Jason Isbell is protesting against the Country Music Association for overlooking some of country’s lost greats during its awards ceremony.
In a post late Thursday, the Alabama artist said he and his wife Amanda Shires were dumping their lifetime membership of the CMA after John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Billy Joe Shaver weren’t recognized during the 2020 CMA Awards the previous night.
He wrote, “Due to CMAs failure to mention John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Billy Joe Shaver at the CMA’s last night, @amandashires and I have decided to return our membership cards. I doubt anybody will care, but we cared a lot about our heroes.”
The country music scene lost some major players to injury, illness and age over the past year. Prine, Walker and Shaver were heavyweights in their field.
Prine, the revered, multiple Grammy-winning Americana singer and songwriter, died April 7 after a battle with coronavirus. He was 73.
Walker, the Texas singer and songwriter who wrote the pop song “Mr. Bojangles,” died Oct. 23 2020 following a years-long battle with throat cancer and other health issues. He was 78.
Shaver, the songwriter whose works were recorded by Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Elvis Presley, and many others, died Oct. 28 at the age of 81.
The CMA is yet to respond to Isbell’s comments.
Isbell is known for his solo career, his work with The 400 Unit, and as a former member of Drive-By Truckers, and has four Grammy Awards to his name.
Last week, as the results of 2020 election cliffhanger was unfolding, Isbell pledged to cut a tribute album to Georgia should the Peach State vote Democrat. Georgia went blue.
