Don’t mess with the Beyhive. Beyoncé‘s fans were not happy with country singer Travis Tritt after he criticized the entertainer’s 2016 Country Music Association Awards performance with the Dixie Chicks.
Tritt, 53, took to Twitter on Thursday, November 3, after a concert in Kentucky to call out the CMAs for inviting a pop-R&B singer to perform at a country music awards show.
“Thanks to everyone who came out to see us in Bowling Green, KY tonight. Sorry we weren’t able to do any Beyoncé for all the country fans,” he wrote. “FYI – My band and I are gonna try to work up Beyoncé’s ‘All The Single Ladies’ for all you die hard country fans who love traditional music!”
The “Where Corn Don’t Grow” crooner added, “I want to know when the BET or SoulTrain awards are gonna ask a country artist to perform on their awards show?”
Naturally, the Beyhive banded together and stung Tritt for his comments. “Why don’t you do a collaboration with Beyoncé? You might generate more hits,” one user wrote, while another added, “If you hate pop music influencing country that’s fine. Singling out Beyonce is not. Daddy Lessons actually fits the genre.”
Shortly after the angry responses began, the Grammy winner clarified his post, claiming he was merely criticizing the Country Music Association for trying to draw high ratings by enlisting a pop star.
“As I see it, country music has appealed to millions for many years,” he tweeted. “We can stand on our own and don’t need pop artists on our awards shows. I love honest to God country music and feel the need to stand up for it at all costs. We don’t need pop or rap artists to validate us.”
After Beyoncé performed her country-style hit “Daddy Lessons” at the November 2 awards ceremony, there was more backlash online after reports swirled that the CMAs deleted all mention of the performance from its website and social media accounts. The CMAs later clarified the move in a statement to Us Weekly, saying it merely removed a “five-second promotional clip … that was unapproved.”
The drama didn’t go unnoticed by the Dixie Chicks, however. The band’s lead singer, Natalie Maines, tweeted lyrics from Beyoncé’s “Formation,” throwing subtle shade at the haters. “You know you dat Bitch when you cause all this conversation,” she wrote. “Always stay gracious best revenge is your paper.”
