McBride was scheduled to perform at the “Bands, Blues & BBQ” event in March 2014 in Orlando, Fla., according to her Facebook page.
In a statement released over the weekend, McBride specifically cited the film. “I’ve decided that given all the issues that have been aired recently, the time isn’t right for me to play at Seaworld,” she wrote.
She joins such acts as Trisha Yearwood, Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, Heart and Barenaked Ladies. Also added to the list, REO Speedwagon cancelled a scheduled show on Friday (Dec. 13).
“Blackfish” first aired on CNN in October. The film recounts how an Orca killed a SeaWorld trainer in 2010 and raises questions about keeping killer whales in captivity.
Since then, the film has prompted a growing campaign, largely through online petitions, to boycott the animal acts. SeaWorld spokesman Nick Gollattscheck blamed the campaigns for the cancellations.
SeaWorld hosts a six-week concert series featuring mainly country and classic rock acts. The park said it’s lining up other artists.
The documentary ignores the park’s conservation efforts and research, SeaWorld asserts.
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Keith Girard four decades of experience as an award-winning reporter, editor-in-chief, and senior media executive. Keith’s career began in Washington, D.C., where he was a reporter for The Washington Post and a contributing editor for Regardie’s and Washingtonian magazines. He also worked as a writer/producer in CNN’s Washington Bureau and has written one book on the U.S. Marines in the Gulf War.