Country star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jason-aldean">Jason Aldean</a> says he feels “a little vindicated” in his support of President Donald Trump over the last four, six years after being part of Trump’s second inauguration.
Speaking to “<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/jason-aldean-reflects-inauguration-sees-celebs-attitudes-toward-trump-shifting">Fox and Friends</a>,” the 47-year-old country singer said “it just kind of feels electric” to be part of the inauguration festivities and said that “everybody’s just excited for this new chapter of where we’re headed.&#8221; 
&#8220;Every time I think I&#8217;ve done it all — like I&#8217;ve done a lot of different things and I&#8217;ve seen a lot of things — this was a whole different ballgame for me,&#8221; Aldean said. &#8220;So, just a huge honor to be here and to be a part of that night and all the people that were there to support President Trump.&#8221;
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The “Dirt Road Anthem” star also talked about the challenges he&#8217;s faced over the last few years for being a vocal supporter of Trump and said he does “feel a little vindicated” now.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
MIC DROP: Country superstar <a href="https://twitter.com/Jason_Aldean?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jason_Aldean</a> reflects on &#8220;taking a lot of heat&#8221; over the last four years for his support of President Trump, and what it meant to perform at the Liberty Inauguration Ball to cap a historic day for the 47th president. <a href="https://t.co/yexBcjXIvh">pic.twitter.com/yexBcjXIvh</a>
— Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/1881763789294510461?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
“You know, my wife [Brittany Aldean] and I talk about this all the time,&#8221; Aldean said. &#8220;It&#8217;s like for the last, you know, six years, four years especially, it&#8217;s just been &#8230; you know, taking a lot of heat for stepping out and kind of telling people how we feel about the state of the country and that regime that had been in office.”
“And, you know, and so it&#8217;s been a little odd at times,” he added. &#8220;But it&#8217;s cool to look here this week and see all the celebrities and people that are showing up that didn&#8217;t really speak out before. So — but it, you know, it&#8217;s a good thing. You know, I think it just means that hopefully it&#8217;s getting everything back on track and people we’re all getting on the same page.&#8221;
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&#8220;I think for the last few years, as much as a lot of the media has tried to make it seem like everything&#8217;s been so great, it hasn’t,&#8221; Aldean continued. &#8220;A lot of us knew that for a long time. And I think a lot of other people are starting to see it now. To have President Trump back in office, I just think it gives everybody a sense of relief and for a lot of people … to feel like we&#8217;re headed in the right direction.&#8221;
Aldean was one of the many singers who performed at the various inauguration events marking Trump becoming the 47th President of the United States. 
On Monday when Trump was sworn in to office, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/carrie-underwood">Carrie Underwood</a> called on politicians, dignitaries, and guests to join her in singing “America the Beautiful” a cappella when the instrumental music failed to play, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/carrie-underwood-performs-america-the-beautiful-a-cappella-when-music-fails-at-trump-inauguration">reported</a>.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/here-are-all-the-celebrities-reportedly-planning-to-attend-trumps-second-inauguration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Here Are All The Celebrities Reportedly Planning To Attend Trump’s Second Inauguration</a>

2014 CMT Music Awards – Red Carpet

Jason Aldean Says He Feels ‘Vindicated’ In His Support For Trump Over The Last Few Years

