Country music star Garth Brooks, one of the bestselling music artists of all time, is opening a bar in Nashville called Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk — named after his famous '90s song "Friends in Low Places."
Garth is being boycotted by conservatives after heavily implying that he will serve Bud Light beer at his new bar amid the conservative boycott of the beer brand for partnering with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
At a panel with "Billboard Country Live" on June 6th, Garth stated: "We’re going to serve every brand of beer ... we just are. It’s not our decision to make. Our thing is this: If you [are let] into this house, love one another. If you’re an asshole, there are plenty of other places on Lower Broadway."
Garth continued, "I want it to be a place you feel safe in; I want it to be a place where you feel like there are manners and people like one another."
Garth has taken a stance in opposition to fellow country music singer and Nashville bar owner John Rich, who stopped selling Bud Light amid the controversy with the brand. John commented on Garth's position on the topic, telling Fox News Digital, "If Garth is serving Bud Light in his bar, that’s fine. Garth can do that. Garth might find out not many people are going to order it."
Republican politicians and conservative fans have already started attacking Garth online for his position, with many using the hashtag #BoycottGarthBrooks.
One former fan claimed to have thrown away Garth's music for "turning his back on the USA," while another tweeted that they "hope his bar fails and he goes broke for what he said."
This isn't the first time Garth has faced public controversy for his positions on inclusivity. In 2021, he was boycotted by conservative fans for agreeing to perform at President Joe Biden's inauguration, stating, "The message they're pushing is unity, and that's right down my alley, man. If we're gonna get anywhere, we're gonna get there together," according to Newsweek.
Garth is one of the few country music LGBTQ allies who have been outspoken about tolerance and equality. He won a GLAAD Award in 1993 for his song "We Shall Be Free," which is about fighting for a world where everyone is free to be who they are.
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