In a recent interview with CBS Mornings, country singer Jason Aldean addressed the criticism surrounding his controversial song and music video, "Try That in a Small Town." The video, which was filmed at the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, sparked controversy due to its historical significance as the site of a 1927 lynching. Aldean defended his intentions, stating that the video aimed to depict lawlessness and disrespect for police, rather than racial issues.

Aldean explained that the concept for the video was to showcase the disregard for law enforcement and the destruction of cities. However, he expressed disappointment that the narrative had shifted towards a racial interpretation, stating, "If that's what you got out of the song and video, I almost kind of feel like that's on you because that wasn't our intention."

The singer also responded to allegations made on social media that he was unsupportive of the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests. Aldean addressed these accusations, categorizing them as "meritless and dangerous," emphasizing that there were no explicit references to race within the song lyrics and that all video clips were taken from real news footage.

Regarding the criticism that the video targeted and stereotyped Black Americans, Aldean argued against the notion, stating that people of all colors were included in the video. He stressed, "This video did not shine light on one specific group and say, 'That's the problem.'"

The choice of location for the video, the Maury County Courthouse, was a subject of contention. Aldean claimed that he did not select the building specifically for its historical significance but admitted to not researching the location beforehand. Acknowledging racial issues present in many small town courthouses across the South, he stated, "Honestly, if you're in the South, if you go to any small town courthouse, you're gonna be hard-pressed to find one that hasn't had some sort of racial issue over the years at some point."

While Aldean expressed no regret for his intentions behind the video, he admitted that, with hindsight, he would have chosen a different location due to the controversy that ensued. He also revealed that he anticipated some backlash for a lyric mentioning guns in the song, but he did not expect the extent of the response that was mainly triggered by the video.

In conclusion, Jason Aldean remains steadfast in his defense of the "Try That in a Small Town" song and video, asserting that its purpose was to depict lawlessness and disrespect for the police. Despite the backlash, he stands by his decisions but acknowledges the need to consider alternative locations in the future.