Carrie Underwood

Celebrities

Country Music

Country singer

Donald Trump

Entertainment

Jason Aldean

Just days before <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donald Trump</a> is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, country singer <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/john-rich">John Rich</a> is calling on other country stars to publicly show their support.
The recording artist was reacting to the news that Grammy Award winner Carrie Underwood would perform at Trump’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/inauguration">inauguration</a>, which shocked many of her fans. Underwood had never publicly expressed her political opinions.
“There are several top tier <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/country-music">country artists</a> who support Trump, and I wish they&#8217;d finally have the balls to come forward and be counted. Ain&#8217;t nothing outlaw about keeping your mouth shut to appease the record label. Carrie Underwood is making you look like a bunch of sissy boys,” Rich shared on X Monday. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
There are several top tier country artists who support Trump, and I wish they&#39;d finally have the balls to come forward and be counted. Ain&#39;t nothing outlaw about keeping your mouth shut to appease the record label. Carrie Underwood is making you look like a bunch of sissy boys🤣
&mdash; John Rich🇺🇸 (@johnrich) <a href="https://twitter.com/johnrich/status/1878903413272084703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The Big &amp; Rich singer did not elaborate on which specific “country artists” he was calling out.
Underwood has faced backlash from liberal fans following the announcement that she’d sing “America the Beautiful” at next Monday’s ceremony. The “American Idol” winner later issued a statement, <a href="https://people.com/carrie-underwood-speaks-out-about-performing-2025-trump-inauguration-8773825">saying</a>, “I love our country and am honored to have been asked to sing at the Inauguration and to be a small part of this historic event.”
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Underwood added, “I am humbled to answer the call at a time when we must all come together in the spirit of unity and looking to the future.”
The Village People, the band behind the hit 1978 single and Trump rally staple “Y.M.C.A.,” will perform at Trump’s victory rally in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, per <a href="https://www.axios.com/2025/01/13/trump-village-people-inaugural-kid-rock">Axios</a>. The group will also perform at the inaugural eve ball hosted by Turning Point USA on Sunday night. 
Country stars Jason Aldean and Rascal Flatts will perform at Trump’s inaugural ball on Monday, the outlet noted, while Kid Rock and Billy Ray Cyrus are also slated to play at the victory rally.
Opera singer Christopher Macchio will perform the national anthem at the event.

John Rich

John Rich Calls On Country Stars Who Support Trump To Announce Themselves

Inauguration

U.S.

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/country-music" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Country singer</a> Brad Paisley’s wife, actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley, opened up about the insane throat surgery she underwent in August after being unable to speak for nearly two years.
Speaking to <a href="https://people.com/kimberly-williams-paisley-was-awake-in-3-hour-surgery-to-restore-voice-exclusive-8763349">People magazine</a>, Kimberly talked about visiting Nashville’s <a href="https://www.vanderbilthealth.com/program/voice-center">Vanderbilt Voice Center</a> in January 2023 where she was diagnosed with muscle tension dysphonia. It came after she suddenly lost the ability to speak in November 2022, being unable to make more noise with her voice than a whisper.
Doctors at the time said her vocal cords were so tight they were barely visible and later discovered that her two vocal cords weren’t touching anymore, a condition known as partial paralysis.
&#8220;So much of our personalities are expressed in our voice and for me, so much of my career. And when that&#8217;s not there, I thought, &#8216;Who am I?&#8217; I felt invisible,&#8221; Williams-Paisley said. &#8220;I&#8217;m someone who tries to find the silver lining no matter what, but there are days when I really grieved.&#8221;
The “Father of the Bride” star said after &#8220;looking in every corner and trying everything&#8221; to get her voice back, she decided nearly two years later to undergo a procedure called medialization laryngoplasty. It requires surgery to move the weak left vocal cord closer to the right one, the outlet noted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Kimberly Williams-Paisley is opening up about a &#8220;terrifying&#8221; medical ordeal in which her voice inexplicably disappeared: &#8220;There were days when I grieved and sobbed.&#8221;<a href="https://t.co/FAyUAlXnil">https://t.co/FAyUAlXnil</a>
— Good Morning America (@GMA) <a href="https://twitter.com/GMA/status/1869395689324900576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
“We wanted to tune the cord the best we could,” Dr. Gaelyn Garrett said. “We had her awake so we could hear how the voice changes as we manipulated the position of the vocal cord. We’re trying to get the natural voice back.”
The surgery required Williams-Paisley to stay awake the entire three-hours, something the actress called “bizarre.”
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“They put up a plastic sheet so I couldn’t see anything except my throat on a screen they set up,” Kimberly said. “It looked like another mouth, like a big hole!&#8221;
She said going into the procedure with her eyes open was “beautifully symbolic. I feel like I’ve been waking up to myself. I had to be fully present to cross this finish line, and I was really ready for it.&#8221;
The outlet then detailed how the medical procedure went. For the procedure, “the team took an implant made of silicone rubber and put it next to her left vocal cord to hold it in place, then asked her to speak. They removed it, adjusted the size by hand-carving it, replaced it and had her try again. When her voice was back to its natural tone, they knew it fit perfectly.&#8221; The implant is permanent and should last a lifetime.
“I couldn’t believe it was true,” Kimberly said. &#8220;It felt great.&#8221;
After two years of being unable to hear her own voice, the surgery had allowed her to once again speak out loud.
While the surgery left her a significant scar on her throat, she joked, &#8220;Fortunately for me, I have wrinkles!&#8221; But she said she&#8217;s &#8220;not self-conscious about it. I’m proud. It’s part of my story.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/brad-paisley-and-wife-kimberly-williams-open-free-toy-store-for-kids-ahead-of-holidays" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brad Paisley And Wife Kimberly Williams Open Free Toy Store For Kids Ahead Of Holidays</a>

