On Jason Aldean Abruptly Cancelling His Show in Hartford
Beyond anything else, it’s important that we take care of each other. People first, then music. It’s doesn’t matter if you like Jason Aldean’s music or not. It doesn’t matter if you do or don’t like Jason Aldean’s politics, or the politics of his wife’s Instagram account. He’s still a human, and the last thing anyone should want is for a 46-year-old man to die on stage because they feel an obligation to perform through a health emergency.
On Friday night, July 14th, Jason Aldean was playing a show at the Xfinity Theatre, and had to stop the performance down only 20 minutes in due to heat exhaustion. Fan shot video shows Aldean performing his song “Crazy Town,” and then rushing off stage. No announcement was given for a while after, but the show was eventually cancelled. Aldean gave a more detailed update on Saturday (though not really an apology), saying that he was dehydrated from playing golf all day.
You can and should forgive Jason Aldean for the sudden cancellation due to a health issue. What he deserves to be criticized for is making the rookie mistake of not saving himself for a show that night, and instead going out and playing golf. 30,000 folks spent their hard-earned money and re-arranged their plans to be there. At the least, Jason Aldean could have made sure he was rested and fresh to take the stage, if not to put on the best performance that he could, then to make sure he could make it through.
All depictions out of Hartford on Friday were that it was a very hot day, and it remained hot into the evening. But Saving Country Music was out at Under The Big Sky Fest in Montana this weekend where the temperatures were roughly equal, and over 30 acts performed without incident. You had performers like Nikki Lane and LeAnn Rimes not only playing in the heat of the day, but with the sun blazing right in their face, pouring sweat on stage. They made it through just fine. There weren’t even any heat exhaustion incidents in the audience that I witnessed.
This once again brings up the concerns for the amount of cancellations and other issues that concert goers are facing post COVID. It’s not necessarily any specific cancellation. It’s more the culture of being much more okay to cancel a show as opposed adhering to the old mantra in the business, “The Show Must Go On.” It’s the attitude that a lot of these artists and their handlers are bringing to this business.
If Jason Aldean was physically incapable of performing, then there’s nothing to be done at that point. You have to cancel the show. But everything should have been done before the show to make sure a cancellation wasn’t even in the cards, and that’s not what happened. Especially when it comes to country artists since so many fans live in rural areas, gas money, hotel rooms, even sometimes airfare can’t be reimbursed, making cancellations are very costly.
“But Trig, what about Sierra Ferrell cancelling a string of shows recently?” Yes, that’s unfortunate too. And whoever booked her to play six shows in seven days in two separate countries and four different states needs to learn from that mistake, just like Jason Aldean and his handlers need to learn here, especially if Sierra signed off on the shows herself.
Meanwhile, Lainey Wilson was opening for Luke Combs at Bank of America Stadium this weekend in North Carolina when lightning damaged some equipment. As opposed to canceling her set, Lainey came out and performed acoustically, and created a memorable moment out of what could have been a cancellation. These are the kinds of moments that can help make an artist’s career—when they soldier through adversity, and deliver a memorable performance.
Beyond the cancellation, Jason Aldean’s name trending has caused the politicals to finally pay attention to the lyrics of his new song “Try That in a Small Town.” For sure, the song is fair to scrutinize, and probably deserves some scrutiny. But it’s been out for two months now. To take the opportunity of Jason Aldean experiencing a health emergency on stage to kick him while he’s down is similar to the character indictments people throw at individuals when the news breaks that they died.
If you actually care about these issues or country music in general, then you would have broached them before, not when it’s expedient and exploitative. So many folks in the journalism/political class only pay attention to country music when it fits their agenda. I have my own opinions about “Try That in a Small Town,” and I’ll share them at a more appropriate time. Now is not that time.
For now it’s people first, then music. Jason Aldean seems to have completely recovered after some IV’s, and the Hartford show will be rescheduled. Hopefully he learned his lesson, and hopefully other artists will as well that these performances are to be taken seriously.
Fans are not expendable, and they shouldn’t be treated as such.
July 17, 2023 @ 9:25 am
I was hoping this would be a review of the masterpiece Aldean just released.
July 17, 2023 @ 2:43 pm
It’s been out for a while. It’s the official video that’s attracting attention now.
July 17, 2023 @ 2:56 pm
I was hoping for an obituary.
July 18, 2023 @ 10:00 am
Truly repulsive comment.
July 18, 2023 @ 2:50 pm
Kevin, I don’t know you, but I know you’ve got to be better than this. Come on, Man! You don’t wish harm on anyone.
July 18, 2023 @ 4:30 pm
Good grief, it was a joke. What he’s done to country music is worthy of hanging without benefit of clergy. (Another joke.)
Not even gonna invoke karma over his latest, ham-fisted bullshit, either.
I don’t wish Jason Aldean dead, okay?
I wish he were forced to listen to “Physical Graffiti” for two hours, then his own awful “music” on a forever loop for a week straight with no sleep.
Then, I wish him to confess to his crimes against art, and apologize for his encouragement of the 85-IQ dullards who think he’s an “artist.”
Is that more palatable?
