Trace Adkins is the ninth artist to cancel a performance at SeaWorld in Orlando amid the controversy created by one of last year's most influential documentaries, "Blackfish," News 13 reports.
"Blackfish," directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite and released last year, reveals the striking alleged abuse of the marine theme park's orca whales and the lethal price of keeping such animals in captivity for human enjoyment, and its influence has been slowly growing as more and more people see and react to the film.
Adkins was scheduled to perform on March 2 SeaWorld's annual Bands, Brew & BBQ event, but a rep recently released a statement confirming that he will no longer be participating.
"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," the rep said in a statement.
Since early December, acts such as the Barenaked Ladies, Willie Nelson, Heart, Cheap Trick and Joan Jett have pulled out of the concert event citing similar reasons, many prompted to cancel from fan-created petitions on Change.org urging them not to support the theme park.