Brad Paisley, Kimberly Williams

Country Star’s Wife Opens Up About Insane Throat Surgery After Being Unable To Speak For Two Years

Brad Paisley

Health

Nashville

Country star Jelly Roll hit back at people upset that he recently decided to meet with President-elect Donald Trump, explaining that he was taught to respect the president regardless of politics.
During an appearance on his wife <a href="https://people.com/who-is-bunnie-xo-jelly-roll-wife-7568842">Bunnie Xo</a>&#8216;s podcast <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/6G9XAlzTz3fd20vRhbTvup">Dumb Blonde</a>, the 40-year-old singer — born Jason DeFord — said that when he met with Trump at the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden in New York it was an opportunity he wouldn’t pass up, no matter who was the president.
&#8220;Dude, there’s not a chance in hell that I’m not going to meet the president-elect,” Jelly Roll said.  “I don’t care.”
&#8220;If I got a call to meet [President] Joe Biden, I would have stopped at any point and [met] him,&#8221; he added. &#8220;That’s the active president. I don’t care about what he thinks or I think about policies.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Jelly Roll defends Donald Trump encounter at UFC event, stresses importance of respecting the president <a href="https://t.co/K27kOroqjw">https://t.co/K27kOroqjw</a> <a href="https://t.co/dqF4INq6fa">pic.twitter.com/dqF4INq6fa</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1869862758751109162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 19, 2024</a></blockquote>
&#8220;I don’t hide behind the &#8216;I’m not political&#8217; stuff. I’m not political! People who actually know me know I’m also one of the old-school dudes,&#8221; DeFord continued. &#8220;I like to talk about things I’m passionate about. With that, I like to know about it. I don’t know enough about politics to act like I know anything that’s going on or what anybody’s standing for policy-wise.&#8221;
The “Halfway to Hell” singer made it clear he wasn’t raised in a home that made voting important, but said that they did teach him to respect the person in the highest office of the land, <a href="https://people.com/jelly-roll-responds-criticism-after-meeting-donald-trump-8763592?utm_campaign=people&amp;utm_content=likeshop&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=instagram">People magazine</a> noted.
“They did push respecting the president though,&#8221; the country singer said, pointing out that it’s &#8220;the hardest job in the world.&#8221;
During the UFC event, pictures surfaced online showing Jelly Roll and Trump shaking hands, smiling and apparently having a brief conversation.
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Earlier this year, DeFord made headlines when he spoke out on Capitol Hill about the dangers of fentanyl — and he later talked about how it scares him for “this next generation,” especially his own children, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/scares-me-for-this-next-generation-country-star-jelly-roll-on-why-hes-speaking-out-about-dangers-of-fetanyl">reported</a>.
Jelly Roll said our country has “seen crack,” cocaine, and opioids, but added, “we’ve never seen something that is so deadly in such small amounts that’s being mixed in so many different things,” <a href="https://people.com/jelly-roll-scared-fentanyl-will-affect-his-kids-exclusive-8563931?utm_campaign=people&amp;utm_content=likeshop&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=instagram">People magazine</a> noted.
“My daughter will never experience the safety of experimenting with drugs,” the father of two told the outlet. “I know that sounds crazy to say, but when I was a kid, my mother would be like, ‘You’re going to try everything once. Just be safe.’ It’s not safe for any kid to be doing anything.”
“How many more people does [fentanyl] have to kill a day before we start to care, if the number right now is close to 200,” he added. “I just think it’s time to speak about it. It scares me for my daughter. It scares me for my son. It scares me for this next generation. We’ve never seen nothing like fentanyl.”
The “Son of a Sinner” hitmaker turned his life around after racking up some 40 stints behind bars for various drug-related charges, starting as young as 14, <a href="https://people.com/jelly-roll-found-peace-after-changing-relationship-with-alcohol-cocaine-exclusive-8414853">People</a> noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-just-bad-art-jelly-roll-talks-tattoo-regret-says-he-got-staph-infections" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘It’s Just Bad Art’: Jelly Roll Talks Tattoo Regret, Says He Got Staph Infections</a>