July 18, 2023 @ 6:33 pm
What you’ve described here would be considered a death sentence for many, myself included.
July 17, 2023 @ 9:36 am
To be fair, I suspect many an artist has played golf during the day before a gig and had no problem. This was just one of those super hot days were the best took its toll. Yes in retrospect the golf came should have been canceled but we all think at times, “ I can to this and be fine.” This time that calculation was wrong. I’m glad everything turned out ok.
July 17, 2023 @ 9:38 am
The Streisand Effect in full effect by the usual suspects on Twitter LOL.
Are they really THAT stupid?
July 17, 2023 @ 9:46 am
Funny, George Jones reportedly let “Too Cold At Home” get away from him (to the everlasting benefit of Mark Chesnutt) because he thought that the line in the chorus about playing golf was not something that his country fans would relate to or want to hear.
Maybe Aldean should have concocted a better excuse,
July 17, 2023 @ 10:09 am
Love Mark Chesnutt and “Too Cold At Home.” But that line has always bothered me, and I’m not anti-golf or anything, though I don’t play.
In hindsight, should’ve figured out how work a line in about Aldean not following Chesnutt’s advice into this article.
July 17, 2023 @ 10:30 am
I never liked the golf line either; for the reason George mentioned: overwhelmingly, rural people don’t golf.
July 17, 2023 @ 8:34 pm
I disagree wholeheartedly. I’ve spent all of my 55 years in rural areas, and everywhere I’ve lived I’ve been a part of the tiny minority that didn’t play golf.
July 18, 2023 @ 6:14 am
Where are yall getting this crap from? I’m in about as rural a place as can be and theres so many of us here golfing. Yall are weird.
July 18, 2023 @ 8:56 am
I grew up in the suburbs but would spend my summers on my family’s farms growing up (several aunts/uncles have farms where they raise cattle and grow corn and soybeans), and they all golfed. We would go out in the fields and practice our drives. That was just my experience though, but not surprised to see Honky’s assessment is wrong as usual.
July 18, 2023 @ 8:11 pm
All these people who disagree with me and George Jones about the reality of rural people overwhelmingly not playing golf, probably think “rural” means 15 minutes outside of Tulsa.
July 19, 2023 @ 7:23 am
Well, I grew up on a farm near a town of 900 people in the wheat fields (now corn and canola) of Canada. No paved roads and still shit internet. A lot of people in this area golfed the local low budget courses when not busy seeding in spring or harvesting in the fall. I can’t speak for Oklahoma.
July 19, 2023 @ 12:13 pm
I live in rural southeast Iowa in a town of 1000 in a county of 7000. Before settling here I lived in towns of 3000, 300, 3000, and 40, all surrounded by cornfields in rural Illinois and Iowa. For two years I lived 20 minutes from Des Moines, other than that never within 100 miles of a town of even 50,000 people. And in spite of what you and George want to believe, there were golfers everywhere.
July 17, 2023 @ 8:55 pm
Willie Nelson owns a golf course and when Mickey Newbury retired to Oregon his daughter thought he worked at the golf course because he was there so much. Can’t get much more country than those two. Just realized that I can visit Mickeys gravesite next week after I see Willie which will be really a cool double whammy!
July 18, 2023 @ 11:18 am
You can easily get more country than Willie Nelson.
July 18, 2023 @ 8:15 pm
Seriously. LOL. You wonder what people really think when they say stuff like that.
July 18, 2023 @ 6:29 am
Grew up in a town of 430 people. As much as I hated it…we did golf for PE.
July 17, 2023 @ 12:41 pm
The golf thing felt very concocted.
July 18, 2023 @ 8:02 am
Jason probably never heard that song
July 17, 2023 @ 10:16 am
I’ve read only the very beginning of this rant and I’m “like really…?” Forget about your health and play the show just because people paid for it? So he should drop dead on the scene?
It doesn’t matter if he was playing golf or he wasn’t. He can do what he wants in his free time.
They’ll play probably another show and people who had tickets will attend.
Nothing’s more important than health…
July 17, 2023 @ 10:25 am
1. This is not a “rant.”
2. This is the very beginning. “Beyond anything else, it’s important that we take care of each other. People first, then music. It’s doesn’t matter if you like Jason Aldean’s music or not. It doesn’t matter if you do or don’t like Jason Aldean’s politics, or the politics of his wife’s Instagram account. He’s still a human, and the last thing anyone should want is for a 46-year-old man to die on stage because they feel an obligation to perform through a health emergency.”
3. Just because this is a media story, don’t assume it attacks Jason Aldean without reading. I thought I was very fair to him in this situation.
July 17, 2023 @ 5:15 pm
Though I do think it would behoove Mr. Aldean and others performing this summer to remember the last line Clint Eastwood says in the 1973 Dirty Harry film MAGNUM FORCE: “A man’s got to know his limitations”
July 17, 2023 @ 7:21 pm
I thought of that exact line.
