President elect ,Donald Trump has been trying to persuade some A-list musicians to perform at his inauguration ceremony slated for January.
So far the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, America’s Got Talent contestant Jackie Evancho, the Rockettes, and the Talladega College Marching Band have indicated interest.
Despite the low interest coming from top artistes, Trump’s team is suddenly denying claims that they’re experiencing glitches. The following musicians have reportedly declined performing at the event:
Elton John
Despite a member of Trump’s transition team confidently announcing that John would be performing at the inauguration, John’s reps were quick to deny the claim with a curt statement: “Incorrect. He will not be performing.” John had previously expressed his anger with the president-elect when Trump used “Tiny Dancer” on the campaign trail without his permission this year, amusingly saying, “I’m not a Republican in a million years”.
Kiss
According to Kiss front man Gene Simmons’s wife, Shannon Tweed, Simmons was asked if the hard rockers would perform at the inauguration, but the band will be on tour in Europe during that time. “They asked and he politely declined,” Tweed explained, with Simmons himself adding, “I think people should get over it and move on. He’s our president and that’s it, end of story.”
Garth Brooks
Like Dion, country superstar Brooks was reportedly approached and wooed by Wynn to perform, but ultimately declined the offer.
Céline Dion
Despite Trump using the help of noted Las Vegas hotelier Steve Wynn to entice Dion to perform at the inauguration — she currently has a critically adored residency at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace — Dion strongly refused the advances.
Andrea Bocelli
There are two different stories as to why the prominent Italian tenor will not be performing at the inauguration. A member of Trump’s inauguration committee says Bocelli made the original offer to sing and was rejected by Trump; on the other hand, “Page Six”‘s sources report that Bocelli backed out after being offered the gig due to substantial backlash.
David Foster
The Canadian musician and producer, who has been on friendly terms with Trump for many years, was invited to help with the inauguration festivities in numerous capacities. He told People: “I was invited to participate and I politely declined.”
Rebecca Ferguson
Though the British singer had originally said she’d agree to perform at Trump’s inauguration only if she could perform Billie Holiday’s famous protest song “Strange Fruit,” she has since rejected his offer altogether. In a statement, Ferguson now says that due to “many grey areas about the offer,” she won’t be performing anything for Trump but still sends America “nothing but love.”
Charlotte Church
Welsh singer in a tweet says she was approached by Trump staffers to sing at his inauguration. But in keeping with her public disdain for the president-elect (“a simple Internet search would show I think you’re a tyrant,” she fired back), her response is simply, “bye.”