Shaboozey was all set to make his Grand Ole Opry debut this weekend. Unfortunately, like many others, he’s caught up in the wildfires raging in Los Angeles.
He shared the news on social media, explaining that they will have to push back his performance. “I was so excited and honored to make my Opry debut this Saturday. However, due to the devastating wildfires in LA, we’ll need to postpone this special moment,” he wrote on Facebook. He also expressed his gratitude to the firefighters and first responders working tirelessly to address the crisis. “Thank you for all that you do,” he added.
Shaboozey moved to Los Angeles in 2018 to focus on his music career. Many fans quickly responded with messages of support. One fan wrote, “Congratulations on this well-deserved honor. Love your music! Stay safe, and my thoughts and prayers are with California.”
The Opry had announced a week earlier that he would need to reschedule his January 18 show. They stated, “Due to the ongoing wildfire crisis in Los Angeles and evacuation from his LA home, Shaboozey will be rescheduling his Opry debut to occur at a later date.” They added that their thoughts are with Shaboozey and everyone affected by the wildfires.
Performing at the Opry is a significant milestone for any country artist, making it disappointing that Shaboozey cannot perform right now. Interestingly, he focused more on the broader situation and recognized the bravery of the first responders rather than detailing his own experiences during this challenging time.
Shaboozey’s single, “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” has become a big hit in country music. It spent 19 weeks at the top of Billboard’s all-genre Hot 100 chart and even made it onto Billboard’s list of top 100 songs from the first 25 years of the 21st century. This success has undoubtedly set high expectations for his future performances.