By Mark Gray
9:30pm PDT, Jul 25, 2023
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Jason Aldean's song "Try That in a Small Town" and its music video are causing quite the controversy. Although the song was released in May, it went viral in mid-July after CMT pulled its music video, which critics say has a "pro-lynching" message and the country singer's supporters say is simply art that promotes small town values. The music video for "Try That in a Small Town" features news footage from 2020 BLM protests and was filmed in front of a Tennessee courthouse where an 18-year-old Black man was lynched a century ago. Some further believe the video is pro-gun, which struck a chord with critics given that Jason was on stage when a gunman opened fire on the crowd, killing 58, during 2017's Route 91 Harvest music festival. It remains the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, and the motive is still a mystery.
Jason was defiant in responding to the backlash, and several stars publicly supported him. During a July 22 concert, Jason addressed the "long week" he'd had. "I feel that everyone is entitled to their opinion. You can think something all you want to, but it's doesn't mean it's true," he said. "What I am is a proud American. I'm proud to be from here. I love our country and I want to see if restored to what it once was before all this bull**** started happening to us." A week after the backlash spiked, the track hit No. 1 on the Hot Country Songs chart and No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Keep reading to see what bold-faced names are saying about the controversy …
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"In the past 24 hours I have been accused of releasing a pro-lynching song (a song that has been out since May) and was subject to the comparison that I (direct quote) was not too pleased with the nationwide BLM protests. These references are not only meritless, but dangerous. There is not a single lyric in the song that references race or points to it- and there isn't a single video clip that isn't real news footage -and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music- this one goes too far.
"As so many pointed out, I was present at Route 91-where so many lost their lives- and our community recently suffered another heartbreaking tragedy. NO ONE, including me, wants to continue to see senseless headlines or families ripped apart.
"'Try That In A Small Town,' for me, refers to the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief. Because they were our neighbors, and that was above any differences. My political views have never been something I've hidden from, and I know that a lot of us in this Country don't agree on how we get back to a sense of normalcy where we go at least a day without a headline that keeps us up at night. But the desire for it to- that's what this song is about." —Jason Aldean
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".@Jason_Aldean I'm from a small town. Even people in small towns are sick of violence. There's nothing small-town or American about promoting violence. You should know that better than anyone having survived a mass shooting. This is not American or small town-like. It's just lame" –Sheryl Crow
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"Amazing song and video, babe … proud of you" —Jason Aldean's wife, Brittany Aldean, commented on his Instagram
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"He talks about life in a small town, and it's different, and he chose these images. He's got folks from the Black Lives Matter movement, and he's talking about people taking care of each other, and I find it so interesting that it never occurred to Jason or the writers that that's what these folks were doing: They were taking care of the people in their town because they didn't like what they saw." –Whoopi Goldberg on "The View"
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"I remember a time when Merle Haggard said 'you running down my country, son, you're walking on the fighting side of me.' Yet, we live in a time where everyone gets p***** at Jason Aldean for putting out a song. If you're videoing this, and Jason Aldean, if you're watching this, you keep it up, brother. You do you. If being patriotic makes you an outlaw, then by God, I'll be an outlaw." –Cody Johnson
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"Jason Aldean is a fantastic guy who just came out with a great new song. Support Jason all the way. MAGA!!!" –Donald Trump
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"Dare Aldean to write his next single himself. That's what we try in my small town" –Jason Isbell
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Jake Owen replied to Jason Isbell's criticism of Jason Aldean, writing, "Jason, you're always the first to get behind your keyboard and spout off with this stupid s***. In 'my small town' you just walk up to the guy and be a man to his face if you want the smoke… not tweet it at him… Tough guy," Isbell replied, "What really gets me about this is that it's saying 'if you don't believe you can physically overpower me, you aren't allowed to publicly disagree with me.' What does that say to the people in your life who aren't big strong boys? They just have to shut up?"
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"When the media attacks you, you're doing something right. @Jason_Aldean has nothing to apologize for." –Ron DeSantis
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"Him Talking about small town values is not the same thing that your mind controlled dips*** brain filters it as. All you are doing is showing that you're bats*** crazy and that does no good for anyone. If you don't like the song don't listen to it. certainly don't project your insanity on to it. My god you people are INSANE. Maybe check yourself into a facility or something. Liberals in my day protected art and made fun of those that said it had satanic messaging when you play it backwards or s*** like that. That's what you guys are now, the epitome of what you used to hate. Go get help or maybe d****** down and shut the f*** up. thanks." –Roseanne Barr
She later tweeted, "@Jason_Aldean's Next song should be about virtue signaling white women freaking out over a country song while blasting gangster rap in their luxury SUVs as they drop their kids off at schools where furry children s*** in litter boxes."
