Hellbilly
Platinum Member
Why anyone would display a confederate flag while performing music of black people is beyond me.Guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd's nomination for Best Blues/Rock Artist in the 2021 Blues Music Awards has been revoked over his use of a Confederate flag. The decision was made by the Blues Foundation.
Shepherd's nomination was rescinded due to “continuing revelations of representations of the Confederate flag on Shepherd’s ‘General Lee’ car, guitars and elsewhere," according to a March 18 statement on the Foundation's website.
In addition, the organization has asked the guitarist's father, Ken Shepherd, to resign from its board of directors, as he's a member.
The Foundation also posted a statement on March 15 regarding racism.
“The Blues Foundation unequivocally condemns all forms and expressions of racism, including all symbols associated with white supremacy and the degradation of people of color. We will hold ourselves as well as all blues musicians, fans, organizations, and members of the music industry accountable for racist actions and encourage concrete commitments to acknowledge and redress the resulting pain.
The Blues Foundation acknowledges that racism contributed to the historic oppression and exploitation of African American blues musicians and recognizes that hateful acts of racism continue to afflict the blues community today. We consistently strive to identify, discuss, and challenge issues of race within the blues community. We commit to the ongoing development and implementation of strategies to dismantle structural and systemic racism within our programs, special events and organization. We hereby adopt an action plan to purposefully address racism and contribute to a more equitable blues community."