Former Dukes of Hazzard star John Schneider is not holding back his opinion on Beyoncé’s recent foray into country music. Beyoncé recently released two country songs, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” which sparked controversy when a radio station refused to play “Texas Hold ‘Em” upon a fan’s request.
In an interview with One America News Network, Schneider criticized Beyoncé’s venture into country music. When asked about it, he replied, “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 direct analogy to express his view on Beyoncé’s move. He said, “They’ve got to make their mark, just like a dog in a dog walk park. You know, every dog has to mark every tree, right? So that’s what’s going on here.” He distinguished Beyoncé’s attempt from country artists like Shania Twain who have successfully explored other genres.
Schneider, who has had his fair share of success in the country music industry, expressed his expertise on the matter. “I know a little something about country music,” he confidently stated. The actor turned musician launched his music career in 1981 with a cover of Elvis Presley’s “It’s Now or Never,” which reached No. 4 on the charts. Over the years, Schneider released 17 more songs, four of which reached No. 1 on the Country Songs chart between 1981 and 1987.
Fan Backlash and a Change of Heart
Unsurprisingly, Schneider’s comments sparked backlash from Beyoncé fans. Many questioned his logic and pointed out past instances of artists crossing over into different genres. One fan mentioned, “Cross overs are not new. Paul McCartney released a country song 50 years ago… even the Stones had a huge country influence. So, it’s hard to understand this criticism of Beyoncé unless it’s because she’s…” Another fan argued that Schneider had no right to lecture about country music, writing, “You can’t gatekeep genres, especially ones you didn’t even create.”
Following the controversy, the Oklahoma-based KYKC-FM radio station resumed playing “Texas Hold ‘Em” after clarifying that the initial refusal was a misunderstanding. General manager Roger Harris explained, “Because we are a small station, we don’t get serviced by the big labels like bigger stations do. We have nothing against Beyoncé… and we wish her the best in her foray into country music. We actually wish that artists wouldn’t get boxed into certain genres or formats. If it’s good music, it’s good music.”
