Trace Adkins is speaking out about cancel culture. The country singer recently appeared on Bill Maher’s Club Random podcast and shared his thoughts on Jason Aldean and Morgan Wallen. Adkins believes both musicians have been targets of cancel culture.
Videos by American Songwriter
In particular, Aldean garnered controversy for his song “Try That in a Small Town.” Critics believe that the song promotes vigilantism and gun-based violence. However, the music video for the song in particular drew criticism. The music video was filmed at Tennessee’s Maury County Courthouse. In 1927, Henry Choate was lynched at the location.
Critics believe Aldean intentionally chose the location to make a statement. However, Adkins says that it’s all smoke and no fire. The country singer believed that critics were just looking for a reason to get offended and that Aldean was the latest target for them. They used the music video as an opportunity to try to cancel him.
“It’s all so silly anyway,” Adkins said (via Billboard). “The grievance junkies turn on somebody and they try to cancel them, and all it’s gonna do, he’s gonna sell more records than he ever has. It’s just gonna make him bigger than he’s ever been…Because he had no idea, man.”
Trace Adkins Defends Jason Aldean and Morgan Wallen
Adkins said that singers rarely ever pick the locations for their music videos. It’s typically done by a scout.
He said, “Do you know how many music videos I’ve done that I’ve called up the director and went, ‘Hey, man, now what about this location where we’re shooting this thing?’ And if I did do that, it’s only because I didn’t know where I was going. He [Aldean] had no idea. The director picked that location because it had the look they wanted. It was just a small-town courthouse, that’s all it was. And it happened to be close.”
He also pointed out that cancel culture didn’t work for Morgan Wallen. In fact, he ended up more popular than ever.
“He sold out two nights in a row, 55,000+ tickets each night. You know? God, cancel me,” Adkins said. As far as cancel culture goes, Adkins has a lot of respect for comedians, pointing out that they’re on the front lines.
“I’ve got such respect for what you guys do, because you’re working without a net,” he said. “I’ve got those five or six guys standing up there onstage with me. I got my gang, I got my muscle. You don’t like what I’m doing? You’re gonna have to deal with these guys. But you’re up there by yourself. I’ve got just crazy respect for what you guys do.”
[Photo by Rich Polk/Getty Images for Academy of Country Music]
