After a handpicked board of President Donald Trump voted in unison to rename the Kennedy Centre as Trump-Kennedy Centre, several musicians have cancelled their concerts ahead of the New Year.
These shows were slated to be held on Christmas Eve, New Year's eve and in January, a tradition dating back to over two decades. However, the renaming of Kennedy Centre has come as a 'violation of law' for many, forcing them to cancel their pre-planned shows.
List of cancelled shows
The Cookers: A jazz band, The Cookers was scheduled to perform on December 31 (Wednesday night). Without citing any particular reason, they cancelled the show. However, their statement hinted at politics, as per a news report by NBC News.
"With deep regret, we must share that we are unable to perform as planned on New Year’s Eve... We are not turning away from our audience... Our hope is that this moment will leave space for reflection, not resentment," the band stated.
Kristy Lee: Taking to Instagram, Lee said, "I’ve canceled my scheduled performance at the Kennedy Center on January 14, 2026." She added that she did not "have much power and does not run with the big dogs who do". While calling herself a folk singer from Alabama, she said that she slings songs for a living.
"America didn’t get built by branding. It got built by people showing up and doing the work. And the folks who carry it don’t need their name on it, they just show up," Lee goes on to say.
On her website, Kristy announced the cancellation over "political branding". “The Center was created to honor art, culture, and shared national purpose,” Kristy said. “Using it for personal promotion diminishes its meaning and erodes the dignity owed to the legacy of a fallen president.”
Billy Hart: According to The New York Times, The Cookers' drummer also announced his cancellation amid the name change. It many be mentioned that according to NBC News, The New York Times was the first to report the recent cancellations.
Chuck Redd: Amid this name change, Chuck Redd was one of the very first musicians to cancel his performance on Christmas Eve. “When I saw the name change on the Kennedy Center website and then hours later on the building, I chose to cancel our concert,” Redd told The Associated Press.
Also Read | Kennedy Center in Washington DC officially renamed as The Trump-Kennedy Center
Kennedy Center president, Richard Grenell, in a letter to Redd, threatened to sue him for $1 million, calling his decision to back out a “political stunt.”
Earlier in February 2025, actress Issa Rae had cancelled a sold-out show at the Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts. She mentioned "infringement of values" at the venue after Trump fired all board members and made himself chairman.
In March, Peter Wolf announced cancellation of his book event "due to the egregious firing of staff by the new administration".
