Martina McBride Follows Trisha Yearwood and Cancels Seaworld Gig Amid Blackfish Controversy

Country star was supposed to perform at the amusement park

By Lily Harrison Dec 16, 2013 10:16 PMTags
Martina McBride, Trisha YearwoodGetty Images

Martina McBride is taking cue from Trisha Yearwood and pulling out of an upcoming gig at Seaworld.

The country music star announced the news on her Facebook page and shared her reasoning for cancelling the performance.

"I've decided that given all the issues that have been aired recently, the time isn't right for me to play Seaworld," she shared with fans.

"I have canceled my scheduled performance at the Bands, Blues & BBQ event in March 2014."

A Change.org petition calling for McBride to cancel her performance had over 20,000 signatures before she made her decision public.

This marks the latest in a slew of stars that have dropped their Seaworld concerts from their lineups including: Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Heart, and Barenaked Ladies.

REO Speedwagon announced their cancelation Sunday evening.

The band took to Twitter to tell fans, "Due to concerns regarding our February 16th appearance at SeaWorld, we have chosen to cancel the performance."

The theme park has been under much debate after the documentary Blackfish aired on CNN in October.

During the eye-opening film, viewers are told the story of the killing of a Seaworld trainer by one of the park's most famous orca whales. The film raised questions and concerns about the treatment of animals at the park and whether or not keeping killer whales in captivity falls under animal cruelty.

SeaWorld has since blasted the Gabriela Cowperthwaite-directed film, saying that it is both "inaccurate and misleading."