Jason Aldean addresses 'Try That in a Small Town' controversy during Iowa State Fair show

Jason Aldean performed his greatest country hits at the Iowa State Fair Grandstand on Sunday night amid controversy.

Concertgoers braved the mid-90-degree excessive heat for a chance to see the country chart-topper. A crowd of 12,581 attended the concert, which ranks behind Eric Church and The Chicks, the second and third most-attended respective Grandstand performances in recent history.

"What's up, Iowa?" Aldean asked as he walked onstage in a Cheap Trick cutoff T-shirt and signature cowboy hat. The three-time ACM Entertainer of the Year performed his specialty hard rock country steeped with lyrics about backroads and growing up in Georgia.

Aldean started his set by performing "Tough Crowd," a single first released earlier this spring, before belting "Tattoos on This Town. While the country star sang "When She Says Baby," the audience clapped their hands and held up cups of beer.

"We got any tequila drinkers in the house? Y'all, where you at?" he asked before playing "That's What Tequila Does."

Aldean responds to 'Try That in a Small Town' controversy during Iowa State Fair set

"You guys have probably seen I've been in the news," Aldean said, in part, during a brief break to talk with the crowd about the backlash about his latest single "Try That in a Small Town."

The song, which was co-written by longtime Aldean guitarist and Des Moines native Kurt Allison, has garnered criticism for lyrics and a music video that some believe contain references to lynching and racist undertones. The video, which was released July 14, was partly shot at the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee. That is the location of the 1927 mob lynching of an 18-year-old Black teenager named Henry Choate.

"Cuss out a cop, spit in his face / Stomp on the flag and light it up / Yeah, ya think you're tough / Well, try that in a small town / See how far ya make it down the road / Around here, we take care of our own / You cross that line, it won't take long / For you to find out, I recommend you don't / Try that in a small town,” Aldean sings in "Small Town."

More: Des Moines native co-wrote controversial Jason Aldean song 'Try That in a Small Town'

Country-focused cable network CMT later pulled the video from its rotation on July 18 after apparent criticism, according to USA Today. Aldean also addressed the controversy on social media at the time.

"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," Aldean said in part in a tweet. "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."

The song peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and marks Aldean's highest-charting single ever. After "Tequila Does," Aldean performed "Fly Over States," "Rearview Town," and a cover of John Rich's "Amarillo Sky" as the crowd cooled off with paper fans.

'You can't do anything these days without offending somebody'

Then, nearly halfway through his State Fair set, Aldean announced a new album slated for release in November and addressed the controversy surrounding "Try That in a Small Town" at length. Aldean shouted out Allison, who received a hero's welcome from his hometown crowd.

Aldean said the song is about turning on the television every day and looking at what's happening and being like, "what in the hell is wrong with all these people. This is not right."

"In this day and age, man, every time you do something the public or the media doesn't agree with, or one certain side of the public doesn't agree with, they want to cancel everybody," Aldean said. "'You offended somebody.' Well, you can't do anything these days without offending somebody. That's just the way it is."

The talk elicited cheers from the audience and Aldean said he is proud of the song, proud of the message it sends and stood by the video. He also thanked fans "from the bottom of our heart" for rallying around the song and video.

During the song, Aldean grabbed an American flag from the audience and draped it over his shoulder. He later signed the flag with a marker and handed it back. He ended the song by tipping his hat before the crowd chanted "USA, USA, USA."

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

Aldean played "Dirt Road Anthem," "Got What I Got" and "Crazy Town," which made the audience go wild. A crowd member threw a bra on stage during "Trouble With a Heartbreak" before the country star sang "You Make It Easy" and "Big Green Tractor."

"Lights Come On" lit the crowd up before "Girl Like You" and his 2021 hit collaboration "If I Didn't Love You" with fellow country star Carrie Underwood. Aldean ended the show with "My Kinda Party" and "She's Country."

Aldean's performance capped a controversial weekend of performances at the Fairgrounds as The Chicks performed Saturday night with a cover of Miley Cyrus' "Rainbowland," which was banned from a Wisconsin elementary school concert last spring. The band also criticized former President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Jay Stahl is an entertainment reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow him on Instagram or reach out at jstahl@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Jason Aldean addresses 'Try That in a Small Town' at Iowa State Fair