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Contract killed show, not slight to patriots, Greenwood camp says

Rocky Mountain News

Published September 20, 2007 at midnight

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Country singer Lee Greenwood struck back at a Denver man who breached Greenwood's contract to perform here last weekend, then cast the singer in an unpatriotic light.

The Denver man, Frank Young, organized a parade and concert last Saturday to honor veterans, police and fire personnel, but admitted he didn't meet the terms of the $20,000 contract he signed with Greenwood's management for the singer to perform.

"You go to work expecting a paycheck. There was a contract in place. The contract wasn't fulfilled," Greenwood spokesman Kirt Webster said.

Immediately after the Saturday night cancellation he sent out a news release making it clear that it was Young's failure to pay, not a slight to patriots, that caused the cancellation.

Young insisted the show should have gone on regardless.

"Nobody in Denver ever wants to hear this man's name again," Young said. "And his publicist wants to tell people how great he is to America's service people and police officers and firefighters."

The God Bless the U.S.A. singer reduced his usual fee to $20,000 to help out the promoter, Webster said.

Despite time to do wire transfers or make other financial arrangements, Young failed to meet the terms and tried to pay with a check just before showtime, Webster said, an unacceptable practice in the concert industry.

Greenwood's representative, John Payne, wouldn't accept the check, saying, "I don't know of you. I haven't heard of you. You're a fly-by-night as far as I'm concerned," according to Young.

But Wednesday Young told the Rocky a different story - that he'd come up with all the cash at the concert after all but Greenwood's people still refused to take it.

Webster strongly denied that story.

After Payne refused the check, Young got on stage and told the crowd Greenwood's camp called the Knights of Columbus a fly- by-night organization, Webster said. The head of the Knights of Columbus called Greenwood's people Wednesday to patch up the matter, he said.

Webster faxed copies of the signed contracts to media outlets on Wednesday.

Greenwood planned an interview today with The Associated Press to further clear his name, Webster said.