Garth Brooks is currently prepping the opening of his Friends in Low Places bar in Nashville, Tenn., and he has vowed to sell Bud Light at the establishment. The question came up during the Billboard Country Live event in Music City during CMA Fest, where he assured the crowd that he will sell "every brand of beer."
"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," Brooks said during the event. "And yes, 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 a-hole, there are plenty of other places on lower Broadway."
Brooks' comments garnered plenty of attention online, and some fans were upset, citing the ongoing backlash against Bud Light after the brand partnered with trans social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney. The singer addressed the issue yet again Monday night during his Inside Studio G livestream on Facebook, but his position hasn't changed.
"Everybody's got their opinions. But inclusiveness is always going to be me," Brooks said. "I think diversity is the answer to the problems that are here and the answer to the problems that are coming. So I love diversity. All inclusive, so all are welcome. I understand that might not be other people's opinions, but that's OK, man."
He added that his bar will be open to people who practice "love" and "tolerance," but he will also open his doors to anyone willing to change their mind in the future.
"So, here's the deal, man, if you want to come to Friends in Low Places, come in. But come in with love, come in with tolerance, patience. Come in with an open mind, and it's cool," he said.
"And if you're one of those people that just can't do that, I get it," he added. "If you ever are one of those people that want to try, come."
The uproar over Bud Light began when Mulvaney posted a video announcing a partnership with the brand in early April. The clip spurred outrage among some, and fellow Broadway bar owner Kid Rock responded by sharing a video of himself shooting multiple cases of the beer. John Rich, who owns a Broadway bar called Redneck Riviera, has also announced that he will no longer stock the product.
