The Country Music Association first told reporters covering the annual awards event next week that questions about “the Las Vegas tragedy, gun rights, political affiliations or topics of the like” were to be avoided. The penalty: a “security escort” out of the event. The Association was criticized skirted the debate among country singers. D. Patrick Rodgers points out in Nashville Scene that, “Josh Abbott Band guitarist Caleb Keeter discussed changing his position on gun control after the shooting. Jason Aldean — who was onstage at Route 91 when the shooting took place — pled for people to ‘come together and stop the hate.'” Under pressure, the CMA reversed course. “CMA apologizes for the recently distributed restrictions in the CMA Awards media guidelines, which have since been lifted,” it said in a statement to CNNMoney.
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