Willie Nelson cancels SeaWorld show

(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 don't agree with the way they treat their animals," Nelson told CNN's Brooke Baldwin. "It wasn'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 didn'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 isn'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 wasn'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 wouldn'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) -- Willie Nelson is the latest act to cancel a concert at Orlando's SeaWorld in the wake of CNN's "Blackfish" documentary.

The legendary country singer's decision comes after the Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies pulled the plug on their show at the Florida theme park.

As with the Barenaked Ladies decision, Nelson's cancellation may have been a response to an online petition started by fans onChange.org.

"As a fan who respects his activism for animals, the environment, and other good causes, I find this very disappointing," Danielle Legg of Amherst, New York, wrote in her petition. "If you've seen the documentary Blackfish, you know why it's so surprising. Please tell Willie Nelson you do not want him to support SeaWorld's animal cruelty."

The petition gathered 9,000 signatures.

SeaWorld spokesman Nick Gollattscheck confirmed Nelson's decision not to sing at SeaWorld, but he cited reasons other than the documentary and petition.

"Due to scheduling conflicts, Willie Nelson will not be appearing at SeaWorld Orlando's Bands, Brew & BBQ event in 2014," Gollattscheck said in a statement e-mailed to CNN Thursday night.

Nelson and his representatives did not immediately respond to a CNN request for comment.

When the Barenaked Ladies nixed their plans to play at SeaWorld last week, they explained that it was a decision made after viewing "Blackfish."

"This is a complicated issue, and we don't claim to understand all of it, but we don't feel comfortable proceeding with the gig at this time," the band said on a Facebook post.

"The Seaworld folks have been gracious, and extended us invitations to the park to learn more about what they do, and how they do it."

SeaWorld responds to questions about captive orcas, 'Blackfish' film

A park spokesman told CNN that the Barenaked Ladies show had been taken off the theme park's concert schedule.

The decision to cancel the band's performance came two days after drummer Tyler Stewart posted a tweet saying the group is "looking at options" after viewing the documentary.

The documentary -- which first aired on CNN in October -- tells the story of the SeaWorld trainer who was killed in 2010 by an orca named Tilikum.

Fans launched an online petition asking the Barenaked Ladies to cancel. The group had just announced it would perform at SeaWorld's Orlando park on February 15 during its "Bands, Brew & BBQ" events.

Mike Garrett of St. Catharines, Ontario, posted the petition on Change.org asking band members to watch "Blackfish" and "learn how SeaWorld and other captive display facilities such as Marineland in Niagara Falls have for decades exploited marine mammals solely for profit."

Garrett said he was "disappointed" when he heard the group was scheduled to play there "in light of all the horrific information we're learning."

"I'm hoping to grab the band's attention on this issue and ask them, on behalf of all their animal-loving fans, to reconsider performing there," Garrett wrote. His petition gained more than 9,200 signatures.

It worked.

"We here at Barenaked Ladies have made a decision based on what we feel. It's not about money, or petitions, or press... But it is about our fans," the band said November 27. "We listen to them, and they're important to us."

The park's website does not list Barenaked Ladies on the schedule. February 15 and four other weekend dates just say "Coming Soon."

Acts that are still listed on the calendar include Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon, Martina McBride, 38 Special, Justin Moore and Scotty McCreery.

SeaWorld challenges ban limiting interaction between whale and trainer

CNN's Jane Caffrey contributed to this report.