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The singer and songwriter introduced that he’s dropping out from performing on the Nationwide Rifle Association’s annual meeting this weekend in Houston, saying it could be “disrespectful and hurtful” to carry out days after 19 youngsters and two adults were killed in a mass shooting within the state.

McLean, who's best-known for his legendary 1971 folks rock anthem “American Pie,” was scheduled to carry out Saturday night through the NRA’s Grand Ole Evening of Freedom live performance. However these plans changed when a gunman, identified by police as Salvador Ramos, 18, entered Robb Elementary Faculty in Uvalde, Tex., and started firing on youngsters within the worst mass taking pictures at an American college in almost a decade.

“In mild of the current events in Texas, I have decided it could be disrespectful and hurtful for me to carry out for the NRA at their conference in Houston this week,” McLean, 76, mentioned in an announcement. “I’m positive all the folks planning to attend this occasion are shocked and sickened by these events as properly. In spite of everything, we are all People.”

McLean is amongst a number of performers who’ve introduced they are going to not perform at this weekend’s conference. Nation and gospel singer Larry Gatlin and Larry Stewart of the nation band Stressed Heart also stated Thursday that they had been dropping out in response to the shooting at Robb Elementary Faculty.

Gatlin stated he was also dropping out as a consequence of what he cited because the NRA’s “outdated and ill-thought-out positions relating to firearms” in the USA.

“My prayers and thoughts go to all who're suffering, and I pray that the NRA will rethink a few of its outdated and ill-thought-out positions relating to firearms in AMERICA,” he said. “I’m a 2nd Modification guy, however the 2nd amendment shouldn't apply to everyone. It’s that simple.”