Danny Shirley, Confederate Railroad Lead Singer, Suffers Broken Back
Danny Shirley, the lead singer of the country/Southern rock band Confederate Railroad, suffered a broken back in what the band calls "a freak accident" on Tuesday (March 30). His bandmates are asking for prayers as he recuperates.
The Facebook post from the band that shares the news is somewhat vague, offering no additional details on the accident. However, it does share that Shirley "is currently heavily medicated and under [a doctor's] care."
"On a good note, there is no paralysis," the band adds, "and the doctor is optimistic."
The band will continue to offer updates on Shirley, they promise in the post, and they request privacy for him as he heals.
Formed in Marietta, Ga., in 1987, Confederate Railroad are best known for their early '90s Top 10 hits "Queen of Memphis," "Trashy Women" and others. Their first two albums, 1992's Confederate Railroad and 1994's Notorious, are certified double-platinum and platinum, respectively. The band most recently released a new album, Lucky to Be Alive, in 2016.
In 2019, Confederate Railroad made headlines when they had two concerts, at fairs in Illinois and New York, canceled because of objections to the band's name and a logo that incorporates the Confederate flag. At the time, the band agreed to acquiesce to venue rules about merchandise that contains the flag, but Shirley -- a Chattanooga, Tenn., native -- said there was "no way" the band would change its name.
"All these people who have stood up for us through this, and the millions of people who have bought these records over the years, and especially now, with us being under fire and people taking a stand in our defense ... That’d just be a kick in the gut to anyone who ever bought a record by us," Shirley said of the suggestion.
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