A summer music festival in suburban Illinois is under pressure to drop Toby Keith from its line-up because the country superstar played at President Donald Trump's inauguration.
Residents of Naperville say Keith — scheduled to perform June 30th at "Ribfest," which raises money for charity, has become "too political" and "polarizing" to be part of the show.
"I vote with my pocketbook. My money will be going to a different charity this year," resident Amy Kakkuri told the Chicago Tribune.
"In the current political climate, it seemed overtly polarizing and political. It would have been short-sighted for them to not expect this reaction."
On the Ribfest Facebook page, organizers insisted they were not trying to be controversial, stating:
"Ribfest talent is negotiated and selected months in advance of the event … At no time are artists booked based on their political beliefs or actions."
Keith, who once dubbed Trump a "media whore," has insisted to Entertainment Weekly that he was performing for "our country and our military" in playing the inauguration, adding that he had also done events for presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
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