DENVER—Country music singer Lee Greenwood, best known for his patriotic anthem “God Bless the USA,” refused to take the stage for a concert honoring veterans, police and firefighters in a dispute over his payment.
Greenwood’s manager says the concert organizer didn’t come up with the $20,000 in cash or cashier’s check required by the contract. The organizer disputes that, saying he had $18,000 in cash and a $2,000 check.
Greenwood was to be the headliner for a concert Saturday that followed the “Colorado State Parade of Honor” in downtown Denver.
Jerry Bentley, Greenwood’s Nashville, Tenn.,-based manager, said the concert organizer paid $10,000 in advance but offered only $2,000 in cash and a $2,000 personal check on the day of the show.
“In (Greenwood’s) eyes, it’s no slam or anything against veterans or policemen or firemen or any of those people,” Bentley said Wednesday. “It’s just a business arrangement, and somebody didn’t uphold their end of the bargain.”
Frank Young, who organized the parade and concert, said he had wired $14,000 of Greenwood’s fee in advance and had $4,000 in cash to give the musician’s road manager the day of the show.
“Mr. Bentley’s facts are far from the truth,” he said.
Young said he wanted to pay the remaining $2,000 with a check from the Knights of Columbus, one of four groups that agreed to pay for blocks of tickets to help finance the show.
Young said the road manager refused to accept the check and Greenwood’s appearance was canceled.
“This is disgraceful,” Young said. “Mr. Greenwood should be offended. He should put his head between his legs and ask for forgiveness.”
Bentley said Greenwood and most other performers insist on cash or cashier’s checks because they’ve been burned by worthless personal checks.
He said Greenwood continues to support military, veterans and first responders with donations of money and time, including USO tours and a July concert for a Vietnam veterans group where he charged no fee.
“I don’t have to defend what Lee has done to support the military or the veterans organizations as a whole,” he said.
Bentley said a lawsuit wasn’t likely because legal fees would be more than the amount in dispute. The cash Young paid in advance remains in escrow, he said.
Young said he was told the money would not be returned to the concert organizers.
