{"id":8696,"date":"2026-07-17T14:42:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T09:42:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=8696"},"modified":"2026-07-17T14:42:44","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T09:42:44","slug":"brantley-gilbert-slams-aggravating-artists-who-back-out-of-patriotic-shows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=8696","title":{"rendered":"Brantley Gilbert slams &#8216;aggravating&#8217; artists who back out of patriotic shows"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/wp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F3%2F2026%2F07%2Fnewspress-collage-vrvunjqmi-1784276125742.jpg?quality%3D90%26strip%3Dall%261784261774\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module alignleft wp-block-nypost-editor-partner-article-links\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>Brantley Gilbert\u00a0isn\u2019t mincing words about entertainers who commit to patriotic events only to walk away once public criticism begins.<\/p>\n<p>During a recent appearance on the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=rPzwyfy4t1w\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cNet Positive\u201d podcast<\/a>, the country star said it frustrates him to see fellow artists back out of performances after agreeing to participate, pointing to the backlash he received for <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/02\/08\/us-news\/tpusas-all-american-halftime-show-draws-millions-to-rival-nfl-super-bowl\/\">performing during Turning Point USA\u2019s \u201cAll-American Halftime Show\u201d during the Super Bowl<\/a> \u2014 which was headlined by Kid Rock.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt is aggravating seeing guys sign up and then back out,\u201d Gilbert said. \u201cIt\u2019s like, a lot of times, like we took a lot of heat for the Turning Point thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gilbert explained that, from his perspective, the decision was never about politics.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy kids got to watch two quarters of football and then see their dad play. That\u2019s cool,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>The \u201cBottoms Up\u201d singer added that he viewed the performance as both a business opportunity and a memorable family experience.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe agreed to do it. Like, I\u2019m a businessman at the same time\u00a0I\u2019m an entertainer,\u201d Gilbert said. \u201cI didn\u2019t do it for free. We get paid to play music.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Brantley Gilbert criticized artists who back out of patriotic gigs after backlash, citing his own experience performing at Turning Point USA\u2019s Super Bowl halftime show. <span class=\"credit\">TPUSA<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At the time, Gilbert said he had recently signed with a new record label, making a high-profile appearance an easy decision.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe had just signed over to a new label at the time,\u201d he explained. \u201cDoing a big show like that was not a bad idea for us.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gilbert said he never anticipated the event <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/02\/03\/us-news\/kid-rock-to-headline-turning-point-usas-alternate-super-bowl-halftime-show\/\">would become politically divisive<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Gilbert said his Turning Point USA halftime gig was a business move and a chance for his kids to see him perform, not a political statement. <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI never once looked at it and was like, \u2018This is going to be divisive. This is going to be great,&#8217;\u201d he said. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t make any sense.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The country singer also dismissed <a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/02\/09\/us-news\/bad-bunny-slammed-for-controversial-super-bowl-halftime-show-decision-that-encourages-division\/\">criticism surrounding the Super Bowl halftime show<\/a>, which featured Bad Bunny as the headliner, saying he wasn\u2019t concerned with who was performing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know nothing about that dude [Bad Bunny],\u201d Gilbert said. \u201cI\u2019ve never heard one of his songs before. I don\u2019t speak Spanish really well. I wouldn\u2019t understand.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Gilbert also shrugged off criticism of Bad Bunny\u2019s Super Bowl show, admitting he doesn\u2019t know his music or speak Spanish. <span class=\"credit\">Charles Wenzelberg \/ New York Post<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While Gilbert did not identify any specific artists who have withdrawn from patriotic or politically adjacent events, he made clear he believes performers should honor commitments they voluntarily make, even if public reaction turns negative.<\/p>\n<p>After receiving backlash for his participation in Turning Point\u2019s halftime show, Gilbert said he\u2019s \u201cproud\u201d of the choices he continues to make both personally and professionally.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m a songwriter who grew up, and still lives in Jackson County, Georgia, whose goal in the music business was to sell out the local theater a few miles from my house and somehow make my living writing songs,\u201d he said in a statement at the time.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>\u201cThe way I treat people isn\u2019t conditional based on what our differences may be,\u201d Gilbert said. <span class=\"credit\">Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m a recovering addict with the history of all the bad choices that come with it. I\u2019m not proud of those choices, but I am proud of the choice I\u2019ve made to live in another direction.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI share my story through my music in hopes that it may help and inspire others in their darkest hour.\u00a0I\u2019m a Christian, and I love our country despite its flaws. I\u2019ve dedicated part of my life to the men and women who fight for it and the families of those who gave their life for it. Above all, I\u2019m a <a href=\"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/2024\/10\/12\/parents\/country-star-brantley-gilbert-pauses-concert-as-wife-gives-birth-on-tour-bus\/\">proud husband and father of three<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gilbert added that he wanted to perform for his children and that it\u2019s been more than 20 years since a\u00a0country artist had been\u00a0asked to perform at halftime of the Super Bowl.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re celebrating 250 years as a country, and it\u2019s been more than 20 years since a country artist has been asked to play the Super Bowl halftime show. I respect that some people may see this differently, but I\u2019m not playing this show to be divisive.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was offered this opportunity and imagined my kids watching their daddy perform at halftime during the biggest game in American football. Everything I do, I do for them,\u201d he stated.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe way I treat people isn\u2019t conditional based on what our differences may be. I believe \u2018united we stand, divided we fall,\u2019 and my prayer for our country is that we stand united.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Brantley Gilbert\u00a0isn\u2019t mincing words about entertainers who commit to patriotic events only to walk away once public criticism begins. During a recent appearance on the\u00a0\u201cNet Positive\u201d podcast, the country star said it frustrates him to see fellow artists back out of performances after agreeing to participate, pointing to the backlash he received for performing during&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8697,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/pagesix.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/07\/newspress-collage-vrvunjqmi-1784276125742.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&1784261774&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pics-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8696","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8696"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8696\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8696"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8696"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8696"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}