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"How on earth is this video controversial? Why would @cmt take it down? Support @Jason_Aldean and other artists who have the guts to tell the truth… watch it, download it, and push back against the [bull]." –Donald Trump Jr.
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"Why did @cmt originally add Aldean's song? If it's so terrible in July, why wasn't it terrible last May? Is anyone going to interview CMT? Or nah?" –John Ricn
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"For the record, I love the new @Jason_Aldean single, 'Try That In A Small Town'. IMO, this song isn't promoting violence as some have suggested. It is simply expressing a point of view that many American people share which is against the obvious violence that we have seen from the likes of so many 'activists groups' in this country in recent years and the belief shared by millions that this behavior would not be tolerated by many people in many places across the USA. God bless America and all the people in it. I would also like to remind my friend, @Jason_Aldean that Twitter and social media in general is not a real place. The views shared by many accounts on this platform are not actually representative of the vast majority of the population of this country. Say what you want to say and be who you want to be. Damn the social media torpedoes." –Travis Tritt
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"When you talk about guns and having them in your home for defense, it is not about an offensive weapon, it's about hunting, it's about having the right to have the gun and the people on the other side of that, it is the idiots that take to the street and kill other people. And we are sympathetic of the people who die. Our heart goes out to those people who have been killed by guns, but it is the people who kill with the gun, not the gun itself. I am so sorry they put the Second Amendment first when they see a tragedy like that. I am grateful for Jason Aldean and what he is about to do." —Lee Greenwood via Fox News
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"You all know I love music… tonight in Greenville we added a new song to the playlist: Jason Aldean's "Try That in a Small Town." —Nikki Haley
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"There's no reason to separate big city people from small city people. That to me is the divisive part of this song. I mean, it's a deplorable song and it's annoying. 'Got a gun that my granddad gave me. They say one day they're going to round up. Well, that s*** might fly in the city, good luck.' It's very divisive and provocative. But I defend his right to do this video." –Joy Behar on "The View"
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"Jason Aldean's newest single 'Try That In A Small Town' is offensive so we won't play that… up next, 'WAP' by Cardi B" –Kevin Sorbo
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George Takei posted a linke to Sheryl Crow's comments. "She knows hypocrisy when she sees it," he wrote.
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"I hate the words to that song but I don't believe he's a racist [He was] one of the first to check on me in my time of need! Just bad song writing." –Blanco Brown
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"The iTunes charts have spoken – Jason Aldean's 'Try That In A Small Town' is number one. Whenever they try and censor us, we only go stronger. Time for CMT to get the Bud Light treatment." –Congresswoman Lauren Boebert
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"I am shocked by what I'm seeing in this country, with people attempting to cancel the song and cancel Jason and his beliefs. And him and Brittany [Aldean] are outspoken about their love for law and order and for their love of this country and I'm just grateful for them. I think a lot of times people that go out and fight every day on these important issues and have an opinion and remember the freedom and liberty that this country was founded on, get persecuted from it, and we're seeing that with the Aldeans right now and the songwriters that work so hard on this. And I just want them to know that we support them. We love them. Thank you for writing a song that Americans could get behind." –South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem
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"Share @Jason_Aldean" –Antonio Sabato Jr.
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"One striking thing to me about the Jason Aldean publicity salad is that it perfectly mirrors the bad faith in which the right & the gop communicate. I grew up in a small town, so I still speak whiteness, and to act like "in a small town we take care of our own" doesn't mean exactly what I know it to mean is laughable. And someone should also note that for a benign, pro-community message, it features almost nothing else but implied violence. It's such a s*****, cynically-conceived song. It's a shame it's getting all this attention. I also think it must be disheartening for any Black country performer, because this whole thing was signed off on by countless Nashville establishment types (as the song is 100% corporate-approved). To know that your industry sees this as an acceptable business decision must suck. They should've just called it 'I'm A-Skeered!'" –Andy Richter
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"I can't believe it's country music. I'm thinking about Trace Adkins, and of course, many of [his] songs were very supportive of opposing America's enemies. What we're not taking into account is that many of our enemies are in our own house and they're in our own countries and our own streets." –Pat Boone on Fox News
