Sam Riggs Releases Statement About Larry Joe Taylor Festival Fire Incident
Texas music artist Sam Riggs was kicked out of last week’s Larry Joe Taylor Festival for lighting his guitar on fire and smashing it on stage on Wednesday night (4-26), despite being told not to prior to the event. Larry Joe Taylor’s wife Sherry told Saving Country Music on Sunday (5-2) that the Sam Riggs camp had requested six months before the performance if Sam could incorporate fire into his show, and was expressly told by the festival “no.” Even after the denied request and concerns from the Larry Joe Taylor staff, the tour manager for Sam Riggs misled to the stage manager of the event after the stage manager became concerned fire would be used in the show when a fire extinguisher was brought on stage.
Gasoline was used to light the guitar on fire as opposed to a more proper accelerant for stage purposes, and subsequently Sam Riggs fans and surrogates misled the public, saying that Sam had requested and received prior approval from the Larry Joe Taylor Festival to burn the guitar. Sam Riggs has also subsequently publicly denied getting kicked out of the festival, and has said he will not apologize for the incident.
On Tuesday morning (5-2), Sam Riggs released a statement about the matter, after saying there was, “Lots of untruths and BS out there right now” specific to Saving Country Music’s reporting on the incident. Here is Riggs’ statement verbatim.
Back when I was asked to be on the festival for 2017, I asked if I could use pyrotechnics during my set. The answer was a resounding “no”. I have a passion for the stage and I love giving the crowd a show, so I chose to use fire during my set regardless by setting a damaged and broken guitar on fire on stage. I had a fire extinguisher standing by, and while I did not advise anyone from my staff to lie about what it was to be used for, my tour manager told the LJT stage manager that “it was a safety precaution because we were having issues with our sound equipment.” So the dishonesty involving my crew did take place and I am ultimately responsible for actions they take on my behalf.
I did all of this without permission, and at my own accord, which put the LJT Fest at a huge risk. I have a lot of passion for music, my fans, and the live show, so I mentally justified my decision without going through the proper channels. I have the utmost respect for the Taylor family, and I realize that my actions put the festival and the fans at risk. My actions came off as disrespectful and even blasphemous to some, not only on the safety aspect of it but by destroying a musical instrument despite its condition. This was certainly not my intention.
I sometimes have a tendency to get carried away on stage and this time it affected more than just me. I was asked to leave the property after my set, and did so promptly. I was not escorted off the property, I peacefully left after the Taylors asked me to.
LJT Music Festival is a fun and safe place and should be regarded with respect. I will never apologize for my passion on stage, but I DO offer my utmost apologies to the Taylor family for crossing a line they’d clearly drawn, for putting anyone at risk.
Sam Riggs
Arguably the largest festival in the Texas music scene, the Larry Joe Taylor Festival sees over 50,000 attendees over the week long event at the Melody Mountain Ranch in Stephenville, TX.
May 2, 2017 @ 7:42 am
Way to blame your crew for lying about shit you told them to lie about.
May 2, 2017 @ 7:48 am
Though this apology feels a little bit less than 100%, taking semantic issue with incidental things like if he was escorted off the property or left on his own accord, and saying he will never apologize for his “passion on stage” which nobody’s asked him to, while also leaving the “untruths and BS” he says were present in the reporting unexposed, at least Sam made an effort here to bury the hatchet and move on, and take some responsibility for the worst of the offenses.
Sam Riggs is a young artist, and should be given some latitude to make mistakes and learn from them. We all make mistakes. It’s how we handle them afterwards that is the ultimate judge of character. Hopefully Sam learns from this incident, and he deserves a fresh slate from Texas fans and the ability to move on. It’s time to put this matter to bed.
May 2, 2017 @ 9:16 am
Yeah, not quite 100%, but he owned up to a lot stuff. I thought the bit about how he didn’t advise his staff to lie to be questionable. The manager had to lie in order for Riggs to be able to perform the stunt.
May 4, 2017 @ 4:43 pm
Will please put “artist” in quotes for people like this?
May 2, 2017 @ 8:18 am
Dumb move but at least he is taking some level of ownership. His lyrics are kind of corny (just like Cody Johnson) and I wasn’t a fan before this incident. I have a feeling you don’t want to mess with LTJ if you want to stay popular in the Texas music community. It will be curious to see how he responds.
May 2, 2017 @ 8:36 am
Corny???? Like Cody Johnson??? Good thing the ladies like corny and Cody Johnson!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
May 2, 2017 @ 10:18 am
Yeah, agree with above. Shows alot that he did apologize. Other guys might have continued to justify it to themselves. I aint so mad no more.
