Jason Aldean Fights Back Tears While Singing “Try That In A Small Town” During Tribute To Charlie Kirk
on Nov 07, 2025
On Thursday, November 6, FOX Hosted Its 7th Annual Patriot Awards Ceremony
Held at the Gillis Center for the Performing Arts in Brookville, New York, the Patriot Awards celebrated those who have shown outstanding patriotism and service to the United States, such as first responders, members of the military, and community leaders.
This year, a large part of the evening was dedicated to honoring and remembering conservative commentator and Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk.
On September 10, he was shot and killed while speaking on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah.
During the ceremony, Charlie’s widow, Erika, received the inaugural Charlie Kirk Legacy Award. The award was presented for the first time this year and will now be a permanent part of the event.
It will be handed out to individuals who share Charlie’s values of faith, family, and free speech.
Country star Jason Aldean and his wife, Brittany, presented the award to Erika. The Aldean’s were close friends with Charlie prior to his passing.
Throughout The Night, Jason Also Dedicated A Few Performances To Charlie, Including His 2023 Hit “Try That In A Small Town.”
Before his tribute, Jason Aldean took a moment to say a few words about Charlie to the audience.
“Charlie was one of a kind and will forever be missed,” he said per FOX News. “Violence and division in our country has become way too common.”
Jason went on to say that even though he didn’t think Charlie was much of a country music fan, he believed that he understood the message behind the song he was about to sing.
“It’s an honor to pay tribute to him and his family this evening,” Jason added before breaking out into “Try That in a Small Town.”
This wasn’t the first time that Jason Aldean has dedicated a performance to Charlie Kirk.
Earlier last month, Jason and his wife Brittany shared a touching moment of them singing Luke Bryan’s “Drink a Beer.”
The couple posted a black-and-white video showing Jason sitting on a counter, while playing his guitar as he starts the song. When the chorus comes around, Brittany joins in.
This tribute came not long after Jason and Brittany attended Charlie’s memorial service at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. That day, nearly 90,000 people gathered to honor his life.
Watch Jason Aldean perform “Try That in a Small Town” at the 2025 Patriot Awards in the video below.
