Sheryl Crow Slams Jason Aldean for "Promoting Violence" With New Song
Sheryl Crow is sharing her thoughts on the controversy surrounding Jason Aldean.
In fact, the "Soak Up the Sun" singer called out her fellow country star over his song "Try That In A Small Town," which has stirred controversy over lyrics that critics allege are filled with racist dog whistles and threatens violence against perceived criminals.
"@Jason_Aldean I'm from a small town," Crow tweeted July 18. "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."
Aldean was performing on stage at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas in 2017 when a gunman fired down on the crowd and killed 59 people in what marked the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. But while he hasn't responded to Crow's remarks, earlier in the day the "Burn It Down" singer addressed the backlash to his song, which contains lyrics like "Full of good ol' boys, raised up right / If you're looking for a fight / Try that in a small town."
"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," the 46-year-old tweeted. "These references are not only meritless, but dangerous."
He continued, "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."
And he also addressed the mass shooting in Las Vegas and how it affected him.
"NO ONE, including me, wants to continue to see senseless headlines or families ripped apart," he explained. "'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."
He continued, "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 of 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."
In addition to the lyrics sparking outrage, the accompany music video was also at the center of controversy. Specifically, the filming location in front of the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tenn., a site known for the 1927 mob lynching of an 18-year-old Black man, Henry Choate, and its usage of violent news footage, including clips of protests.
However, the production company behind the video, Tacklebox, refuted the notion that the location was chosen for its racist history and that Aldean had chosen the location.
Production company Tacklebox said in a statement to E! News that it was shot in a "popular filming location outside of Nashville," citing several music videos and films that have been filmed there, including the Lifetime Original movie "Steppin' into the Holiday" and the Hannah Montana movie. "Any alternative narrative suggesting the music video's location decision is false," the group said, also adding that Aldean did not pick the location of the video.
But amid the controversy, Aldean has received support, including from his wife, Brittany Aldean, who wrote on Instagram July 18 alongside a photo of the couple, "Never apologize for speaking the truth."
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App