Jelly Roll

Country Star Jelly Roll Hits Back At People Upset He Met With Trump

Joe Biden

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/morgan-wallen">Morgan Wallen</a> entered a guilty plea on Thursday, admitting to throwing a chair off the roof of a bar in downtown Nashville earlier this year. As a result of his plea, he will spend seven days in a DUI education center and two years on supervised probation.
On Thursday, the 31-year-old country singer accepted the plea deal including two misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment — after he was initially charged with three felonies for the chair-throwing incident outside Chiefs Bar on April 7, The Tennessean<a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/crime/2024/12/12/nashville-morgan-wallen-guilty-court-chiefs-bar-broadway/76922479007/"> reported</a>.
Wallen’s attorney Worrick Robinson IV said, in a statement to <a href="https://people.com/morgan-wallen-pleads-guilty-sentenced-7-days-incarceration-chair-throwing-incident-8760084?utm_campaign=people&amp;utm_content=likeshop&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=instagram">People</a> after court, “Mr. Wallen has cooperated fully with authorities throughout these last eight months, directly communicating and apologizing to all involved. Mr. Wallen remains committed to making a positive impact through his music and foundation.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Morgan Wallen Pleads Guilty to 2 Misdemeanor Charges, Sentenced to Probation &amp; a Week in Jail<a href="https://t.co/bQpePm1z1Y">https://t.co/bQpePm1z1Y</a>
— billboard (@billboard) <a href="https://twitter.com/billboard/status/1867292025978081373?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote>
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/morgan-wallen">Wallen</a> was initially charged with three counts of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/crime">reckless endangerment</a> with a deadly weapon and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct after he threw a chair off the 6th-floor roof of the Nashville bar. 
Robinson issued a statement later confirming the incident. “At 10:53 p.m. Sunday evening, Morgan Wallen was arrested in downtown Nashville for reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct,” the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/morgan-wallen-nashville-arrest-1235868536/">statement</a> read. “He is cooperating fully with authorities.”
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The “Whiskey Glasses” hitmaker later <a href="https://x.com/MorganWallen/status/1781473070936478003">addressed</a> the arrest himself and made it clear he was not “proud” of what happened outside Chiefs Bar.
“I didn’t feel right publicly checking in until I made amends with some folks,” Wallen wrote. “I’ve touched base with Nashville law enforcement, my family, and the good people at Chief’s. I’m not proud of my behavior, and I accept responsibility.”
“I have the utmost respect for the officers working every day to keep us all safe,” he added. “Regarding my tour, there will be no change.”
Following the bar incident, the Nashville City Council voted down plans for the singer to have a 20-foot neon sign on the outside of his six-story bar advertising “Morgan Wallen’s This Bar,” the <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/local/davidson/2024/05/22/nashville-council-rejects-morgan-wallen-bar-sign-citing-harmful-actions/73796458007/">Tennessean</a> noted.
The council members voted 30-3 against the proposed signage because of the country singer’s arrest and a video capturing Wallen using the N-word after a drunken night in January 2021. The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-morgan-wallen-posts-apology-video-talks-sobriety-following-n-word-video-deplatforming">singer later</a> apologized and said he was both “embarrassed and sorry.”
“I don’t want to see a billboard up with the name of a person who’s throwing chairs off of balconies and who is saying racial slurs,” At-large Council member Delishia Porterfield said.
Metro Councilmember Jordan Huffman said Wallen’s actions and past comments should not be applauded, WZTV Fox 17 <a href="https://fox17.com/news/local/2024-country-music-entertainment-arrest-nashville-metro-council-says-morgan-wallen-not-allowed-to-have-sign-outside-new-downtown-bar">Nashville</a> reported.
“He gives all of us a bad name,” Huffman said. “His comments are hateful, his actions are harmful and he [doesn’t] belong in this town as far as I’m concerned.”
“I’m tired of this city bending over to just make anybody happy that makes a comment that they want to,” he added. “We continue to go down this road.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/morgan-wallen-wont-be-getting-his-name-on-new-bar-due-to-his-harmful-actions" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morgan Wallen Won’t Be Getting His Name On New Bar Due To His ‘Harmful Actions’</a>