Cody johnson aint so bad, he has q few songs that aint terrible. Texas kinda way, i enjoy.
May 2, 2017 @ 1:06 pm
I think Cody is good for Texas Country. Could his lyrics have more depth? Sure. Every time his songs come at Texas dance halls, people pack the dance floor.
May 2, 2017 @ 2:04 pm
No doubt he has a catchy sound. I’ve just been consuming a lot of Jason Isbell, sturgill, and other artists with more depth. I’d like to see an article on how certain artists can get away with cliches and others just make it seem so forced.
May 2, 2017 @ 4:17 pm
Well said. It describes my feelings thoroughly. So many country artists I have to pass on, because I can’t stand the banality and corniness of their lyrics. The three examples you gave are right in the pocket of what I want our of country artists (and original music practitioners in general, I should add).
May 2, 2017 @ 8:23 am
I agree its time to move on. He is a great artist and has good music. I am glad he did apologize. Now if he will just apologize for his song Wake the Dead.
May 2, 2017 @ 9:09 am
This guy seems like a douche
May 3, 2017 @ 1:45 pm
He IS a douche
May 2, 2017 @ 9:29 am
He should also apologize for wearing his baseball cap on backwards…sincerely, bro-country.
May 2, 2017 @ 9:44 am
Considering that the fire on the guitar he ignited went out before he did his Pete Townshend job on it, there didn’t seem to be much of a fire risk in retrospect.
May 2, 2017 @ 5:51 pm
I think slinging gas all over wires and plugs may have been the bigger liability
May 2, 2017 @ 9:47 am
If you need “pyrotechnics” or a flaming guitar to put on a good/great show for your fans, you are doing it wrong.
May 2, 2017 @ 10:11 am
Everyone can’t be Jimi.
The apology seems fairly sincere.
I expect that he will learn from disrespecting the very gracious host of this festival.
May 2, 2017 @ 11:06 am
So the next promoter and venue that books this shit weasel is to overlook the fact that he has zero respect for your rules and fire codes? Maybe his ‘passion for the stage’ should focus more on putiing in a solid, professional set with memorable tunes. I just saw Cody Jinks and Ward Davis a few nights ago and not so much as a sparkler was used and I left having seen one of the best shows Ive seen in years. The kid needs to grow up and realize ‘sorry, my bad’ won’t always cut it when you intentionally disrespect your host and put your audience in possible danger.
May 2, 2017 @ 11:34 am
up until SCM started covering this story a couple of days ago, I had never even heard of Mr. Riggs. Neither of the two 50,000 watt mainstream country powerhouse stations in my locale have ever played him, nor has he been on any of the local summer festival bills, played any club dates, nor been a part of any radio or club promotional events.
and, this surprise pyro stunt isn’t likely to get the stations or the clubs to want to get him here, if for liability reasons, if for nothing else.
May 2, 2017 @ 12:41 pm
Sounds like he’s learning. I really like his album outrun the sun, but not so much his new one.
May 2, 2017 @ 1:01 pm
Trigger: excellent job reporting on this. I firmly believe you being in front on this story has given it some national attention i.e. taste of Country. Maybe for the wrong reasons, but let’s hope for the right reasons. Trigger, you think Sam gets black balled from the Texas Country traditional lineup of music festivals? I would think the Frio Fest probably would still take him considering they are into this bro country lite theme lately.
May 2, 2017 @ 1:45 pm
I don’t think Sam Riggs gets “black balled.” Hopefully some people in Texas music that he looks up to talk with him and tell him the best way to move forward, and folks give him a second chance, though he probably will have a harder road forward. His last album may not be our thing, but it’s people first, then music. This is what Riggs forget in this incident, but we can’t.
May 2, 2017 @ 2:39 pm
It would have been one thing, if he just spontaneously did that stupid shit, got his ass chewed, and apologized… But he ASKED and was flat-ass told NO – the did it ANYWAY? Fuck this punk, and his bullshit apology. He should stick with playing in his living room for his drunk bros.
May 2, 2017 @ 5:52 pm
Asked told no then caught by a stage hand before he did it
May 2, 2017 @ 3:01 pm
from adults, apologies should be accepted, not congratulated
what is Riggs, an 8 year old?
I’d never hire him again
May 4, 2017 @ 10:01 am
John Hiatt would be pissed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNpRpEQOAOg
July 3, 2017 @ 8:04 am
I want to like this guy. Some of his music is pretty good. I’ve met him and he seems like a decent guy.
But now he’s touring with Chase Rice so there’s that. I guess that’s what can happen when you wear your baseball cap backwards.