Singer Jason Aldean's latest music video for "Try That in a Small Town" has ignited a firestorm of debate, with critics taking issue with both the song's lyrics and the chosen filming location. The video, released on Friday, features scenes shot at the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, a site with a fraught history, including a 1927 lynching and the 1946 Columbia race riot.
Aldean's lyrics, juxtaposed with news footage of the 2020 riots projected onto the courthouse, have been interpreted by some as racially charged and evocative of vigilantism. The singer has vehemently denied these accusations, stating that the song is about community values and not intended to promote violence or racism.
TackleBox, the production company responsible for the video, has defended the choice of location, emphasizing that the courthouse is a frequently used filming site in the Nashville area. They stated that Aldean himself did not select the location and dismissed any alternative interpretations of the decision as inaccurate. TackleBox pointed to other productions filmed at the courthouse, such as the Lifetime movie "Steppin’ into the Holiday" and Miley Cyrus' "Hannah Montana: The Movie," to underscore its common usage.
Despite TackleBox's defense, Country Music Television (CMT) has removed the video from its rotation, though the network has not offered a detailed explanation for this action. Meanwhile, Aldean's song has climbed to the top of the iTunes charts amidst the controversy.
Aldean has taken to social media to address the backlash, reiterating his denial of any racist intent and emphasizing his personal experience with mass violence, having been on stage during the 2017 Las Vegas shooting. He explained that the song, for him, represents the spirit of small-town communities where people support each other regardless of their differences.
He further stated that his political views are well-known and that the song reflects a desire for a return to normalcy in a world filled with unsettling headlines. Upon the song's initial release in May, Aldean described it as capturing the sentiment of many who feel uneasy about the current state of affairs.
