Sammy Kershaw ProfileRobert's Western World has sent a shot across the bow of the CMA Awards following Sammy Kershaw’s allegations that he was snubbed on the red carpet, offering to host their own red carpet event to celebrate "real country music".
Kershaw took to social media to voice his hurt that his request to walk the red carpet had been denied.
"My wife, Mendy, and I don’t get to attend these events very often, due to touring and schedule conflicts. After adjusting my touring schedule, booking our flights and hotels, she was really looking forward to us sharing a special evening together celebrating country music. Then to find out I was denied the red carpet two weeks before the show, after being strung along for several months and expecting we would be attending, WTF?"
Kershaw has had over two dozen Billboard-charted country songs, is a lifetime CMA member, and has released sixteen studio albums, five of which have been gold or platinum hits. He has had nine top 10 singles, including 1993’s #1 hit She Don't Know She's Beautiful.
Artists like Riley Green, Drew Baldridge, Jake Owen, and Carly Pearce have all come out to support Kershaw, with others even more forcefully backing respect for older artists.
Kershaw’s contemporary Mark Chesnutt went further, accusing the CMA of losing sight of its roots.
"The CMA doesn’t care about us old 90s guys any more," he said. "It’s a shame they don’t respect the stars that dominated the charts in the past thirty years or before that, but they sure roll out the welcome mat for pop stars and Hollywood movie stars and even hip hop artists. Anything but country music gets the performance spots on the show. Rock 'n' roll honours its history and respects its legends while country music industry executives seem to ignore its rich history and its legends. Thank God there’s still a lot of people that love traditional country music."
Since the controversy broke, Rodney Atkins has also come out to say he and his wife were denied access to the red carpet.
Fellow 90s country star Doug Stone said, "There’s been a big resurgence of 90s country the past 10 years or so, and they are quick to profit from it all while ignoring those of us who made the music. I know that things change over the years, but it’s certainly not right that the executives over today’s 'country music' find a way to snub those who paved the way at every turn. When I was at the top, I had so much respect and admiration for the guys and gals who had come before me. It’s a shame that hasn’t carried through. Surely there is someone on that red carpet list who could be bumped to make way for SK. Maybe one of these internet influencers or rappers? We all know there are many undeserving."
Robert's Western World, Broadway’s authentic honky-tonk, has backed the calls for traditional country music to be honoured, offering to host their own gala event in honour of Kershaw.
"Wednesday evening 18/11/2026, we would like to host a red carpet gala right here at RWW, for you, your bride and any other guests you would like. At Robert’s we will properly celebrate REAL country music the night of the CMAs. We would like to celebrate you, your accomplishments, any other artists you feel need to be included and the road you all helped pave for so many newer artists."
Robert's has recently expanded with the acquisition of Jack’s Bar-B-Que. Their antagonism towards the CMA is long-running, with merch saying 'CMA - Country My A**' a hot seller.
With country music continuing to rise, the controversy has shone a light on the difficulty of creating an event that celebrates new country artists while still keeping space for the lineage of artists that got the scene to where it is. Obviously the number of artists able to walk the red carpet is finite, and at a time where more country artists than ever are breaking through, the balance of up-and-coming artists given the opportunity along with heritage artists is harder to juggle than ever.
While each artist denied the red carpet will feel aggrieved, every heritage artist approved means one less new artist given the opportunity, and in a time when country is facing a huge new commercial surge, the pressure on those spots is hotter than ever.
