In a heated controversy that has shaken the country music world, singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow has publicly criticized fellow artist Jason Aldean over his latest song, “Try That in a Small Town.” The backlash against Aldean’s song began earlier this week, prompting Crow to take to Twitter with a strong rebuke.
Sheryl Crow, known for hits like “All I Wanna Do,” did not mince words in her message to Aldean. “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,” Crow tweeted. “You should know that better than anyone, having survived a mass shooting. This is not American or small town-like; it’s just lame.”
Crow’s comments come after Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, criticized Aldean on July 16. Watts highlighted the irony of Aldean’s song given his experience during the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting, where 60 people were killed, and over 400 were injured. Watts tweeted, “Jason Aldean, who was on stage during the mass shooting at a Las Vegas concert in 2017, has recorded a song called ‘Try That in a Small Town’ about he and his friends will shoot you if you try to take their guns.”
Aldean’s song, which includes lyrics such as “Got a gun that my granddad gave me. They say one day they’re gonna round up. Well, that might fly in the city. Good luck. Try that in a small town. See how far you make it down the road,” has been interpreted by many as endorsing violent responses to perceived threats.
In response to the uproar, Aldean took to Twitter on July 18 to address the criticism. “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,” Aldean wrote.
Aldean emphasized that his song is about the sense of community he experienced growing up, not an endorsement of violence. “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.”
The music video for “Try That in a Small Town,” released on July 14, features news footage of protests clashing with police, flag burnings, and looting. It also shows Aldean singing in front of the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee—a site notorious for the lynching of Henry Choate, a Black man, in the 1920s. This choice of location has added to the criticism, although the production company, Tackle Box, clarified that the courthouse is a popular filming location and was not chosen by Aldean.
As the controversy continues, it has sparked a wider conversation about the messages conveyed in music and the responsibilities of artists, especially those with large platforms. Crow’s pointed critique highlights a divide in the music community over issues of violence and representation, urging for a reflection on the impact of such artistic expressions.
