Future Florida resident Jason Aldean defends ‘Try that in a Small Town.’ What to know

Country star Jason Aldean's music video for the song "Try That in a Small Town" continues to draw widespread attention from both critics and supporters.

Over the last few days, many have criticized both the song's lyrics and video imagery as encouraging gun violence and lynching sentiments. The frequent Florida vacationer who will soon live here has spoken out against the criticism of the song and video, calling the accusations are "not only meritless but dangerous."

Here's what to know about the controversy surrounding Aldean's new song.

Learn about Aldean's video: CMT pulls Jason Aldean video: What to know about 'Try That In A Small Town' controversy

When did Jason Aldean release 'Try That in a small town?'

Jason Aldean originally released his "Try That In A Small Town" song back in May but dropped a video Friday, July 21 to promote the single to build anticipation for his upcoming 11th album.

In the statement associated with the music video's release, he said: "When u grow up in a small town, it's that unspoken rule of 'we all have each other's backs and we look out for each other.' It feels like somewhere along the way, that sense of community and respect has gotten lost. Deep down, we are all ready to get back to that. I hope my new music video helps y'all know that u are not alone in feeling that way. Go check it out!"

The music video depicts Aldean singing in front of a courthouse as clips showing law enforcement patrolling and scenes from various protests plays in the background.

Where was the music video filmed?

Many scenes from the music video were filmed at the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee.

News outlets like the New York Times pointed out that is the same site where a Black teenager was lynched in 1927. Henry Choate, 18, was accused of assaulting a white 16-year-old girl. He was jailed: however, a mob of hundreds of white men grabbed him from his cell. He was then tied to the back of a car and dragged across town before he was eventually hanged in front of the courthouse.

The infamous Columbia Race Riot occurred at the same site in 1946.

Does Jason Aldean come from or live in a small town?

Aldean was born in Macon, Georgia on February 28, 1977. Macon is one of the largest cities in the state with a population of over 150,000 people. In other reports, he told reporters he grew up going between Georgia and Florida.

“I grew up in Macon, I was born there and raised there with my mom, my parents divorced when I was three, my mom stayed in Macon and my dad lived in Florida,” Aldean told Music Mayhem in 2022. “So I kind of grew up in both places and anytime it starts getting warm I like to be at the beach somewhere and it’s kind of my happy place. And so I’ll probably always have a house down there somewhere, it’s just kind of my favorite place to be.”

Currently, Aldean lives in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2022, Aldean and wife, Brittany, became Florida homeowners again when they purchased a seaside mansion on Saint George Island in Franklin County.

“Well, we’ve had a couple of houses in Florida and so we actually just bought a house,” Aldean said. ”We’re not building one, but we bought one down there that we’re kind of having some stuff done to it and we haven’t stayed in it yet though. I love it.”

What are critics and organizations saying about the song?

Over the past week, many viewers, organizations, and prominent figures have pointed out red flags they have found with both the video and the lyrics of the actual song.

Country Music Television pulled the music video from its rotation following its release, a CMT spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY reporters in an email Wednesday. The network stopped showing the music video due to it being perceived as "in favor of gun violence and lynching."

Shannon Watts, the founder of gun violence advocacy group Moms Demand Action, said on Twitter that the song is "an ode to a sundown town, suggesting people be beaten or shot for expressing free speech. It also insinuates that guns are being confiscated, the penalty for which is apparently death.

Singer Sheryl Crow spoke out on Twitter. "I’m from a small town," she wrote, addressing Aldean. "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."

The song has also gone viral with users on Tiktok, with some going as far as to debunk claims within Aldean's later statements. User Destinee Stark posted many videos in response to Aldean saying all the clips in the video came from American news stations, finding that a few came from other countries or were stock photos.

What have supporters of Aldean said about the song?

Brittany Aldean took to Instagram to support her other half.

"Never apologize for speaking the truth," she wrote with a heart and American flag emoji, sharing an image of herself with the singer.

TackleBox, the production company for Aldean's video, defended the location for the music video and cited other media who have filmed at the same courthouse. The company said Aldean did not pick the location.

They brought up the Lifetime Original movie “Steppin’ into the Holiday” with Mario Lopez and Jana Kramer, a music video from Runaway June “We Were Rich” and a Paramount holiday film “A Nashville Country Christmas” with Tanya Tucker – as well as the "Hannah Montana" film.

Fellow country music singer Lee Greenwood spoke to FOX News about the song, saying: “I am a Jason Aldean fan. He is the biggest patriot, like a lot of us. This has nothing to do with racism. This is about people trying to take away the freedom of expression. It is a great song, and I wish I had it. … I love Jason’s approach. He is a great artist and always does the right thing."

Former President Donald Trump and his son, Donald Trump Jr., have also voiced their support for Aldean across multiple social network platforms.

Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)

What has Aldean said in response to the backlash?

Aldean responded on Twitter Tuesday addressing the controversy surrounding "Try That In A Small Town," sharing what the song means to him.

"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. These references are not only meritless but dangerous. 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."

He continued: "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."

Aldean said that the song refers to a sense of community that he felt while 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. 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."

What history does Aldean have with gun violence and controversies?

On Oct. 1, 2017, he played on stage at the Route 91 Harvest Festival near the Las Vegas Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino when gunman Stephen Paddock killed 60 people and wounded 800 in an 11-minute hail of bullets.

Las Vegas shooting: Jason Aldean responds to Las Vegas shooting: 'Time to come together and stop the hate!'

He has addressed concerns regarding wearing blackface for a 2015 Halloween costume. His recent controversies have ranged from visiting former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago golf course and resort in Florida in 2020 to his wife's remarks and social media posts in 2022 considered to be transphobic. That led to Aldean's publicity firm of 17 years, GreenRoom, to stop working with him.

Contributing reporting: Morgan Hines and Marcus K. Dowling, USA-Today NETWORK

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Jason Aldean dismisses 'Try That in a Small Town' controversy