Riley Green, Carly Pearce and other country music stars have rallied behind Sammy Kershaw after the veteran singer claimed that the Country Music Association denied his request to walk the red carpet at the 2026 CMA Awards. Kershaw said the decision left him hurt and embarrassed, particularly after he had rearranged his touring schedule to attend the event with his wife.

Green was among the first artists to publicly respond to Kershaw’s statement. Commenting on the singer’s Instagram post on Thursday, November 5, Green, 38, wrote: “If you haven’t earned the right to be there then nobody has… disappointing to say the least.”

The controversy began when Kershaw, 68, shared a lengthy statement describing what he called disappointing news from the CMA. He alleged that organizers had denied his request to spend a few minutes walking the red carpet ahead of the ceremony, scheduled for Wednesday, November 18.

Sammy Kershaw Says the Decision Left Him Hurt

Kershaw explained that he and his wife, Mendy Gregory Kershaw, rarely have the opportunity to attend industry events because of touring commitments and scheduling conflicts. After making adjustments to his tour, the couple had arranged flights and hotel accommodations, looking forward to spending a special evening celebrating country music together.

He said the alleged denial was especially frustrating because it came just two weeks before the ceremony, after several months of being led to expect that they would attend.

Kershaw also questioned why he would be refused red carpet access despite having received lifetime membership in the Country Music Association in 1992.

“I believe there should be room to recognize the artists who have spent their lives contributing to this organization’s success,” he wrote.

The singer added that he remains grateful to tour every year and perform for his fans. However, he said he never expected a successful country music entertainer to be unable to walk the CMA red carpet.

Kershaw ended his statement by expressing his love for country music while describing the situation as extremely hurtful, embarrassing and disappointing. He even suggested that the next time he might attend the CMA Awards could be as part of a tribute after his death.

Us Weekly reported that it had contacted the CMA Awards for comment. The organization’s response was not included in the report, so the circumstances surrounding the alleged denial remain unclear.

Riley Green, Carly Pearce and Jake Owen Show Support

Kershaw’s statement prompted an outpouring of support from fellow country artists.

Carly Pearce, who is nominated for Musical Event of the Year at the 2026 CMA Awards alongside Green for their collaboration “If I Don’t Leave I’m Gonna Stay,” reminded Kershaw of his influence on the genre.

“Many of us wouldn’t be here without artists like you,” she wrote.

Three-time CMA Award nominee Jake Owen also made his position clear, commenting: “I’m team Sammy.”

Fans joined the discussion, with many criticizing the CMA Awards over the alleged decision. Several described the situation as “crazy” and “BS” in the comments section of Kershaw’s post.

Sammy Kershaw’s Longstanding Country Music Career

Kershaw’s connection to the CMA stretches back decades. In addition to becoming a lifetime member in 1992, he was nominated for the organization’s Horizon Award in 1993. He ultimately lost the breakthrough artist honor to Mark Chesnutt; the award has since been renamed New Artist of the Year.

His career also includes a No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart with “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful” in 1993. He went on to score 10 additional Top 10 singles, including “Anywhere But Here,” “Third Rate Romance” and “National Working Woman’s Holiday.”

The 60th Annual CMA Awards are scheduled to air live on ABC and Disney+ on Wednesday, November 18. Lainey Wilson will return as host for the third consecutive year, with the ceremony taking place at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena.

Source: Compiled from various sources