Sheryl Crow Slams Jason Aldean For "Promoting Violence" In Controversial New Song

Country singer Jason Aldean’s new song “Try That In A Small Town” has gotten a withering review from Sheryl Crow. The “All I Wanna Do” singer took umbrage with the lyrics in Aldean’s song, calling out the country star for “promoting violence.”

Aldean has sparked significant backlash with the lyrics of his song “Try That In A Small Town,” with many people accusing him of encouraging violence and glorifying vigilantism. “Got a gun that my granddad gave me / They say one day they’re gonna round up / Well, that s— might fly in the city, good luck/ Try that in a small town,” are some of the lyrics of Aldean’s song.

Crow, who grew up in Kennett, Missouri (with a population of around 10,000 people) responded to Aldean’s song on Twitter. “@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.” It’s worth noting that Aldean himself is from Macon, Georgia, a town of approximately 156,000 people.

Crow’s response included a retweet from Shannon Watts, gun violence prevention activist and founder of Moms Demand Action, who also pointed out in her tweet that Aldean is a survivor of the 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas where 60 people were killed.

Aldean also responded to the backlash on Twitter on Tuesday, writing in a lengthy message that the song “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,” 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 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.”

Aldean also acknowledged the mass shooting at his concert in Las Vegas. “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.”

Crow has been advocating for safer gun laws for years. She was one of several artists who lobbied for “common sense gun safety legislation” after the mass shooting at Nashville’s Covenant School in early 2023, and performed at a vigil to honor the three staff members and three students who lost their lives.