Recently, Bruce Springsteen drew attention to a new law in North Carolina, called HB2, which discriminates against the LGBT community. Springsteen made headlines by cancelling his show in the state last weekend, thereby essentially calling into question all other scheduled shows in the state.
Among those performers is Southern rock legend Gregg Allman, who is performing at the Cone Denim Entertainment Center in Greensboro, NC. Instead of cancelling the performance, Allman shared a note expressing the importance of music to get us through difficult times. In the message, Allman writes, “[I] hope that our music unites people in this challenging time.”
Read the full message from Gregg Allman below:
For over 45 years, I’ve been fortunate to play music all around this country and the world. I’ve been honored to know and be friends with many different people from all walks of life. Although we, as a nation, have made progress in many areas, it’s sad and infuriating that some, in 2016, are still working so hard to take the rights away from our brothers and sisters, as in the cases of “bathroom laws” recently passed in North Carolina (HB2 – Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act) and Mississippi (“Religious Liberty” bill 1523), discriminating against the LGBT community.
I know that North Carolina is a state full of good folks and loyal fans, many of whom are angry about and feel misrepresented by this action. My band and I will continue to play our show as scheduled there tomorrow, April 13, and hope that our music unites people in this challenging time. We stand in solidarity with the LGBT community urging Gov. McCrory to listen to the people and reverse this wrong. – Gregg Allman