The country star is the subject of a lawsuit alleging he raped his former manager over the course of nearly two years
Jimmie Allen has been removed from this year’s CMAFest performance lineup, following allegations of assault and sexual abuse that emerged on Thursday. A rep from the Country Music Association confirmed his removal from the lineup to Rolling Stone.
Allen was originally set to play Nashville’s Nissan Stadium on Sunday, June 11, a lineup that also includes Ashley McBryde, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, and Tim McGraw. Nissan Stadium is the biggest stage during the fan-centric CMAFest, and a coveted opportunity for an artist to reach thousands of dedicated country-music fans. CMAFest is scheduled for June 8-11 in Nashville, with performers through the weekend including Luke Combs, Miranda Lambert, Cody Johnson, and Eric Church.
In a story first reported Thursday by Variety, Allen is the subject of a lawsuit brought against him and his former management company by a Jane Doe plaintiff, Allen’s onetime day-to-day manager. The suit accuses Allen of assault and sexual abuse over a period of 18 months, including the startling allegations that he “raped her in private while choking her” and “videotaped multiple sexual encounters in order to blackmail her to stay silent.”
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In a statement sent to Rolling Stone by his lawyer, Allen denied the allegations: “It is deeply troubling and hurtful that someone I counted as one of my closest friends, colleagues and confidants would make allegations that have no truth to them whatsoever. I acknowledge that we had a sexual relationship — one that lasted for nearly two years,” he said, going on to question the motives of his accuser and calling the allegations “not only false, but also extremely damaging.”
Allen previously won the ACM New Artist of the Year award as well as CMA’s New Artist of the Year honor. He also earned a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist. His most recent album is 2022’s Tulip Drive, released by Nashville’s Stoney Creek Records, and he also appears as a guest on Steve Aoki’s recently released “Older” alongside Dixie D’Amelio.
