Kris Kristofferson and country superstar Toby Keith are both speaking out about Ethan Hawke recent article in Rolling Stone magazine, detailing an alleged encounter between the two country stars at Willie Nelson's 2003 birthday bash. The actor claims that he witnessed a heated exchange, during which an unnamed artist (whom he hints was Keith) warned Kristofferson not to perform any "lefty" music. Hawke claims the country legend bit back, telling off the mystery artist and putting him in his place.

So did that really happen? Both Keith and Kristofferson say no.

"I'm deeply grateful and was profoundly moved by Ethan Hawke's generous and respectful story about me," Kristofferson writes in a letter sent to both Rolling Stone and Nashville's Tennessean newspaper. "I have to say, though, I have no memory of talking so tough to anyone at Willie's birthday party -- least of all to Toby Keith, (if that's who the nameless star is), for whom I have nothing but admiration and respect."

Keith, who was never mentioned directly in the article but was strongly eluded to, was less forgiving than Kristofferson. "Kris and I are good friends," he tells CMT. "I don't have to defend myself on this. This is 100 percent fiction. I'd bet a million dollars on a lie detector test that this didn't happen ... So whoever he's talking about that he left nameless, there was a reason he left them nameless. He [Hawke] was insinuating me, which means he left it nameless because he doesn't want to deal with that."

"When I call somebody out, I say their name," he continued. "So, you can talk to Kris and you can talk to Willie ... They'll all laugh and say it didn't happen. Somebody's trying to get fiction in whatever magazine to make themselves a story ...For somebody to use their star power to get in and then create some s--- like this is just unfortunate for everybody. But, you know what? When you climb the flagpole the highest, the more people can see your butt."

Keith's fury over the situation does not stop there. He also had a bone to pick with a Tennessean reporter who printed quotes from the Rolling Stone story. The two faced off in person, backstage at the ACM Awards Sunday night. Read a recap of Keith's heated tongue lashing here.