Former ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ star John Schneider recently weighed in on the controversy surrounding Beyoncé’s foray into country music. Beyoncé released two country songs titled “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” but faced backlash when a radio station initially refused to play one of the tracks upon a fan’s request.
In an interview with One America News Network, Schneider expressed his disapproval of Beyoncé’s venture into country music. When asked about it by the host, he remarked, “The lefties in the entertainment industry just won’t leave any area alone, right? They just have to seize control over every aspect, don’t they?”
Schneider used a crude analogy to describe Beyoncé’s attempt at breaking into country music. “They’ve got to make their mark, just like a dog in a dog walk park,” Schneider said. “You know, every dog has to mark every tree, right? So that’s what’s going on here.” He emphasized that Beyoncé’s situation is different from country artists such as Shania Twain venturing into other genres.
Having pursued a music career himself, Schneider claimed to have some knowledge of country music. Although he was initially seen as an outsider to the genre, Schneider had success in the 1980s with hits like his cover of Elvis Presley’s “It’s Now or Never,” which reached No. 4 on the charts. He went on to release 17 more songs on the Country Songs chart, including four No. 1s.
Schneider’s comments faced backlash from Beyoncé fans, as many questioned his reasoning. Some fans pointed out that crossovers between genres are not new, citing examples like Paul McCartney and The Rolling Stones exploring country influences. Others asserted that Schneider, as someone who did not create the genre, should not gatekeep it.
The radio station KYKC-FM, based in Oklahoma, later started playing Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” after the initial snub, explaining that it was a misunderstanding. The station clarified that they support artists branching out into different genres and believed that good music should not be confined to specific categories.
