Country star Jason Aldean, criticized for song 'Try That in a Small Town,' bringing show to Merriweather Post Pavilion

BALTIMORE - Country music star Jason Aldean is bringing his tour to Howard County this week with his controversial song "Try That in a Small Town," which has received both criticism and praise.

Aldean will be performing on Thursday at Merriweather Post Pavilion, and then in Hershey, Pennsylvania, on Friday. 

He has come under immense criticism for a new song one critic says is an anthem "about how he and his friends will shoot you if you try to take their guns," while others describe it as "the song of the century." 

The song was released in mid-May, with Aldean saying at the time that it "summarizes the way a lot people feel about the world right now." 

"It seems like there are bad things happening on a daily basis, and that feels unfamiliar to a lot of us," he tweeted. "This song sheds some light on that."

In another Tweet, Aldean said:

"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 -and while I can try and respect others to have their own interpretation of a song with music- this one goes too far."

In the song's second verse, Aldean seemingly criticizes protesters, saying, "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." 

He goes on to sing about the "gun that my granddad gave me" and alluding to gun control measures, saying "that sh-t might fly in the city, good luck." 

The song came under renewed scrutiny after a music video started to make its rounds on CMT. 

The video was released on CMT and put into the channel's rotation. 

CMT told CBS News that the video is "no longer in rotation," but did not clarify when the video first aired, how long it was supposed to be in rotation or why it was ultimately taken down.   

"Jason Aldean - who was on-stage during the mass shooting at a Las Vegas concert in 2017 that killed 60 people and wounded over 400 more - has recorded a song called 'Try That In A Small Town' about how he and his friends will shoot you if you try to take their guns," Shannon Watts, the founder of activist group Moms Demand Action, said. 

 Another person described the song as a "modern lynching song." 

Many fans, however, have applauded the song, saying the music video "calls out left-wing violence, specifically violence against law enforcement." The music video puts a strong emphasis on the protests against police brutality that have rocked the nation for several years now, showing footage of protestors confronting cops. That was mixed with footage of more violent demonstrations, as well as security footage of seemingly random robberies. 

Those scenes are set against traditional patriotic Americana scenes – soldiers in war, people hunting, a family on a farm, kids playing hopscotch, and a farmer saying in his community, "somebody needs some help, you'll get it." 

"Apparently this is 'controversial' and hateful according to the left," Collin Rugg, the co-owner of Trending Politics said. 

Greg Price, communications director for the conservative State Freedom Caucus Network, described the music video as "absolutely epic," saying it "rips into the left-wing riots, soft on crime governance in cities, gun control, and other leftist degradation." 

Last Friday, during a concert in Cincinnati, Ohio, Aldean defended himself and his song.

"I've seen a lot of stuff suggesting I'm this, suggesting I'm that," Aldean said to the crowd on Friday. "Hey, here's the thing, here's the thing: here's one thing I feel. I feel like everybody's entitled to their opinion. You can think, you can think something all you want to, it doesn't mean it's true, right? So what I am is a proud American, proud to be from here."

Videos posted on social media show the crowd breaking out into chants of "USA" after Aldean said he loved America and his family and would do anything to protect them. He said he wants the country "restored to what it once was before all this bulls**t started happening to us."

Aldean also blasted "cancel culture" and it was clear a "bunch of country music fans" could see through what was happening.