July 18, 2023 @ 11:43 pm
Jason is not a politician. He did not write the song. It was pushed out by mainstream country song writers who’s only motivation is make $$. Some director came up with a story board. Jason hit his marks and cues during the video production while miming the words. He and the band mimed playing the instruments just like the girls behind Robert Palmer did in 1985. This is not art it is commerce and entertainment. It has little meaning or affect in the real world. Jason is just barking to get more views, plays and dollars.
July 17, 2023 @ 6:04 pm
AD – Day of show is not free time. For example you can’t just sit around doing heroin all day and then walk onto stage and expect to put on a good show. You are obligated to take care of yourself so that you can fulfill your contract. The bigger picture is that these artists pay big bucks for show insurance in case something like this goes wrong. Are more performers missing more shows than usual? Maybe. Do they have to do a return engagement. No.
July 17, 2023 @ 10:18 am
It’s not the first time he has had to rush off stage… The twitter mob is bored.
July 17, 2023 @ 10:28 am
I’d be willing to give him a pass here. In hindsight, it’s easy to say that he should have rested for the show rather than play golf. But golf is a very common activity for traveling musicians, and Jason has likely played golf a hundred times before a concert. Relative to other cancellations (most commonly when an artist drinks too much before the show) this feels different / innocent. It’s tough to know and predict heat exhaustion if you haven’t experienced it.
With that said, this should be a lesson learned for him regarding future shows.
July 17, 2023 @ 8:44 pm
But if he’s that avid a golfer, shouldn’t he have recognized at some point that the heat was taking more out of him than usual and called it quits knowing that he needed to be fresh for the show?
I don’t disagree with you statement, but there are only two possible conclusions a rational person can come to here:
1) The fact that he was enjoying his golf game was more important to him than the performance he was committed to that night; or,
2) He’s not very smart.
July 17, 2023 @ 10:35 am
Can’t wait to make fun of your naive, misguided article on “Try That In A Small Town”. When will you be posting it?
July 17, 2023 @ 12:15 pm
He released it a month ago with a Honky firewall. Too bad you missed out.
July 17, 2023 @ 6:28 pm
Mostly it’s funny this fake tough guy can’t even handle a New England summer.
July 17, 2023 @ 7:30 pm
Cope.
July 17, 2023 @ 10:40 am
Living in New England, we have had unusually oppressive humidity (and raining most days) here for at least a month-not typical at all. I would suspect it was more the humidity that might have wiped him out coupled with the heat too. I suspect though it was similar temps in Montana, it was probably much much drier there which is easier to take. Just a thought….
July 17, 2023 @ 12:23 pm
There’s also a big difference between performing in the evening in the shade, and performing in the middle of the day with the sun literally blazing right on you like LeAnn Rimes did.
I’m not out here to hang Jason Aldean over this like a LOT of people are, and good on him for giving the actual reason as opposed to making something up. But being a musician is similar to being an athlete. When you get on that stage, it’s time to perform. Hopefully he learns his lesson.
July 17, 2023 @ 2:36 pm
CT native here. It’s been hot and the humidity has been oppressive. This isn’t the worst transgression in the world, but he should have sense enough not to spend 4-5 hrs. in the sun and heat before a concert. After the last few years we’ve had, people are not inclined to cut the Jason Aldeans of this world a break over something like this.
July 17, 2023 @ 12:18 pm
I hope you got some good pictures of Nicki Lane.
July 17, 2023 @ 12:25 pm
🙂
Might have to put a parental warning on my Under The Big Sky recap.
July 17, 2023 @ 12:43 pm
“Beyond the cancellation, Jason Aldean’s name trending has caused the politicals to finally pay attention to the lyrics of his new song “Try That in a Small Town.” For sure, the song is fair to scrutinize, and probably deserves some scrutiny. But it’s been out for two months now. To take the opportunity of Jason Aldean experiencing a health emergency on stage to kick him while he’s down is similar to the character indictments people throw at individuals when the news breaks that they died.”
To be fair, I think the recent attention toward this song has been caused more by the release of an accompanying music video just a few days ago than by Aldean canceling this show. The music video includes video footage of theft and riots which is probably causing as much controversy as the actual lyrics.
Also, there’s a typo in the second paragraph: July 15th was Saturday, not Friday.
July 17, 2023 @ 1:21 pm
Good point, some of the attention might be from the video. But I definitely saw a specific attack vector meant to piggy back off of his name trending on Twitter by political types who are just now waking up to a song that’s been out for two months, and specifically posting images of the lyrics, not links to the video.
July 18, 2023 @ 9:00 am
Come on Trigger. “The evidence I saw only confirmed the preconceived notion I already had about the situation.” That’s exactly what you sound like. If we’re going to play that game, I’ll say that everything I saw was people talking about the music video release. I didn’t even know he canceled a show until this article. That music video, by the way, was shot in the same spot as a famous lynching. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence though right?
July 18, 2023 @ 10:10 am
First off, don’t put quotes around something that I never said. I’m a writer, and I choose my words wisely.
Second, what I did in the comment you responded to was acknowledge that the video is probably also playing a role in the renewed attention to Jason Aldean’s song.
