Fan Sues Country Singer Over Alleged Beer Can Incident at Music Festival

Although wanting fans to have a good time at their concerts, some singers have taken a moment to address the crowd, insisting they not throw items on stage. Over the years, artists watched as everything from clothing to ashes landed at their feet. For Luke Bryan, he claimed he once had a cell phone hurled at him. But recently, the throwing didn’t come from the crowd as Jameson Rodgers found himself at the center of a lawsuit for supposedly injuring a fan with a beer can. 

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The initial incident took place back in 2022 at the Barefoot Country Music Festival in New Jersey. When taking the stage, the country singer threw cans of Miller Lite at the crowd. While most fans loved the moment and free beer, Samanta Haws suggested one of the cans struck her in the head and face. According to the report, the can candid “severe, painful, and permanent bodily harm.” 

With words like “severe” and “permanent” being tossed around, the lawsuit was filed in May 2024. And for the last year, it made its way through the legal system as Sony Music, the label for Rodgers, asked to have its company removed from the defendant’s list. It wasn’t just Sony Music on the list, as Miller Brewing Company was also named. 

[RELATED: Jameson Rodgers Says the ‘Stars Aligned’ to Release His Debut LP ‘Bet You’re From A Small Town’]

Jameson Rodgers Goes From Luke Combs To Lawsuit

While Rodgers signed with Sony Music, the company insisted that the singer acted on his own. The company added that it had no jurisdiction over the music festival or the security protocols put in place. 

Going before a judge, the court ruled against Sony Music, noting that Rodgers acted as an “agent” for the company during each of his performances. 

Only the latest development in the case, Rodgers hoped to put the ordeal behind him and move forward with his career. 

Since breaking into country music in 2010, Rodgers has worked alongside Bryan and Florida Georgia Line. Writing songs for the acts, he entered the studio with Luke Combs for “Cold Beer Calling My Name.” He even opened for Combs in 2019. 

With Rodgers still facing legal troubles, the lawsuit serves as a reminder that even in a genre built on fun and good times, one moment can change everything.

(Photo by Erika Goldring/WireImage)