NewsNational News

Country music artist says music executive sexually assaulted him

Posted
and last updated

It's been a while since Austin Rick was in the spotlight but after a Facebook message he posted last week the former country music singer's name is making the rounds again.

"I decided that I want to shine a light on the monster that is Kirt Webster and I want to hopefully give a voice or at least some confidence and prevent anyone else from becoming his victim in the future," Rick said. 

Rick moved to Nashville in 2008, the then 21-year-old says his relationship with Webster Public Relations CEO Kirt Webster began in good spirits but things changed and ultimatums were given. 

"I can make sure you're never broke again, all kinds of these things, but you have to do what I want you to do and you have to follow in my way," Rick explained. 

Soon, Rick said the incidents began. "He said to me I want there to be fireworks in your career but there has to first be fireworks between the two of us," he said. 

During one incident, Rick said Webster feared he'd back out of an opportunity to be in Playgirl magazine. "In order to prove that to me I want you to strip down naked right now in front of me. So I stripped down naked in front of him. Then he says come here closer to me and he starts performing oral sex on me," explained Rick. 

He said Webster continued to reach out to him for years, even sent text messages as recently as this summer. 

Through a spokesperson Webster denies the allegations saying, "as a single adult, Mr. Webster has had multiple relationships over the course of his professional life, all of which have been consensual.  This includes a brief relationship with Mr. Rick. It saddens Mr. Webster that nine years later, after Mr. Rick's music career has been stagnant, Mr. Rick has taken the opportunistic approach of mischaracterizing that relationship and posting untrue allegations."

Webster represents several big artists like Kid Rock, Dolly Parton and Cyndi Lauper.