“Flower Shops” singer-songwriter Ernest took to Instagram on Monday morning (April 8), good-naturedly heckling his friend, labelmate, “Flower Shops” collaborator and frequent co-writer Morgan Wallen, following the latter’s arrest on Sunday night (April 7). Wallen was arrested after allegedly throwing a chair off the roof of Eric Church’s six-story Chief’s bar that just opened in downtown Nashville.
Ernest posted a video on Instagram with the caption, “Alexa, play ‘The Chair’ by George Strait,” while the video showed him in a car, slightly shaking his head, while the video was emblazoned with the words, “When Morgan asks me if I wanna go to Broadway…” Ernest’s song “I Would If I Could” with Lainey Wilson plays, featuring the lyrics, “I would if I could, I can’t, so I won’t, but I want to…”
“I Would If I Could” is featured on his upcoming album Nashville, Tennessee, which releases Friday (April 12).
Worrick Robinson of Worrick Robinson Law confirmed the country star’s arrest to Billboard on Monday (April 8). “At 10:53 p.m. Sunday evening, Morgan Wallen was arrested in downtown Nashville for reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct,” the country star’s attorney said in a statement. “He is cooperating fully with authorities.”
Wallen’s publicist also confirmed to Billboard that Wallen had been released from jail.
Ernest has been promoting his upcoming album by launching the humorous website ernestformayor.com and posting humorous “campaign trail” videos on social media. He also responded to Country Central‘s Instagram post about Wallen’s arrest, commenting, “I’ve been needing a chairman for my mayor campaign…found my guy.”
Ernest is a co-writer on some of Wallen’s biggest hits, including “You Proof,” “Wasted on You,” “More Than My Hometown” and “This Bar.” His upcoming album also features another collab with Wallen, on the song “Hangin’ On.”
Notably, The Wallen/Church duet of “Man Made a Bar” is currently at No. 2 on Billboard‘s Country Airplay chart. However, the song isn’t an Ernest co-write; instead, the radio hit comes courtesy of songwriters Brett Tyler, Jordan Dozzi, Larry Fleet and Rocky Block.
Wallen just launched his One Night at a Time 2024 World Tour in Indianapolis on April 4, and is slated to perform at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium on May 2-4. Wallen’s next court date is also set for May 3 in Nashville.
See Ernest’s post joking about Wallen’s arrest below:
