug- information from The Asso- with that.”
gested as a way to grow ciated Press.Country duo Many artists expressed grief
their audience. Big & Rich, who have per- over the Las Vegas killings
The proposal, which she formed at NRA-sponsored without wading into poli-
refused, was a common- events, were at the festival tics. Alongside her husband
place example of how in- just hours before Stephen Vince Gill, Amy Grant led a
tertwined gun ownership is Paddock began firing from prayer at a vigil in Nashville
with country music. his room at the Mandalay on Monday, a day after the
The mass shooting on the fi- Bay Hotel and Casino. They shooting, while Maren Mor- In this June 10, 2015, file photo, Meghan Linsey arrives at the
nal day of Route 91 Harvest said it wasn’t the weapons ris released a song called CMT Music Awards at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn.
Festival in Las Vegas has that were the problem, but “Dear Hate,” in which she Associated Press
emboldened some coun- the man using them. but declares “love con- ers Osborne was in tears said, “This world is becom-
try musicians to call for gun “I think if a man has ill will quers all.” Eric Church on national radio talking ing the kind of place I am
control, even as many oth- in his heart, then there’s angrily said “no amount about the deaths of fans afraid to raise my children
ers declined to weigh in. weapons everywhere,” of bullets” was going to who they considered fam- in.” Many others have do-
Plenty of artists avoid the Big Kenny said. “I mean he take away his memories ily. Keith Urban struggled nated to funds set up to
issue because there’s a can pick up a -- anything -- of those fans killed, before to talk about the shooting help the victims and count-
real risk of backlash as gun make a bomb, put it in his debuting a song written to his 9-year-old daughter. less other selfless acts have
lobbyists have bolstered a shoe. We have somebody in memory of the victims Jason Aldean, who was on brought the community
connection between the trying to blow up stuff on called “Why Not Me.”John stage at the festival when even closer to support one
patriotic themes found in trains constantly.” Osborne of the duo Broth- the shooter opened fire, another.q
country music to gun own- The shooting changed the
ership in recent years. mind of Caleb Keeter, a
“I just feel like you’re so guitarist for the Josh Abbott
censored as a country Band, who was among
artist,” said Linsey, an in- those at the festival during
dependent musician who the attack. He wrote in a
took a knee after singing widely shared tweet that
the national anthem at an he had been a lifelong
NFL football game. “I feel Second Amendment sup-
like the labels like to keep porter: “I cannot express
you that way. They don’t how wrong I was.”
want you to speak out. Keeter said that a single
They don’t want you to man laid waste to a city
say things that would upset because of “access to an
country music listeners.” insane amount of firepow-
She added: “People worry er.” Paddock had 23 guns
about being Dixie Chick- in his room, some of which
ed.” had attachments that al-
The Dixie Chicks still loom low a semi-automatic rifle
large as a lesson in country to mimic a fully automatic
music politics. The hugely weapon.
popular group was boycot- Others, including Jennifer
ted after lead singer Nata- Nettles of the band Sug-
lie Maines criticized then- arland and Sheryl Crow,
President George W. Bush have joined the call for gun
on the eve of the Iraq War control.
in 2003. But there are risks.
The National Rifle Associa- When country artists have
tion has further strength- in the past tried to wade
ened the relationship be- into gun politics, it can turn
tween guns and country into a no-win situation.
music with its lifestyle and Tim McGraw had to de-
music brand called NRA fend his participation in a
Country. NRA Country has benefit concert for victims
sought to tie the music to of a mass shooting at the
gun-linked activities like Sandy Hook Elementary
hunting or outdoor sports, School in Connecticut after
but without mention of po- criticism from gun rights ad-
litical issues. vocates. His opening act,
Since about 2010, the NRA Billy Currington, pulled out
Country brand has been of the performance over
placed on country music the controversy.
tours and concerts, mer- “As a gun owner, I support
chandise, an album called gun ownership, I also be-
“This Is NRA Country,” a lieve that with gun owner-
music video and more. It ship comes the responsibil-