That said, when I was researching on Twitter before I wrote this article, the vast majority of what I saw were political types who were quoting the lyrics, and piggy-backing off of the Jason Aldean cancellation. I didn’t even know he’d released a video for the song, though I was out in the field all weekend covering Under The Big Sky Fest.
Yes, the video is also playing a role here. But make no mistake, the cancellation also played a role in all of this.
I will have my opinions on the Jason Aldean song and video soon. But until then, don’t put words into my mouth, and don’t assume my opinion.
To be frank, I’m sick of this culture war bullshit, and writing about it. I’d much rather pay attention to the beautiful moments I witnessed this last weekend at Under The Big Sky. And so that’s what I’m going to do first. Then I’ll deal with this other bullshit.
July 18, 2023 @ 11:38 am
Hm, not sure what you’ve been seeing on Twitter, but after a search of Aldean’s name and some scrolling, I’ve only seen two or three posts referencing his cancellation. On the other hand, probably close to a third of the tweets were direct responses to his tweet about the new video. Most were just referencing the lyrics and not the video, but it seems like the publicity has come more from the video release and not his cancellation, at least from my very brief investigating.
It’s maybe not a super relevant debate, but I don’t think your statement about kicking him while he’s down is very fair because that doesn’t really seem to be what is happening. Although if anyone deserves to be kicked while down, it’s probably him. His music has been kicking country music while it’s been down for like the last decade plus. 😉 His last good album was 2010, and even that had “Dirt Road Anthem” on it.
July 18, 2023 @ 11:42 am
This article was posted over 24 hours ago, and it was written about 36 hours ago. I specifically went to Twitter and searched around for information. This was my experience. The outrage on the event seemed to hit Monday morning, after this article was written. I’m not trying to protect anyone here, and I have no reason to lie about this.
Again, I will have an article on the Jason Aldean song/video soon. That is not what this article is about. It’s about his show cancellation.
July 18, 2023 @ 2:04 pm
CMT has pulled the video. Of course, CMT only shows music video for a few hours in the morning, but still it’s another skirmish in the Great American Culture War.
https://www.billboard.com/music/country/jason-aldean-try-that-in-a-small-town-video-pulled-cmt-1235373842/
July 18, 2023 @ 3:05 pm
@Howard,
“CMT has pulled the video. Of course, CMT only shows music video for a few hours in the morning, but still it’s another skirmish in the Great American Culture War.”
Shari Redstone isn’t about to allow CMT to play the video over and over.
Bless her heart.
July 18, 2023 @ 7:59 pm
Well, dam*, am smiling because people are actually paying attention.
This is great
July 17, 2023 @ 1:28 pm
I think more of the attention is on the fact that the song is him being a wannabe-tough-guy who in reality is spineless piece of s*it. He sings about “oh, come and try to take my guns,” when he was right there at in Las Vegas when a mass shooting happened. He’s one of those who will tell you “the only thing to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun” and yet when that shooting happened, he ran off stage.
And no, I’m not blaming him for running off stage. I’m blaming him for being a hypocrite who will talk tough but when it came down to it he was just as scared as everyone else was.
And that makes him a coward. And it also makes him an asshole for capitalizing on the gun violence that this country experiences.
July 18, 2023 @ 6:56 am
Absolutely. People who believe things like this talk a big game but can often be seen at the back of the crowd when something actually goes down. Don’t want to get those new boots or that $75,000 pick-up truck dirty.
The song is stupid. I grew up in a small town and have them all around me and I’ve yet to see a mob go after someone who sucker punched somebody on the street, or carjacked an old lady, or pulled a gun in a liquor store. It’s more likely the people this song “glorifies” are the ones that would be doing those things to begin with.
July 18, 2023 @ 11:11 pm
I can agree with calling out fake bravado but being on a stage facing a crowd is the worst place to be in a self defense situation. What is someone in that position supposed to do – fire their gun directly towards a group of innocent people? Any responsible gun owner knows you only pull the trigger when you see your target and there is nothing behind it.
July 18, 2023 @ 11:19 am
And July 15th was the anniversary of Jerusalem returning to Christian hands in 1099.
July 18, 2023 @ 4:22 pm
The music video also contains a scene in front of a courthouse that was the site of a famous lynching. I think the lyrics on their own were not especially disturbing but having them paired with the site of a notorious lynching was extremely problematic.
July 19, 2023 @ 12:47 am
The most disturbing part of the video for me was the real footage of BLM riots, murder, arson, and looting. I see nothing problematic about the lyrics, or his choosing of that site to shoot the video. I applaud it actually. If those things upset you and not the actual videos of violence, as opposed to people mindreading what the songwriters might be thinking, you might be a dishonest partisan hack. CMT cucked out, and it already backfired. Posobiec and others brought attention to it, and the song hit #1 on iTunes. The song is going to have quite a good week sales wise and exposure wise. People were arguing in the comments if Jason is a has been. This week at least, Morgan isnt a topic, neither is Luke. The biggest name in country is Jason. Unlikely to hit #1 on Billboard, but this is going to be a huge week for him and his catalogue. Read the comments on Youtube and Twitter. People who arent even country fans or Jason fans are giving it a spin to own the libs just like we all did and still do for Morgan. Theres no bigger country artist in the world this week than Jason, all due to woke SJW’s moaning about how this song is a dogwhistle. Keep it up, it might reach number 1 on Billboard after all.
