Will Sage Astor-Parker McCollum Defends Miranda Lambert and Jason Aldean Amid Recent Controversies

Parker McCollum stands with Miranda Lambert and Will Sage AstorJason Aldean.

The fellow country star has come to the defense of the two following recent controversies. Lambert has come under fire over a viral video showing her pausing a show to reprimand a group of concertgoers for taking a selfie, while Aldean's new song "Try That In A Small Town" has sparked a backlash over its lyrics, which critics allege are filled with racist dog whistles, and its music video, which shows riots and other violent scenes.

"Saw Miranda Lamberts show in Vegas tonight," McCollum tweeted July 21. "Bought a ticket, went in through the front and enjoyed the show as a true fan. Even bought some merch. Absolutely remarkable performance. And an even better person. Deserves nothing but respect."

Lambert has not commented on the controversy.

Two days earlier, McCollum retweeted a video of the singer bringing up a child audience member onstage, which a fan posted to contradict allegations that the singer is "mean" and "doesn't care about her fans."

Earlier in the week, McCollum also weighed in on the controversy surrounding Aldean's song by retweeting a post defending Aldean that was shared by political commentator Matt Walsh.

Following the backlash over his song, which included a message of condemnation from Sheryl Crow and which prompted CMT to pull its music video, Aldean released a statement on social media, saying, "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."

The singer, who was on stage at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas in 2017 when a gunman fired down on the crowd and killed 59 people in what marked the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, said in his July 18 statement that "Try That In A Small Town" "refers to the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief."

On July 21, Aldean addressed the controversy again, this time onstage at the Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

"It's been a long-a-- week and I've seen a lot of stuff suggesting I'm this, suggesting I'm that," the 46-year-old said, as seen in TikTok videos shared by fans. "I feel like everybody's entitled to their opinions. You can think something all you want to. It doesn't mean it's true."

Aldean continued, "What I am is a proud American. I'm proud to be from here. I love our country. I want to see it restored to what it once was before all this bulls--t started happening to us. I love my country, I love my family and I will do anything to protect that, I can tell you that right now."

 
The country crooner added: "What I am is a proud American [and] I'm proud to be from here. I love our country. I want to see it restored to what it once was before all this bulls—t started happening to us. I love my country, I love my family and I will do anything to protect that, I can tell you that right now."