Alabama Shakes Singer: Band Will Perform In NC Amid Rising LGBT Furor

New York, NY (Top40 Charts) We couldn't just say 'no, we're not showing up and I'm sorry your government is behaving this way.' That's not the right thing to do.

Alabama Shakes lead singer Brittany Howard said that her GRAMMY award-winning band will perform at a North Carolina engagement later this week amid strong backlash from the music industry over the Religious Freedom Law affecting the state's LGBT community. The controversy has led to many musicians, including Bruce Springsteen, cancelling upcoming shows and boycotting North Carolina.

Alabama Shakes is scheduled to perform April 22 at the Charlotte Metro Credit Union Amphitheatre in Charlotte, NC. The concert is sold out.

Howard said in the CRN podcast interview, "As for North Carolina, I think it was wrong what the lawmakers did. They are not representing all of their citizens…That's wrong to take their tax money, turn around and then disbar them from living with their identity that they fought so hard to understand and develop."

She went on to say, "We are going to play the show. And we are going to have a statement. And it has everything to do with a lot of our fan base is the LGBT community, and they want to see us. We couldn't just say 'no, we're not showing up and I'm sorry your government is behaving this way.' That's not the right thing to do."

Howard's interview was with music journalist John Norris as part of a new music festival podcast being produced by CRN International's Collisions podcast division. The new podcast episode can be heard HERE.

CRN (https://www.crnradio.com) for decades has produced award-winning radio programs for thousands of stations that have been sponsored by well-known consumer brands. The company recently launched Collisions (https://www.CollisionsMedia.com), which produces "podcasts for curious people." The company is headquartered in Hamden, CT, with offices in New York, Minneapolis, Detroit, and Hershey, PA.