Garth Brooks has earned praise from fans after reiterating his dedication to “inclusiveness” amid anti-LGBT+ backlash over his decision to serve Bud Light at his bar.
The country music singer confirmed that he would serve the beer, which has been embroiled in controversy after a partnership with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, at his Nashville bar Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky Tonk during a panel conversation at Billboard Country Live last week.
“I want it to be a place you feel safe in, I want it to be a place where you feel like there are manners and people like one another. And yes, we’re going to serve every brand of beer,” Brooks said during the conversation, adding: “We just are. It’s not our decision to make. Our thing is this, if you [are let] into this house, love one another. If you’re an a**hole, there are plenty of other places on lower Broadway.”
The comment was met with praise from many of the singer-songwriter’s fans. However, others suggested Brooks be boycotted over his confirmation he would be serving Bud Light at the Nashville bar.
On Monday, the 61-year-old addressed the “stir” his comments made during his “Inside Studio G” Facebook livestream, where he reiterated his dedication to “inclusiveness”.
“Inclusiveness, that’s me. It’s always been me … I get it, everybody’s got their opinions but inclusiveness is always going to be me,” Brooks said during the livestream. “I think diversity is the answer to the problems that are here and the answer to the problems that are coming.”
The country superstar then added: “So, I love diversity, all included. So, all are welcome.”
Brooks then acknowledged that his opinion may not align with the opinions of others, and that that is “okay”. “They have their opinions. They have their beliefs. I have mine,” he said.
The Dance singer finished addressing the topic by encouraging his fans to come to his bar with “love” and “tolerance”.
“Here’s the deal. If you want to come to Friends in Low Places, come in. Come in with love. Come in with tolerance, patience. Come in with an open mind, and it’s cool,” he said, before adding: “And if you’re one of those people that just can’t do that, I get it. If you ever are one of those people that want to try, come.”
Brooks’ statement, which comes after celebrity bar owners such as Kid Rock and John Rich announced they had stopped serving Bud Light at their Nashville establishments, has been met with an outpouring of praise and gratitude from fans.
“You’ve got a new fan here Garth. Well said and so true!” one person tweeted, while another said: “Wow Garth Brooks just won me over. I mean, yes, I did have his CD back in the day (one of the very few I had) but I respect him so much now.”
“You always win when you stand up for what’s right. Thank you @garthbrooks,” someone else tweeted.
Bud Light began facing anti-LGBT+ backlash and calls for a boycott from consumers, conservative commentators and celebrities in April, after the brand partnered with Mulvaney to promote a Bud Light contest.
Amid the ongoing anti-transgender backlash surrounding the brand, Bud Light’s brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev placed two of its marketing executives on leave, and said that it would focus its future marketing campaigns on sports and music, according to The New York Times.
