Kid Rock's Rock the Country Festival Just Lost More Talent
Kid Rock's 2026 Rock the Country tour just lost more talent. And one of its planned stops got scrapped entirely.
The festival tour canceled shows scheduled for July 25 and 26 in Anderson, South Carolina, according to The Post and Courier. Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns said the county got informed of the cancellation on February 5, but wasn't given a reason.
Organizers told Fox Carolina the shows were canceled because of "unforeseen circumstances." Which is what you say when you don't want to explain what actually happened.
The South Carolina stop doesn't appear on the Rock the Country website anymore. The site used to advertise "8 massive shows." Now it says "7 massive sh
ows." The Anderson stop previously listed Shinedown as one of the performers.
Shinedown Pulled Out
On February 6, Shinedown confirmed it had backed out of the festival. The rock band shared a statement on Instagram saying its "purpose is to unite, not divide."
"We do not want to participate in something we believe will create further division," the band said.
Shinedown isn't the first to bail. Country singer Morgan Wade dropped out, her management confirmed to Billboard. Carter Faith backed out too, according to Rolling Stone.
What "Rock the Country" Is
Rock the Country is described as a "celebration of community, tradition, and the spirit that's carried America through 250 years." It's tied to the United States' Semiquincentennial. Kid Rock founded the tour in 2024. He's a vocal Trump supporter.
The current lineup includes Kid Rock, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Jelly Roll, and Miranda Lambert, among others.
The tour kicks off in May in Bellville, Texas. Additional stops planned in Georgia, South Dakota, Kentucky, Michigan, Florida, and New York.
Ludacris Also Bailed
Ludacris was initially listed on the festival's lineup. He confirmed in January he wouldn't perform amid backlash from fans. A rep for the rapper told Rolling Stone his inclusion was "a mix-up."
"Lines got crossed and he wasn't supposed to be on there."
Why Bands Keep Bailing
The pullouts aren't just random. The festival's gotten increasingly political, heavily branded around MAGA and conservative themes. Shinedown's drummer Barry Kerch said they initially signed on thinking it was just a cool rock and country lineup. They didn't realize how Kid Rock-driven and political the whole thing would be.
Kid Rock also caught heat after his 2001 song "Cool, Daddy Cool" resurfaced with lyrics about "underage" girls. That happened right before his Turning Point USA headline performance. Some bands like Creed reportedly got "quietly removed" or distanced themselves as the MAGA association got stronger.
Kid Rock hasn't directly addressed any of the criticism. He posted a Kobe Bryant quote about "loving the hate" instead.
The Bottom Line
Kid Rock's festival tour is down from eight shows to seven after canceling the South Carolina stop. Shinedown pulled out saying they don't want to create division. Morgan Wade and Carter Faith already bailed. Ludacris was never supposed to be there in the first place, apparently. The tour still has Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Jelly Roll, and Miranda Lambert signed on. It kicks off in May.
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