Sheryl Crow has been vocal about her thoughts on Jason Aldean’s controversial new song, which has sparked intense debate in recent days.
The 61-year-old singer from Missouri weighed in on the song ‘Try That in a Small Town,’ expressing her disappointment and concern. She believed that Aldean, 46, was perpetuating false impressions through the song’s inflammatory lyrics.
Some specific lyrics from the song read: “Got a gun that my granddad gave me / They say one day they’re gonna round up / Well, that s**t might fly in the city, good luck / Try that in a small town.”
Addressing the country singer in a tweet, Crow, who comes from a small town herself, emphasized that even small-town residents are weary of violence. She stated, “@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,” she added. Crow criticized the song’s promotion of violence, asserting that it neither reflects American values nor characterizes small-town life. She also reminded Aldean of his own experience surviving the 2017 Las Vegas concert tragedy, where 60 people lost their lives and over 400 were injured.
The music video for ‘Try That in a Small Town’ featured Aldean performing in front of a courthouse known for past lynchings, leading to swift backlash and its removal from CMT programming. The song’s lyrics were accused of condoning violent acts, and the use of footage from various protests, including those related to the Black Lives Matter movement, caused further controversy.
In response to the accusations, Aldean defended himself in a lengthy statement on Twitter, refuting any association with pro-lynching sentiments or negative views toward nationwide BLM protests. He stated that there was not a single reference to race in the song’s lyrics and that the video clips used were real news footage. Aldean clarified that ‘Try That In A Small Town’ represented the sense of community he experienced while growing up, where people took care of their neighbors regardless of background or belief.
