Almost Everyone Has Now Pulled Out of NRA Concert

Update: Nearly all of the musicians previously set to perform at the NRA's Saturday night concert in Houston have exited. Lee Greenwood, Larry Gatlin, T. Graham Brown, and Larry Stewart have all pulled out of performing, and SiriusXM's Y2Kountry host Danielle Peck is also out. Sources tell Billboard the concert could be canceled entirely. "While I agree with most of the positions held by the NRA, I have come to believe that, while background checks would not stop every madman with a gun, it is at the very least a step in the right direction toward trying to prevent the kind of tragedy we saw this week in Uvalde—in my beloved, weeping Texas," Gatlin said in a statement to Fox News. "I pray that the NRA will rethink some of its outdated and ill-thought-out positions regarding firearms in America. I'm a Second Amendment guy, but the Second Amendment should not apply to everyone. It's that simple. GOD HELP US PLEASE." Greg Abbott, Ted Cruz, Kristi Noem, and Donald Trump still plan to be at the weekend convention. Our original story from Wednesday follows:

Following the unimaginable massacre at a Texas elementary school, Don McLean has pulled out of his planned performance at the National Rifle Association's Texas convention this weekend. "In light of the recent events in Texas, I have decided it would be disrespectful and hurtful for me to perform for the NRA at their convention in Houston this week," the "American Pie" singer said in a statement, per TMZ. "I’m sure all the folks planning to attend this event are shocked and sickened by these events as well. After all, we are all Americans. I share the sorrow for this terrible, cruel loss with the rest of the nation."

The NRA is billing this weekend as its biggest show of the year, with speeches from Donald Trump, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and Ted Cruz and a massive amount of guns and related equipment for sale, Variety reports. Saturday night's concert, which the NRA has dubbed "Grand Ole Night of Freedom," was also set to feature musicians Lee Greenwood, Larry Gatlin, former Restless Heart lead singer Larry Stewart, Jacob Bryant, and T. Graham Brown. As of Wednesday night, reps for Greenwood, Gatlin, and Brown confirmed they will still perform; Stewart and Bryant had not made announcements either way. (More Don McLean stories.)