July 19, 2023 @ 4:10 am
Tell us you’re an idiot without saying you’re an idiot.
July 18, 2023 @ 9:30 pm
CMT are such cucks. Wait until the public learns about a genre called rap. Where drug use, violence, fatherlessness, guns, gang culture, and wanton murder are not only discussed but openly celebrated.
July 17, 2023 @ 12:56 pm
I learned a good bit about heat exhaustion after I got heat exhaustion. Yeah- if it hits you there is no ‘toughing it out’ at that point. Just have to recover. The show was doomed from the start. Diuretics dehydrate you so coffee, cigar, beer, whatever speeds up the process. Only temps under 80 degrees start to reverse the process. Playing golf in the heat, having something no more sinister than coffee and not cooling properly before a show and getting hyped up for it under the light- easy mistake to make.
On a side note, last time I saw Billy Joe Shaver it was about 2pm on a 106 Texas July day. Stage in full sun. Shaver in long jean pants and jacket. Never saw him take a sip of water and he was pushing 80 years old by then. At half his age, dressed much cooler, and drinking water the entire time I struggled. He earned some serious cred in my book that day.
July 17, 2023 @ 1:14 pm
Didn’t George Jones miss a few shows? Not sure he had as good an excuse. Unfortunate. Hindsight is wonderful.
July 17, 2023 @ 1:23 pm
I hope he gets to feeling better soon I love his music I am a big fan of Jason Aldean since he came out
July 17, 2023 @ 1:35 pm
This was all good and fun and great to read but let’s get to the more important story of Miranda Lambert stopping mid-song to chastise some concert goers taking selfies.
July 17, 2023 @ 4:18 pm
Might have something on this soon. But there’s more important fish to fry than harping on these mainstream folks for their concert etiquette.
July 17, 2023 @ 2:24 pm
Aldean is too old to make “rookie” mistakes.
July 17, 2023 @ 2:29 pm
Good old boy Jason might’ve had a couple too many bud heavies on the course. But let’s cut him some slack. He’s a solid patriot.
July 17, 2023 @ 3:23 pm
I don’t care for Jason or his music. I hope he recovers quickly.
July 17, 2023 @ 4:45 pm
“Try That in a Small Town” thoughts
1. This song tries really hard to be “A Country Boy Can Survive” meets “Okie From Muskogee” meets “Fighting Side of Me.” It utterly fails.
2. That electronic percussion noise is irritating as hell.
3. That guitar solo repeats a guitar lick that was much better when Eddie Van Halen played it in Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.”
4. I get that the message of the verse about granddad’s gun is supposed to be all backwoods Charlton Heston but the verbiage of people wanting to “round up” made me think about elementary school math, so at least I got an unintentional laugh out of it.
5. Seriously, is he saying they’re going to go all “Hills Have Eyes” on someone who sucker punches a guy on the sidewalk or exercises their constitutional rights?
6. How did I get a six-point list out of a song this bad? Worse yet – two more equally bad songs by this guy have played while I typed it.
July 17, 2023 @ 5:49 pm
“Seriously, is he saying they’re going to go all “Hills Have Eyes” on someone who sucker punches a guy on the sidewalk or exercises their constitutional rights?”
Let me guess.
You have a problem with Aldean exercising his constitutional rights.
July 17, 2023 @ 6:34 pm
Actually, no I don’t. I just think this is a dumb, badly written song. I disagree with the politics of the aforementioned “Fighting Side of Me” and “Okie From Muskogee,” but think they are good, well-written songs (seriously, the bass part in the opening of “Fighting Side of Me” is a masterwork). I don’t necessarily have to agree with someone’s politics to think a song is good or bad. “Try That in a Small Town” isn’t anything approaching heartfelt. It’s typical Nashville written-by-committee fare that happens to hit at some cultural soft spots. Someone in at the label decided it’d be a good idea to put out a video full of stuff that irks conservatives to make noise in the blogosphere and hopefully goose a fading artist’s sales. Rinse, lather, repeat.
July 17, 2023 @ 6:54 pm
“Actually, no I don’t.”
This is good to know.
July 17, 2023 @ 7:21 pm
Can he get a fiddle or banjo for a song? The stadium rock guitar is just plain done and moans the same repeated sound over and over. Never really been a fan of JA, but would really like to see an established mainstream product just do a 180 and throw something unexpected out there.
July 17, 2023 @ 4:51 pm
The manner in which it was handled was poor. JA could’ve at least given a quick explanation that he was feeling super ill, or had an announcement soon after that he was back stage trying to pull through and finish the show.
Rescheduling is nice, but many fans are out everything now. I recently flew 600 miles with some friends to see a show. If this had happened, a rescheduled show would be of no benefit to us.
