Morgan Wallen Latest Reckoning: Nashville Arrest Sparks Controversy
Country singer Morgan Wallen was arrested in Nashville Sunday night for reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct following accusations of throwing a chair from a downtown bar’s roof.
30-year-old Wallen, known for his highly successful album last year and recent tour opening in Indianapolis, was arrested and booked by police in Nashville, as per court records.
Wallen is accused of throwing a chair from the sixth story of Chief’s, a newly opened establishment in Nashville’s lower Broadway area, near police officers. Witnesses, including restaurant staff, identified Wallen as the culprit, as reported by WTVF, a CBS television affiliate in Nashville.
He was arrested on three felony counts of reckless endangerment and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct. Wallen was released early Monday and is scheduled to appear in court on May 3.
Country artist Morgan Wallen, 30, was booked early today on 3 cts of felony reckless endangerment and 1 ct of misdemeanor disorderly conduct for throwing a chair from the rooftop of Chief's Bar Sun night. The chair landed on Broadway, close to 2 MNPD officers. His bond: $15,250. pic.twitter.com/6gRZKI3pWl
— Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) April 8, 2024
Wallen’s lawyer, Worrick Robinson, stated that Wallen is “cooperating fully with authorities.”
In 2014, Wallen participated in season six of The Voice, where he impressed judges Shakira and Usher with his rendition of “Collide” by Howie Day. After initially joining Usher’s team, he later switched to Adam Levine’s team but was ultimately eliminated during the playoffs. The Voice helped boost Wallen’s visibility in the music industry and allowed him to forge connections.
In 2020, Morgan Wallen was removed from performing on Saturday Night Live due to violating its COVID-19 protocols, although his appearance was rescheduled. He also faced criticism for a social media post questioning COVID-19 restrictions amid public celebrations of Joe Biden’s election victory. He and his collaborator Ernest also made jokes about President Biden’s mannerisms on Ernest’s podcast late last year.
Known racist Morgan Wallen probably threw the chair in rage because Beyoncé is doing better than him on country charts #COWBOYCARTER pic.twitter.com/Cvq0oYmfd5
— Lynx (@LustrousLynx) April 9, 2024
In 2021, Wallen faced backlash and had his contract temporarily suspended by his record label after a video clip emerged showing him using a racial slur among friends. He apologized for the incident, and his career rebounded swiftly. His album Dangerous: The Double Album became a massive success, remaining high on the charts for over a year. His latest album, One Thing at a Time, was also a blockbuster, spending 19 weeks at number one.
Will Wallen’s actions be swept under the rug this time, or will the country singer finally be held accountable?
