{"id":461171,"date":"2026-02-08T05:54:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T05:54:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/461171\/"},"modified":"2026-02-08T05:54:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T05:54:09","slug":"kid-rocks-music-festival-loses-creed-shinedown-amid-controversies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/461171\/","title":{"rendered":"Kid Rock’s music festival loses Creed, Shinedown amid controversies"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cRock the Country,\u201d<\/a> Kid Rock\u2019s upcoming touring \u201cfestival for the people,\u201d has lost more of its lineup as headliners Creed and Shinedown have dropped out in the run-up to the country rocker\u2019s alternative halftime show for Turning Point USA<\/a>, and recently resurfaced comments about underage girls.<\/p>\n

Less than a month ago, Creed and Shinedown appeared<\/a> on a poster for the MAGA-coded event, consisting of \u201ceight massive shows\u201d taking place in \u201ceight small towns.\u201d<\/p>\n

But as of Saturday, neither band was listed on the lineup on the official website<\/a>, which now advertises just seven shows in seven towns,\u00a0beginning May 1 in Bellville, Texas and ending Sept. 12 in Hamburg, N.Y.<\/p>\n

Rapper Ludacris had already dropped out<\/a> of his July 25-26 slot in Anderson, S.C. well before Friday, when Shinedown announced on Instagram that they\u2019d be canceling their appearance<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur band\u2019s purpose is to unite, not divide. With that in mind, we have made the decision that we will not be playing the Rock the County Festival,\u201d they wrote. \u201cWe know this decision will create differences of opinion. But we do not want to participate in something we believe will create further division.\u201d<\/p>\n

Shinedown drummer Barry Kerch told \u201cThe Vinyl Road\u201d podcast in January that the band only learned of the \u201cpolitical leaning\u201d of the event after they signed on to play, and for which they faced \u201ctons\u201d of backlash<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Creed does not appear to have publicly remarked on dropping out as a featured act for the Anderson show<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The cancellations went even further when officials in Anderson said the city would no longer host the festival<\/a>, according to NBC affiliate WYFF.<\/p>\n

Among the many still slated to perform in the other cities are stars such as Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Jelly Roll, Miranda Lambert, Brantley Gilbert and Nelly.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Kid Rock is set to headline Sunday\u2019s \u201cAll-American Halftime Show,<\/a>\u201d billed as an alternative to the official Super Bowl halftime show headlined by Bad Bunny<\/a>. The rival event is being put on by Turning Point USA, the conservative organization founded by slain activist Charlie Kirk and now led by his widow, Erika.<\/p>\n

TPUSA announced its own halftime show in October after President Trump trashed the NFL for its decision to book Bad Bunny<\/a> \u2014 a history-making Puerto Rican performer<\/a> who sings in Spanish, advocates for the LGBTQ community and has publicly criticized the Trump administration\u2019s ICE raids.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"PresidentPresident Donald Trump, accompanied by entertainer Kid Rock, takes a question from a reporter during an executive order signing event in the Oval Office of the White House on March 31, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Andrew Harnik\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, Kid Rock was confirmed as the headliner for TPUSA\u2019s event, which will also feature country artists Lee Brice, Brantley Gilbert and Gabby Barrett.<\/p>\n

Backlash directed at Kid Rock<\/a> was swift and quickly followed by further controversies making the round online<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 including resurfaced lyrics from his\u00a02001 track, \u201cCool, Daddy, Cool,\u201d in which he sings, \u201cI like \u2019em underage, see \/ Some say that\u2019s statutory \/ But I say it\u2019s mandatory.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Also this week, an X account that goes by the handle The Democrats highlighted Rock\u2019s 2001 appearance on \u201cSaturday Night Live,\u201d<\/a> during which he made remarks about then-14-year-old Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy is every guy in America waiting for these chicks to turn 18?\u201d he asked at the time. \u201cIf there\u2019s grass on the field, play ball!\u201d<\/p>\n

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