After Defending Sammy Kershaw Amid CMA Awards Dispute, Riley Green Pays Tribute With a 1992 Country Classic

Riley Green is showing his support for Sammy Kershaw. The newly-minted Voice coach recently took to TikTok to share a video of himself singing Kershaw’s 1992 track, “Yard Sale.”

In the clip, Green sits on a balcony in Maui, Hawaii, as he plays guitar and sings the tune.

“Felt like pickin a little @sammykershaw this evening,” Green wrote on top of the video. He went on to caption the clip, “Singing some Sammy Kershaw in Hawaii.”

Green’s cover follows a recently resolved dispute between Kershaw and the CMA Awards. Earlier this month, the singer took to social media to share the “disappointing news” that he’d been denied access to the red carpet at the upcoming CMA Awards.

“I believe there should be room to recognize the artists who have spent their lives contributing to this organization’s success,” he wrote in part. “I love country music, but never in a million years would I think that a successful country music entertainer (and I’m not the only one) would not be able to walk the red carpet.”

“It’s extremely hurtful, embarrassing and very disappointing.” Kershaw continued. “I guess the next time I attend the CMAs, it will be in tribute after I’m gone, if I’m lucky.”

At the time, Green was one of many country stars to express their support for Kershaw.

“If you haven’t earned the right to be there then nobody has… disappointing to say the least,” Green commented on the post. The comments section also featured support from artists including Jake Owen, Carly Pearce, and others.

The CMA Makes Things Right With Sammy Kershaw

In the wake of the controversy, the CMA spoke out with a statement of their own. The organization said that they’re “deeply sorry anyone felt excluded.”

The CMA further noted that their mission is “to honor the history and celebrate the excellence of country music.”

“With this 60th anniversary year, we are working extra hard to simultaneously spotlight the last six decades, while also celebrating what has been a tremendous year in 2026,” the statement read. “It’s not easy to do all of that in just one night, but we are up for the challenge.”

The CMA continued by acknowledging that “this is about more than a red carpet.”

“We are committed to keep listening and keep finding ways to make sure all artists feel welcome and at home here,” the statement read. “To that point, we are in touch with Sammy Kershaw’s team and look forward to continuing that conversation.”

By all accounts, the conversation went well.

Kershaw Accepts CMA’s Invite

According to a follow-up report, Kershaw received a personal apology from the CMA following the red carpet dispute.

The effort to make amends appears to have worked, as Kershaw has since agreed to attend the 2026 CMA Awards.

The development marks a positive turn in a dispute that sparked a larger conversation about how country music honors the artists who helped build the genre.

Photo by Derek White/Getty Images for SiriusXM