Sweet Honey in the Rock protesting during NC shows

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock is protesting North Carolina's law addressing LGBT rights and bathroom use by transgender people during its concerts in the state this weekend.

The group performed as scheduled but protested in song at the Paramount Theatre in Goldsboro, North Carolina, on Friday, and plans to again at the High Point Theatre in High Point, North Carolina, on Saturday night.

"We gave a shout-out to everyone and performed a civil rights medley," said group member Carol Maillard on Saturday morning. "As I always say, you never know when you'll need a good, strong protest song to bring your community together so they can raise their voices."

The long-running African-American female performance group was founded in 1973 and has been nominated for several Grammy Awards.

Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Blue Man Group, Cirque du Soleil, Nick Jonas and Demi Lovato have all cancelled performances in North Carolina since the law was passed in March. Maillard said the group never considered canceling the shows in North Carolina.

"We realized it would be to our advantage and the community's advantage to come together and let them know we give our spiritual and emotional support for what they're fighting for here," Maillard said. "I'm sure it'll all work out."

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Online:

http://www.sweethoneyintherock.org

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Follow AP Entertainment Writer Derrik J. Lang on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/derrikjlang . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/derrik-j-lang .