The past couple weeks in country music have served as a microcosm of national decorum.

Let’s start with Tyler Childers’ newly released music video “In Your Love”, which portrays two white gay Appalachian coal miners. It’s a poignant song that tells the story of two men in love long before it was culturally and legally accepted. This scenario, which undoubtedly has occurred, is rarely depicted in an art form of such magnitude.

Now, let's contrast this with Jason Aldean’s recent music video, “Try That In a Small Town”. The song attempts to represent “small-town” American values like respect of law enforcement, community and patriotism. But if we listen closely, in my opinion, it’s a poorly disguised race-war baiting anthem marketed towards a specific demographic: mostly rural older white men, that are obsessed with the idea that they are the last “defenders” of morality and virtue in America.

Let’s delve further.

Kelsie Gibson provides more context on Aldean’s video in her piece in People Magazine: “...the music video featured a performance in front of the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, where the 1927 lynching of Henry Choate took place. Choate was an 18-year-old Black man accused of attacking a white woman. The video also included visuals of vandalism and riots that appear to take place during the 2020 racial injustice protests (but, as some on TikTok have pointed out, some clips are taken from stock footage or from protests in other countries).” Source

Aldean claims the song represents "the feeling of a community that I had growing up, where we took care of our neighbors, regardless of differences of background or belief." Let’s take him at his word, because that may be true. But it’s also undeniable that this song, which he did not even write, is designed to appeal to those harboring more sinister feelings towards minorities.

TRY THAT IN A SMALL TOWN

SEE HOW FAR YOU MAKE IT DOWN THE ROAD

‘ROUND 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 TRY THAT IN A SMALL TOWN

FULL OF GOOD OL BOYS, RAISED UP RIGHT 

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A FIGHT 

TRY THAT IN A SMALL TOWN 

TRY THAT IN A SMALL TOWN

The lyrics of “Try That in a Small Town” echo a known reality that Black Americans are painfully aware of: the fact that simply being Black in some rural areas of the country can lead to unjust pursuit, physical harassment, or even death.

If you can make a group of people feel afraid and give them a 'team' to join that opposes the portrayed “bad guys”, they will likely fall in line. I firmly believe music industry executives, songwriters, directors, and Aldean himself, who performed it, knew it would resonate in this manner and thus be commercially successful.

Not to trivialize this disturbing endeavor, but it reminds me of the Key and Peele comedy skit below. Watch it, then go back and watch the Aldean video. One is a legit music video, the other is comedy.. but can you tell them apart?

Now, let's give Tyler the credit and appreciation he deserves. I’ve been a fan of his music since the Bottles & Bibles days and remain in awe of the journey he has embarked upon. Childers' relatable lyrics have shared deeply personal stories of drug addiction, poverty, and relationship struggles — topics West Virginians and Appalachians know all too well.

Kentucky Poet Laureate Silas House was both the writer and creative director of the “In Your Love” video which starred Colton Haynes and James Scully. Story idea by Jason Kyle Howard. They did a masterful job on this video. Beautiful & tragic at the same is difficult to do, but they pulled off an outstanding piece.

Time and again, Tyler has demonstrated open-mindedness and empathy in his art. Not once has it felt like he is “pushing an agenda”, as some of his former fans have claimed. In my opinion, he’s shown tremendous growth and appreciation for the diversity and complexity of Appalachian culture.

In a world where politicians and celebrities fear expressing honest thoughts due to the social threat of “cancellation”, Tyler bravely steps up to the plate.

During the height of the Black Lives Matter protests in the wake of the George Floyd case, Tyler released a six-minute video articulating why he’s in no position to stand on a soapbox. However, he does point out that the deep divide in the country stems from “our inability to empathize with another individual or group's plight. Amid our own daily struggles, it’s often hard to share an understanding for what another person might be going through.”

I appreciate those of you who've made it this far into my side-by-side analysis of two country music songs. I’ve tried to be as comprehensive as possible, but recognize that the issues discussed here deserve additional context, space, and methods of communication. It’s also difficult and sometimes unfair to directly pit issues and stories against each other, but in my mind, the release of these two music videos within weeks of each other represents a powerful moment in our society.

My friend, the Publisher/Founder of Black By God - The West Virginian, Crystal Good, reminded me, “Jason and Tyler are both part of the ingenuity of Black people in America who invented country music with the banjo, an instrument with roots in West Africa.”

Like you, I'm also exhausted by the constant conflict and hatred that seems to be everywhere in our country. There are some people who exploit this tension to make money or to build up their social media following. But then there are others who wisely challenge this divisive thinking and replace it with love and understanding.

Which one will you give your attention to?

I encourage you to reflect upon, listen to, and learn about the topics of LGBTQ+ and racial equality. I’ll continue to do the same. We all aspire to live in a world that feels welcoming, free, and just.

This is an opinion piece written by Co-founder Cooper Simmerman. The concepts, ideas and opinions expressed are my personal views and not reflective of any sponsors, partners and groups that Mountaineer Media works with.