( CNN ) -- Willie Nelson said Friday that he felt he had no choice but cancel a gig at SeaWorld , given public pressure and his own conviction that the way the aquatic entertainment giant operates is not acceptable . `` I do n't agree with the way they treat their animals , '' Nelson told CNN 's Brooke Baldwin . `` It was n't that hard a deal for me . '' The country music legend 's comments come one day after SeaWorld Orlando spokesman Nick Gollattscheck said Nelson would not be part of next year Bands , Brew & BBQ events `` due to scheduling conflicts . '' But the 80-year-old crooner did n't mention scheduling having played any part in his rationale . Rather he nixed the show because he does not agree with SeaWorld 's treatment of its orca , or killer , whales and other sea creatures -- a sentiment that has spread among those who have seen `` Blackfish '' documentary that aired on CNN on the topic . He is n't alone . The Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies also pulled the plug on their show at the Florida theme park for similar reasons , a decision made two days after drummer Tyler Stewart tweeted the group was `` looking at options '' after seeing `` Blackfish '' and after an online petition urged them to do so . SeaWorld responds to questions about captive orcas , 'Blackfish ' film . Nelson pointed to similar efforts asking him to follow suit . The most meaningful , even if it had just a few hundred signatures , may have come from one of Nelson 's grandchildren , with `` people she knew asking me not to play this venue . '' Another petition had 9,000 names attached to it on Change.org , with author Danielle Legg writing that Nelson 's `` activism for animals , the environment and other good causes '' made it imperative that he cancel his show , in light of the documentary . When his decision became public , Legg declared `` victory '' and said she hoped his and the Barenaked Ladies ' decisions `` will inspire other artists to stay away from performing at SeaWorld because at least they 've got the choice -- unlike the animals trapped there . '' Such public pressure was n't insignificant , but Nelson said he acted because he felt it was the right thing to do . Many zoos can be considered `` cruel '' for how they hold animals , the singer said , adding that he would n't blame a captive monkey `` for wanting to throw stuff at you . '' `` I understand that there are some natural-habitat zoos out there , which is probably OK , '' Nelson added . `` But what they do at SeaWorld is not OK. '' SeaWorld challenges ban limiting interaction between whale and trainer . CNN 's Jane Caffrey contributed to this report .
Willie Nelson says `` it was n't that hard '' a decision to cancel his SeaWorld gig . `` I do n't agree with the way they treat their animals , '' he says . The singer has been outspoken about animal rights issues in recent years and is known for singing songs such as " American Skin ( Charlie Brown ) " which features an anti-fur message. The theme park has faced criticism in the wake of the CNN doc , `` Blackfish ''