Garth Brooks took home Entertainer of the Year at Wednesday night’s 2017 Country Music Association Awards — right after Brooks performed “Ask Me How I Know,” which fans quickly panned because he was lip syncing.
“Totally not acceptable,” one fan tweeted. “I am so disappointed. He is a country music legend. And don’t tell me it’s for the sake of good sound, the sound has been awful the whole show and I’ d rather hear that!”
“Garth Brooks is lip syncing. Not what entertainers of the year do,” said another.
https://twitter.com/CountryMusic/status/928445564403908608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fpeople.com%2Fcountry%2Fcma-awards-2017-garth-brooks-entertainer-of-the-year%2F
After winning the top honor of the night, Brooks admitted to lip syncing backstage, according to People.
“We’re in the middle of 12 shows in 10 days,” he said. “Not 10 shows in 12 days, 12 shows in 10 days,” he explained. “We did a game-time call on whether to sing the track or lip sync, and decided to lip sync. The voice just isn’t there anymore, and you want to represent country music as best you can.”
Some fans, however, were quick to defend the country music star, accepting his “choice” because “singers voices can get strained.”
https://twitter.com/NancyWilderTN/status/928457563263459329
Country music royalty gathered in Nashville, Tennessee, Wednesday night for the 51st annual CMA Awards. Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley hosted the show once again for the 10th straight year, while Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Reba McEntire, Keith Urban and Faith Hill were among the other performers.
See reactions to Brooks’ performance below.
https://t.co/JPkpblwxlx lip synch of the year
— Drinkin beer (@Hazeydavey69) November 9, 2017
No!! He was lip syncing!! Totally not acceptable. I am so disappointed. He is a country music legend. And don't tell me it's for the sake of good sound, the sound has been awful the whole show and I' d rather hear that!
— Jenna (@jjpb_nscrgirl) November 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/MattPSapp/status/928442193496477697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Few.com%2Fmusic%2F2017%2F11%2F09%2Fcma-awards-garth-brooks-lip-sync-twitter-reactions%2F
GARTH BROOKS!!! You, sir, got caught lip-syncing. DO IT AGAIN FOR REAL, I LOVE THIS SONG. I'm upset. #CMAawards #GarthBrooks
— Valerie Cranfield (@val_thepuma) November 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/GBryantBarton/status/928444234558050304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Few.com%2Fmusic%2F2017%2F11%2F09%2Fcma-awards-garth-brooks-lip-sync-twitter-reactions%2F
https://twitter.com/KaraGS93/status/928446008664653824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Few.com%2Fmusic%2F2017%2F11%2F09%2Fcma-awards-garth-brooks-lip-sync-twitter-reactions%2F
https://twitter.com/aburkey02/status/928459632393314305
280 characters still aren't enough for me to accurately describe how upset I am that Garth Brooks is lip syncing on the CMAs..
— Andrew Hayes (@AHaze13) November 9, 2017