Ted Nugent has offered to step in and handle the remaining supporting acts on Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour after several artists walked away amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Macklemore.
Nugent said he decided to make the offer after watching multiple artists leave Sheeran’s tour. Rather than see the singer continue without enough support, the veteran rocker said he was ready to jump in.
“I’ve got Ed’s back. When everyone else walks away, I am not going anywhere. I’ll have 50 guitars and we will just keep rocking,” Nugent said.
The offer comes after Macklemore was removed from the tour following his controversial comments, with several other supporting performers later withdrawing from upcoming dates.
Alex Bruno, a senior tour executive, said Nugent contacted Sheeran’s team at a moment when they could use an unexpected helping hand.
“Ted basically told Ed, ‘You are not standing alone.’ He said that he was ready to get on board and do the supporting acts himself,” Bruno said.
Nugent said he wasn’t interested in getting dragged into the controversy surrounding the tour. As far as he was concerned, Sheeran was a friend who needed support.
“My friends aren’t going to run away from me when times are tough. I am here; I’ve got the guitars and I’ve got Ed’s back,” Nugent said.
The proposed arrangement would be one of the strangest additions to Sheeran’s tour, pairing the British singer-songwriter with one of rock music’s most recognizable guitar personalities.
Nugent, however, said the difference in musical styles isn’t an issue.
“I can play rock, I can play loud, and I can play for a crowd,” he said. “If Ed needs somebody, I’m ready.”
Bruno said Nugent’s willingness to step forward was unusual but could help fill the gaps created by the recent departures.
“Ted didn’t come in with a complicated plan,” Bruno said. “He basically said, ‘Give me the stage and I’ll handle it.’”
The offer could also give Sheeran’s remaining shows a completely different atmosphere. Instead of several rotating opening acts, Nugent could potentially appear across multiple dates and provide the tour with a consistent supporting performance.
Nugent joked that he was prepared for the workload.
“If they need me for one show, I’ll do one. If they need me for the whole tour, I’ll do the whole thing,” he said. “I’ve got enough guitars.”
Sheeran has previously attempted to keep his distance from the political dispute surrounding the tour, explaining that he did not make the decision to remove Macklemore.
Meanwhile, Nugent appears happy to take a different approach.
“I don’t care about the noise,” Nugent said. “I care about my friend. When people walk away, that’s when you find out who really has your back.”
Whether Sheeran accepts the offer remains unknown.
For now, Nugent says the guitars are ready and he is waiting for the call.
Sheeran has yet to comment on Ted Nugent’s offer.
