James Taylor cancels Manila concert over Duterte’s bloody drug war

J.G. Taruc

December 21, 2016

• Photo credit: jamestaylor.com

  American singer-songwriter James Taylor has cancelled his upcoming concert in the country next year over a spate of extrajudicial killings in the country’s war on drugs according to BBC.

  James Taylor, who is also an activist, took to social media to announce the cancellation of his Manila leg tour “to make a political stand”.

  In a statement he posted on his social media accounts: “Recent reports from the Philippines of summary executions of suspected offenders, without trial or judicial process, are deeply concerning and unacceptable to anyone who loves the law,” he wrote. “I don’t think of my music as being particularly political but sometimes one is called upon to make a political stand,” Taylor added.

  I’ve been eagerly looking forward to playing for my Philippine audience ever since we added Manila to our tour of the…

  Posted by James Taylor on Tuesday, December 20, 2016

   

  James Taylor, a Grammy award-winning singer was scheduled to perform in Manila in February 2017.

  Taylor is known for his songs “Fire and Rain,” “Country Road,” “Something in the Way She Moves,” “Mexico” and “Shower the People,” among others.

  In 2000, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

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