Confederate Railroad’s Danny Shirley Says In Interview They ‘Would Never’ Change Name

Confederate Railroad’s Danny Shirley Says In Interview They ‘Would Never’ Change Name | Classic Country Music | Legendary Stories and Songs Videos

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Known for hit country songs such as “Queen of Memphis,” “Daddy Was Never the Cadillac Kind,” and “Trashy Women,” the band Confederate Railroad has been around for over three decades. The group continues to perform today, but recent controversy has kept them from performing as much as they planned.

Earlier this year, the band was dropped from the lineup at the Du Quoin State Fair in Du Quoin, Illinois. The band’s name and the use of the Confederate flag in their logo were cited as the reasons for pulling them from the fair’s lineup.

While every artist has a right to expression, we believe this decision is in the best interest of serving all of the people in our state,” said fair manager John Gross.

The Ulster County Fair in New Paltz, New York also made the decision to remove Confederate Railroad from its performance lineup for the same reasons.

The Ulster County Fair must be an event that everyone can enjoy while representing the values of all members of our community,” said Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan in a statement. “Any showcasing of a symbol of division and racism runs counter to that principle and will be vigorously opposed by my administration.”

Despite all of the recent controversy, Confederate Railroad’s lead singer Danny Shirley says the band is not planning to change their name:

“I would never do that,” Shirley said when asked by Rolling Stone if he’d ever consider changing the band’s name. “All these people who have stood up for us through this, and the millions of people who have bought these records over the years, and especially now, with us being under fire and people taking a stand in our defense, there’s no way I’d ever change the name of the band. That’d just be a kick in the gut to anyone who ever bought a record by us.”

Shirley said he has never viewed the Confederate flag as a symbol of hatred, but rather, a show of pride for the South. Despite this, he says the band never brings the flag on stage. In fact, it can only be found on their t-shirts, which they don’t even sell at venues that have a policy against the use of the flag.

We were taught that flag means you like the part of the country you come from. And like I’ve said in other statements, I will not apologize for liking the South. I love it here,” he said.

Despite all of the recent cancelations, Confederate Railroad still has a busy few months of performing ahead. They have dozens of performances on the books, with their last show of 2019 being scheduled for December 14.

What do y’all think about all of the recent controversy surrounding Confederate Railroad’s name and logo?

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