July 17, 2023 @ 5:49 pm
This stuff happens. Reminds me of seeing Turnpike at the Braun Brothers Reunion, and Evan was having a LOT of trouble remembering the lyrics that day. And, coincidentally, an apology was stated about having spent the first half of the day golfing (the weather was not oppressive that day, so I believe another factor was involved). Luckily for me, I enjoyed the rest if the festival; if Turnpike had been my main reason for going it would’ve been a disappointment. And this was years before anyone was expecting this from him; at BBR the year prior Turnpike sparkled.
Anyways, am totally happy for Evan having gotten through that rough patch and him and the band moving forwards with life, and getting back in the game. May Jason also learn from his little episode, and exercise precautions in the future.
July 17, 2023 @ 5:51 pm
JCS–
I just listened to ““Try That” and watched the video.
I liked it. Is it self-contradictory or hypocritical for people who extol the 1/6 rioters to talk about how they’re the last bastion for law and order? Maybe, But geez, Haggard was self-contradictory and hypocritical in most of his political songs, and he was still great.
There’ve been plenty of songs in country music–and God know, in Americana music–in the last 30-some years that about how small towns are failing, the businesses are shutting down and the kids can’t wait to take the first bus out as soon as they get out of high school. And most recently, that they’e OD’ing on meth or fenatnyl or whatever the drugh of choice is.
I think Jason’s song is an antidote to that he’s singing about what he wants these towns to be. And it was well-performed. It probably helps that I, too, was incensed bythe “post-George-Floyd” rioting and the support that it garnered in the mainstream media. (I didn’t detect any similarity to “Beat It” in the guitar solo; I didn’t know that Eddie Van Halen played on “Beat It”; and tha wouldn’t effect my opinion, either way.)
I’d have no problem putting this song in rotation with my Steve Earle and Chris Knight recordings.
July 17, 2023 @ 7:33 pm
Is the “small town resilience” song really that original? Yes, the Americana genre heavily skews towards signing about the negative aspects you talk about, but I legit have a hard time coming up with 5 songs that have been released to radio in the last decade that don’t extol the virtues (imaginary as many of them might be) of rural/small-town America.
I guess if you expand it out to “my girl left me and I’m stuck in a small town with her” songs, then you can come up with a bunch of songs. Maybe I am just too disconnected to mainstream Country music and there have been a bunch of “life in a small town sucks” songs that I don’t know about, but on the surface the genre appears content selling a fantasy that wealthy suburbanites in their jacked up trucks seem to soak up happily.
July 18, 2023 @ 10:05 am
This is a misreading. I know of not a single conservative who cheered on the 1/6 events. Not one. The disconnect is that for 9 months in 2020, you had rioting in major cities, cheered on by Democrats and excused as, they are just angry about a supposed racist cop, who actually wasnt racist at all (and was just doing his job). We were told it was just people letting off steam. And just people setting fire to stores no big deal because it was insured corporations. No talk of the 40 people killed, cops murdered etc. Remember David Dorn? Or Cannon Hinnant? Entire neighborhoods were taken over and people just shrugged their shoulders, they were upset, yo. It was the most deadly and destructive riot in American history. Billions in property destruction. The disconnect comes in the reaction to 1/6 in comparison. Most rioters were let out on bail immediately, the future VP set up an organization to donate bail to the rioters in summer 2020. Yet, was the same compassion shown towards the hundred or so rioters on 1/6. Hundred thousand attended rally, few hundred rioted. I support Trump’s pledge to pardon the 1/6 prisoners. I hope they get reparations as well. The same Democrats who spent all of 2020 vilifying cops as devil spawn, on 1/6 somehow gave the capitol police standing ovations and police were good again. Jasons sentiment is widespread, and it’s the correct one. If you tried the rioting in a small town, it wouldnt fly. BLM is a terrorist organization and it should be dismantled. Trump himself condemned the rioting that very day. BLM and others seem to feel rioting is okay as long as its BLM doing it. If you burn down a cop station it’s fine because they are evil, but dont you dare question the election or protest in the capitol! Jason is saying we dont do that here.
July 18, 2023 @ 10:12 am
This is a country music website, not a political one. Let’s please keep the comments on topic.
July 17, 2023 @ 6:55 pm
Yea I don’t fault him for canceling cause I’ve had issues with heat myself. I do find fault with him going out golfing the day of his show in that heat. Hopefully he learns something cause next time he will deserve all the criticism.
July 17, 2023 @ 7:28 pm
Somewhat serious question: Is Jason Aldean done at Country Radio? I legit pay so little attention to mainstream Country music that I really have no clue who is “big” these days, beyond Luke Combs (sure) and Morgan Wallen (yuck). But has Aldean’s “time” as a big fish in the industry passed?
I don’t mean it as a slight, but watching his latest music video, it sure seems like he is trying to cater to a very specific audience. Who will no doubt eat up that video/song/Aldean’s catalogue, but it sure doesn’t strike me as the move of someone who still thinks they have some time left in the spotlight of the industry. Luke Combs might 1000% agree with the message behind his latest single, but he/his label ain’t releasing that song/video as a single.
It strikes me as the move of someone who sees his time towards the top of the industry fading and sees an opportunity to gain favor (and maybe fortune) by appealing to a smaller, but more rabid audience seeking that sort of content out of their entertainment.
