Kristy Lee, a folk singer from Mobile, Alabama, canceled a Jan. 14 Kennedy Center show after the venue’s board voted to add Donald J. Trump’s name to the institution. Lee said performing there would violate her principles and prevent her from "sleeping at night," and she chose integrity over income. Following the announcement, she received widespread support and donations and plans to host a live home concert. Her team framed the decision as a stand for the independence of publicly funded cultural spaces.
Folk Singer Kristy Lee Cancels Kennedy Center Show After Trump’s Name Is Added, Cites Integrity
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Kristy Lee, a folk singer from Mobile, Alabama, said she has canceled a scheduled Jan. 14 performance at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts after the venue’s board voted to add former President Donald J. Trump’s name to the institution.
Lee told her roughly 42,000 Facebook followers that she could not "sleep at night" if she performed on a stage rebranded to reflect what she described as political self-promotion. "When American history starts getting treated like something you can ban, erase, rename, or rebrand for somebody else’s ego, I can’t stand on that stage and sleep right at night," she wrote.
"I won’t lie to you, canceling shows hurts. This is how I keep the lights on," Lee said. "But losing my integrity would cost me more than any paycheck."
After her announcement, Lee said she received an outpouring of support, including messages and monetary gifts. She later told supporters she planned to perform a live concert from her home to thank fans and keep sharing her music despite the canceled engagement.
As of publication, the independent folk singer received nearly 300,000 likes on her Facebook post, compared to her 42,000 followers. / Facebook
Why She Canceled
A spokesperson for Lee told The Daily Beast the singer’s decision was rooted in "institutional integrity." The statement argued that publicly funded cultural spaces should remain independent of partisan influence, self-promotion, or ideological pressure, and said that performing under the new circumstances would conflict with the values of artistic freedom and public trust the Kennedy Center was intended to uphold.
Board Changes and Rebranding
The decision to add Trump’s name followed a vote by the Kennedy Center's board, which now includes several allies of the former president. Names publicly listed as board members include White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Second Lady Usha Vance, Deputy White House Chief of Staff Dan Scavino, and Allison Lutnick, wife of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick.
According to media reports, a source told CNN that Trump phoned into the board meeting prior to the vote. Within a day, the building’s signage was reportedly updated to read: "The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts." The Daily Beast has contacted the Kennedy Center for comment.
Broader Context
Lee’s spokesperson also noted that ticket sales at the venue have reportedly declined since the board changes. Lee emphasized that her decision was not a rebuke of patrons, Center staff, or fellow artists but an expression of principle about the role of publicly funded cultural institutions.
"That kind of kindness keeps gas in the tank and songs on the road, and I don’t take it lightly," Lee wrote in a message of thanks to donors and fans who supported her choice.
Lee’s cancellation is one of several public responses by artists and cultural figures reacting to the Kennedy Center’s board restructuring and the addition of a private political figure’s name to a nationally funded arts institution.
