Country star Trace Adkins has become the latest musical act to cancel a performance at SeaWorld Orlando as the controversy continues surrounding the theme park's treatment of killer whales, prompted by the documentary "Blackfish."
A representative for Adkins released a statement to multiple news outlets Thursday confirming the singer would not perform as previously scheduled on March 2 at SeaWorld's annual Bands, Brew & BBQ event.
Trace prefers that the focus of his performances be on music, not on controversy. Therefore, he has decided not to proceed with this show in the midst of this debate.
Adkins is the ninth act slated to play at Bands, Brews and BBQ to pull out of the SeaWorld event since early December. Each act has either mentioned "Blackfish" directly or, as was the case with Adkins' representative, simply cited recent concerns.
Activists have been writing the musicians for months, asking them to pull out of the event and urging the musicians and their fans on social media to watch "Blackfish."
SeaWorld responded to the claims made in "Blackfish" wth a series of full-page newspaper ads in December, noting they have not collected a killer whale from the wild in 35 years, and SeaWorld's zoologists do not separate killer whale calves from their mothers, despite the documentary's claims.