July 17, 2023 @ 7:46 pm
When “Small Town” was first released, it was the “Most Added” song on country radio. It will be a #1 song. 17 of Aldean’s last 22 singles hit #1. He’s one of mainstream radio country’s biggest artists and a consistent arena draw.
July 18, 2023 @ 4:56 pm
Most added this week is the new Dan + Shay, second most added is the new Sam Hunt. Suddenly, Jason having a hit with this song sounds a lot better.
July 19, 2023 @ 4:26 am
Yes it started off strong, but watching its daily gains, they’ve been very weak for an Aldean single. I wouldn’t be so sure on the #1.
The controversy over the video may not help either. Wouldn’t be surprised if this peaked below the top 10.
Having said that he’s still one of the biggest names. This may be a small drop, but if his next song is more his normal blandness then he’ll recover finely.
July 19, 2023 @ 7:07 am
Even if radio gets cold feet, the backlash against it will fuel an anti-bascklash, and it will go #1 on Hot Country Songs. Also, the Streisand Effect is already in full force.
July 17, 2023 @ 9:20 pm
Oh man this is all pretty funny. The outrage and condemnation over the cancelling of the show. Golf as the reason. The moral panic over the new song. The song itself. The uptight hall monitors calling it a “lynching” song. All of it.
July 17, 2023 @ 11:44 pm
That heat will really get ya when you’re dehydrated from all the day drinkin. SMH.
July 18, 2023 @ 12:36 am
People are so outraged by this; it’s laughable. He has no history of missing shows. Waylon, George Jones , Hank Sr. are iconic heroes of country music traditionalists, and part of their fame is that they were outlaws. Aldean won a humanitarian award a few years ago. He raised millions of dollars for breast cancer and a children’s hospital. The post was mostly fair, but failed to mention that he BBC doesn’t have a history of skipping out or missing shows. It had a negative feeling overall though. He was honest, took responsibility, and immediately agreed to try and make it right, unlike Carly Pearce. In regards to his politics, he has every right to express his beliefs, too bad if you don’t like it. Some of us don’t want the alphabet soup mafia jamming immorality down our or our kids throats. Do what you want in your life, but don’t try to bully us into accepting it. I don’t particularly like his music, but the criticism is unfair for a guy that mostly keeps his mouth shut and seems to have always have done his job in a professional manner.
July 18, 2023 @ 4:59 am
On this: “Meanwhile, Lainey Wilson was opening for Luke Combs at Bank of America Stadium this weekend in North Carolina when lightning damaged some equipment. As opposed to canceling her set, Lainey came out and performed acoustically, and created a memorable moment out of what could have been a cancellation.”
Back in the early ’90s, we were excited to have tickets for a gig by The Joe Ely Band in Leeds, UK. Sadly, the bass player’s (Jimmy Petit) father died unexpectedly, so Jimmy Petit had to rush back to the States. Rather than cancelling the show, Joe did the entire thing as a one-man gig – just him, and his black semi-acoustic guitar. It was brilliant – one of the best shows I’ve ever been to.
July 18, 2023 @ 5:01 am
Off topic, but Trig how about an article about Jenee Fleenor. Just realized that Blake’s team fired her from his touring band. What is she up to now?
July 18, 2023 @ 7:38 am
Do we know that she was “fired?”
How much does Blake Shelton even tour?
I’ll look into it.
July 23, 2023 @ 7:34 am
Check Jenee out ….new band with some greats …. “Woodbox Heros.”
July 18, 2023 @ 7:03 am
I very much enjoyed going to one of his shows ????
July 18, 2023 @ 7:59 am
I’d say that Jason’s “Try That In a Small Town” is positively “Koombaya”-“Everything Is Beautiful”-“We Shall Be Free”-tolerant …. compared to Hag’s “The Fighting Side.”
July 18, 2023 @ 9:39 am
I won’t say that Fightin’ Side doesn’t resonate with me at all, but if it does, it’s less than it would have when I was younger and if I liked country music then. But I do think it’s a great song and “if you’re runnin’ down my country, man, you’re walkin’ on the fightin’ side of me” is a great line and one that I like to use when I’m feigning offense. And the thing is, Merle actually wrote it. When he sings it, I believe him. Looks like a team of of four songwriters wrote this Aldean song and none of them named Jason Aldean. So maybe he and/or his management just ordered up a “small town patriotic” song. Or went looking for one.
July 18, 2023 @ 7:59 am
saw the vid, the most shocking thing was not showing guns and riots but showing a real steel guitar!! Will mainstream country fans mistake it for a weapon?
July 18, 2023 @ 1:52 pm
Let’s be honest: there’s a lot to dislike about Jason – his music, attitude, politics. But he had heat exhaustion and postponed a show. Big deal! His fans will forgive him (as they should) and non fans didn’t have tickets anyway. God bless America!
July 18, 2023 @ 2:19 pm
His politics are fine. Just because you don’t like traditional American values doesn’t make them dislikable. A huge number of people don’t like tranny!s in their young daughters’ bathrooms. Basically, that’s what he and his wife have been bashed for, other than gun rights. And, gun rights are a constitutional freedom. His statements about gun rights haven’t even been that extreme.
