In response to the criticism surrounding Jason Aldean's song "Try That In A Small Town" and its music video, many Nashville residents have voiced their support for the country music star. Several individuals interviewed on Broadway expressed their belief that the controversy is overblown and that Aldean is simply exercising his right to free speech.

"It's just a bunch of overly sensitive people making a mountain out of a molehill," one resident named Carmen stated outside Aldean's bar. "It's free speech, plain and simple. I don't see any racial undertones. He's just expressing his feelings about our country."

Another resident, Darren, acknowledged the differing viewpoints while emphasizing the importance of artistic expression. "Everyone's entitled to their own opinion. We live in a diverse nation," he remarked. "I believe in artistic freedom."

The song has drawn criticism for its message, which suggests that certain behaviors common in big cities, such as disrespecting the flag or law enforcement, wouldn't be tolerated in small towns. Critics also point to the use of riot footage in the video and the filming location—a Tennessee courthouse where a Black man was lynched in 1927—as evidence of promoting racially motivated violence. Aldean has denied these accusations, stating that the lyrics contain no racial references and that the video uses real news footage. He also highlighted his presence at the 2017 Route 91 Harvest music festival in Las Vegas during the mass shooting.

A Nashville resident named Nancy dismissed the controversy, stating, "It's completely exaggerated. He's just talking about small-town values and looking out for one another."

Rose echoed this sentiment, saying, "I don't think it has anything to do with race. The song is simply about small-town life, and I don't see the connection to anything else."

Despite CMT pulling the video from rotation, numerous Nashville residents interviewed by Fox News expressed no concerns about its content. "I thought it was a beautiful song," Carol commented. "Everyone interprets things differently."

Lori emphasized the importance of free speech, stating, "It's either freedom of speech or it isn't. We can't have it both ways."