Morgan Wallen Fans Fund Seven Nashville Billboards with Message for Music Industry: ‘Enough is Enough’

Seven fan-funded billboards in support of Morgan Wallen appeared in Nashville, Tenn. on Monday, June 7. The billboards are located…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

June 7, 2021

3:15 pm

Morgan Wallen; Photo by Andrew Wendowski

Seven fan-funded billboards in support of Morgan Wallen appeared in Nashville, Tenn. on Monday, June 7.

The billboards are located in and around the downtown Nashville area, including several locations along the highly trafficked areas of Broadway and West End Ave. According to a fan named Darleen Ingram who reached out to Music Mayhem, a group of Wallen’s supporters rallied together once again to raise funds for billboards to support the East Tennessee native.

The latest billboards mark the third set of billboards funded by Wallen’s fans. In May, they joined together to purchase a billboard in Los Angeles boycotting the Billboard Music Awards, and in early April, they funded six billboards in Nashville during the week of the ACM Awards. Although the newest billboards happened to appear just three days before the 2021 CMT Music Awards, Wallen’s fans say they are not targeted at CMT’s show.

“We are not taking a direct aim at the CMT Music Awards as we appreciate their forgiveness and for allowing Morgan’s participation within their future shows,” Ingram told Music Mayhem. “However, we do still stand tall and want our voices to be heard loud and clear as we’ve had enough of these cancel culture ways. It’s time to stop cancel culture, enough is enough!”

The billboard design reads, “the fans are speaking, ENOUGH is ENOUGH” situated next a mullet silhouette and Wallen’s signature word “GAHT.” Also featured on the billboard is a reference to “Mark 11:25,” a bible verse about forgiveness. The text beneath the first statement shares a message for the music industry: “music industry, we want to be heard!”

The billboards are in reference to the backlash that Wallen has faced since early February when a video of him using a racial slur surfaced online.

The same group of fans have also funded a billboard that will soon be built in Wallen’s hometown of Sneedville, Tennessee. The Sneedville billboard will become a permanent fixture in the small town, marking the first-ever billboard built in the area.

The billboards, which were purchased via Lamar Advertising, and will run through Sunday, June 13.

Wallen has faced extensive backlash following his use of the racial slur. On February 3, one day after the TMZ video surfaced, his label, Big Loud, revealed that his recording contract had been suspended indefinitely. Additionally, his music was pulled from hundreds of radio stations across the country and removed from major playlists across various DSPs, including Spotify and Apple Music.

“I’m embarrassed and sorry,” Wallen said in a statement after TMZ published the video. “I used an unacceptable and inappropriate racial slur that I wish I could take back. There are no excuses to use this type of language, ever. I want to sincerely apologize for using the word. I promise to do better.”

Wallen also released a lengthy video apology and then took an extensive break from the spotlight and social media. He later returned to social media with a hand-written letter to fans.

“Not only has this time revealed to me the ways in which I want to improve, but it’s also reminded me that I am still very proud of who I am and the man I am becoming,” he shared in mid-April.

At the time, Wallen revealed that he has decided to remove himself from his scheduled appearances throughout the summer, including his spot on Luke Bryan’s tour. Wallen closed his post by letting fans know that his “story is far from over” and promised, “you’ll be seeing me sooner than later.”

The singer/songwriter has remained mostly out of the spotlight, until recently when he surprised patrons at Kid Rock’s Big Honky Tonk & Steakhouse with a pop-up performance on May 19. He also attended Miranda Lambert’s Casa Rosa opening, and even shared a heartfelt performance of a brand new song called “Thought You Should Know.”

Most recently, Wallen returned to social media by documenting a visit to Bass Pro Shop with his son, Indigo Wilder.

In recent weeks, Wallen’s music has been slowly reinstated on some radio and digital platforms.

Despite industry backlash, Wallen’s Dangerous: The Double Album notched a record-breaking 10+ weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart earlier this year.

This article was published solely for news purposes only and does not reflect views or opinions of Country Now or its staff.

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Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black is a longtime country music journalist, editor, host, and media personality whose work has helped shape the conversation around country music for nearly two decades. As the current Editor-in-Chief of Country Now, she has become one of the genre’s most respected voices, interviewing hundreds of country music’s biggest stars, including Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, Shania Twain, Randy Travis, Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, and countless others. Over the course of her career, Black’s written work and interviews have reached billions of country music fans worldwide. A 2009 graduate of the University of Central Florida, Black began her career by founding Country Music Is Love, one of country music’s earliest independent digital publications, which she later sold to a major record label in 2015 before it was rebranded as Sounds Like Nashville. She then served as the publication’s Editor-in-Chief for more than two years. Her work has also appeared in Forbes, and she previously served as the Country Music Expert for Answers.com. Widely recognized for her expertise, Black has appeared as a featured guest on The Bobby Bones Show, BobbyCast, and Scripps News Morning Rush, providing insight on country music’s biggest moments. She has also hosted Country Now Live, a concert series featuring performances from artists including Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Dustin Lynch, Gabby Barrett, Brett Young, Jon Pardi, Kip Moore, Chris Young, and more. The series has welcomed thousands of fans in person while reaching millions more online. In addition, she hosted Connect With Country Now, a weekly interview series featuring conversations with rising country stars. Throughout her career, Black has earned a reputation for discovering and championing artists long before they become household names. She has covered Luke Bryan since the early days of his career, beginning when he was writing songs for other artists, including Billy Currington’s No. 1 hit “Good Directions,” before stepping into the spotlight with his debut single, “All My Friends Say” and eventually becoming one of biggest names in music. She also gave Megan Moroney her first opportunity to walk a major red carpet as Country Now’s official guest correspondent at the 2022 CMA Awards. An interview she conducted in 2018 for Forbes.com with Luke Combs that inspired his multi-week No. 1 hit, “Doin’ This.” She has also hosted stages at CMA Fest, moderated an industry panel at Country Radio Seminar, and helped lead important conversations about the evolving landscape of country music media. Beyond journalism, Black has also used her platform to support charitable causes and highlight organizations making an impact. Through Country Now Live, she has helped raise awareness and support for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, while also advocating for animal rescue through Country Now’s Pupdate series, spotlighting organizations including MuttNation Foundation, Wags & Walks, and Proverbs 12:10 Animal Rescue. Black has been recognized as one of Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. She is a longtime member of both the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). After nearly 20 years covering country music, Lauren Jo Black has spent her career telling the stories behind the artists, songs, and moments that have shaped the genre. Her first-ever book, Country Music Forever: An A-to-Z Celebration of Icons, Songs and Stories, brings that same passion and firsthand knowledge to the page, celebrating not only the legendary artists and timeless songs that have become the soundtrack to generations of fans, but also the places, traditions, and cultural moments that have made country music one of the most beloved genres around the world.