July 18, 2023 @ 9:45 pm
For heaven’s sake! Someone says his politics are disagreeable (to them) and you have to resort to hate speech to defend Jason Aldean’s politics as expressed in a song written by four other guys …? That’s pretty deplorable.
July 19, 2023 @ 12:53 am
I agree with Bibs completely. Calling half the country deplorable usually isnt the way to win people over to your side. Beyond that hate speech is a liberal hoax, no such thing exists. Hate speech is protected free speech. I support Bibs statement. That stuff has no place in country music, Nashville, or in society in general. Its disgraceful.
July 19, 2023 @ 6:42 am
I didn’t call “half of the country” deplorable. I called Bibs’ comment deplorable due to his use of an epithet and the somewhat reflexively aggressive manner in which he responded to the previous post that wished Mr. Aldean well despite not liking his politics. If you have issues with someone else using the word “deplorable” to describe anything or anyone else, I encourage you to take it up with them. As to whether hate speech – including the use of epithets – is protected or a “liberal hoax,” the fact is that it’s hateful. There’s no reason that Bibs needed to use the word he did in the way he did to respond to someone’s hope that Mr. Aldean was ok.
July 19, 2023 @ 1:54 pm
You take me to task for saying that some people find Aldean’s politics dislikable, but it’s OK for you to call Jason Isbell a dope head and Amanda Shires a nut job???
July 18, 2023 @ 8:00 am
I don’t think he’s ever been accused of being the sharpest tool, but playing golf in that heat knowing you’ve got 90 minutes of work to do later (also in that heat) is pretty stupid, especially when you look as physically unfit as he does.
July 18, 2023 @ 8:01 am
Seems like Jason’s gotten loose. I know shit happens. But you shouldn’t set yourself for failed. I caught a fever right as I started playing the first song on a gig. It came on so fast, but I pushed through and actually sang better with a fever. Something about being warm I guess. A couple of weeks ago we had to cancel two gigs on the Lake of the Ozarks because I tested positive for Covid. I had already pushed through the hard part of being sick, and I was ready to play. But my Bass player has family members that are compromised healthwise. And the venue has mostly an older crowd and an older owner. The choice to cancel was obvious, but it has a cascading effect on us financially. Not to mention the relationships when you can’t perform a gig you were replaced with someone who can.
Jason need to tighten up If you’re getting paid to play, you need to be ready for work just like you would any other job. Even though I wasn’t 100% I would’ve still played the show had it not been contagious.
Lainey Wilson is lightning in a bottle and what she did at that show is a real Louisiana kind of thing. We’re so proud of her. What a magical moment.
July 18, 2023 @ 8:31 am
His explanation on Twitter is revealing. It’s a lot of me, me, me and very little about the fans (until the very end, and even then, it’s a brief apology that doesn’t seem especially heartfelt).
July 18, 2023 @ 9:48 am
let’s hope he makes up the show sooner than later, and does something a little extra for the fans. I can take or leave his music most days, but I can’t recall him ever having a reputation for not meeting his concert obligations. My gut says he’ll get straight with the fans eventually.
July 18, 2023 @ 11:39 am
1. Good article
(And this is a super random article to do this on)
2. I know the requests are probably super annoying since your running a website and a bunch of other stuff but I would love to see an article with your opinions on acts like Koe Wetzel, Pecos and the Rooftops, Kolby Cooper, and similar artists.
July 18, 2023 @ 12:59 pm
Try that just isn’t a good song period, and I’m an Aldean fan. The politics show surrounding it, and hyperventilating by all involved, is trite and red herring.
Aldean is getting to old fart territory, and the toughness in this song is as intimidating as Gilbert Brantley.
July 18, 2023 @ 7:32 pm
Just a final thought. I Googled to try and find criticism of Aldean for this incident and couldn’t find a single story by any by reputable outlet. I’m sure if I spent hours, I could find one, but 15-20 minutes didn’t get me there. It’s not a major issue because it’s not a pattern of behavior. I don’t care for his music, but this is just an overblown story as far as I can tell.Where’s the outage and massive criticism, besides Twitter goons that just want by to hate.
July 18, 2023 @ 10:57 pm
I never said there were any “stories” criticizing Jason Aldean’s cancellation. But if you think I’m fabricating that Jason Aldean received strong criticism for cancelling his show 20 minutes in, and later blaming golf, you’re living on Pluto. They tried to cancel Miranda Lambert simply for singing a song with Aldean. He’s the most vilified artist in country music right behind Morgan Wallen. Of course he received criticism. Why are we even talking about this?
The problem is this situation involved three separate incidents that evolved on three separate timelines that became intertwined.
1. Jason Aldean canceled his show
2. Twitter woke up to the lyrics of Jason Aldean’s two month old song.
3. People watched his new video.
This article only deal with 1.0 and was published 48 hours ago.
July 18, 2023 @ 10:23 pm
Just watched video/listened for the first time. It’s dogshit and a terrible song. My feelings have nothing to do with the media portrayal, just that it’s horrendous and Hank would be rolling in his grave