Morgan Wallen

Morgan Wallen Pleads Guilty In Chair-Throwing Incident

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/dolly-parton">Dolly Parton</a> musical is coming to Broadway with the legendary country star announcing an internet casting call to find the right singers for the upcoming show to possibly play the part of Dolly.
“Whether you’re chasing your dreams from a small town or you’ve spent years performing on stages across the country, I want to give you the chance to help me bring my story to Broadway — and maybe even play me,” the 78-year-old singer shared in a video posted on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TCNbfXv-mI">YouTube</a> about “Dolly: An Original Musical.”
“This show is a celebration of my music, my life and all the amazing people who’ve been with me along the way,” she added. “Now we’re looking for talented performers who can capture the spirit of my journey.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="I’m happy to announce the #SearchForDolly 🦋" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9TCNbfXv-mI?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
“Whether you’re an experienced theater professional or an undiscovered gem with that little special something,” Parton continued, noting that those selected will get the chance to audition in person.
The “Jolene” hitmaker said the musical will center around her life story with a mix of songs that made her famous to original ones she’s written just for the musical.
Earlier this year, the “9 to 5” star finally revealed plans for a musical about her life, then-titled “Hello, I&#8217;m Dolly,” following years of teasing details about it, The Hollywood Reporter <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/arts/dolly-parton-musical-2026-broadway-1235916369/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">noted</a>.
“Hello, I’m Dolly, and I lived my whole life to see this show on stage,” Parton said in a press release. “I’ve written many original songs for the show and included all your favorites in it as well.”
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“You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll clap, you’ll stomp, it truly is a Grand Ol’ Opera,” she added. “Pun and fun intended. Don’t miss it!”
The country legend previously worked on Broadway when she wrote the Tony-nominated score to the musical adaptation of her hit 1980 movie “9 to 5” for “9 to 5: The Musical.” It opened on Broadway in April 2009 and ran until it closed in September that year.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/dolly-parton">Parton</a> made headlines in October when she announced a massive donation to help the victims of Hurricane Helene following the devastation to the southeastern states of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas.
Speaking at a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CLV6GETecI&amp;t=1153s">press conference</a> held at a Walmart in Newport, Tennessee, Parton said just as during the 2016 wildfires when she and others stepped up — this is another time to do the same.
“Today, I wanted to announce that from myself personally, just from my own bank account, I’m donating $1 million dollars today. But also with my Dollywood companies and all the people I’m involved with … [Dollywood Foundation, etc] and we’ve added another $1 million to that,” the country singer said, adding it’s going to take a lot of money and a long time.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dolly-parton-floats-reboot-of-iconic-90s-tv-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dolly Parton Floats Reboot Of Iconic 90s TV Show</a>

Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton Musical Is Coming To Broadway With Internet Casting Call Announcement

Broadway

Country star Brantley Gilbert paused his show over the weekend to help his wife Amber deliver their baby on his tour bus.
While on stage performing on Friday in Tupelo, Mississippi, at his Off The Rails Tour, the 39-year-old country singer was called off stage and told there was an “emergency backstage.&#8221; The emergency turned out to be his wife, who was about to give birth to their third child, <a href="https://www.whiskeyriff.com/2024/10/12/brantley-gilbert-pauses-show-in-mississippi-returns-after-helping-his-wife-deliver-their-baby-in-his-tour-bus/">Whiskey Riff</a> reported.
The crowd had no idea what happened or why he had rushed off the stage, but when he got back he filled them in, explaining to the audience that he&#8217;d gotten back to the bus just in time.
“We got a baby,” the <a href="https://x.com/unlimited_ls/status/1845520494134444499">country singer</a> told the crowd, who cheered and celebrated the happy news about the arrival of his baby boy.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Shout out to <a href="https://twitter.com/brantleygilbert?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@brantleygilbert</a>&#8216;s wife Amber who did an on-camera interview days after giving birth! <a href="https://t.co/kJ2tDyoQwO">https://t.co/kJ2tDyoQwO</a>
— Taste of Country (@TasteOfCountry) <a href="https://twitter.com/TasteOfCountry/status/1845874710715961679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2024</a></blockquote>
“Later, Gilbert shared in an emotional video on his Instagram Story about what it was like when his third child arrived. He captioned it, “We’ve got a new addition to the Gilbert Family… God is good,” <a href="https://pagesix.com/2024/10/12/parents/country-star-brantley-gilbert-pauses-concert-as-wife-gives-birth-on-tour-bus/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=pagesix">Page Six</a> noted.
“So, last night might have been the craziest night of my life. Watching such an amazing woman do such an amazing thing is something I’ll never forget,” Gilbert wrote.
“Thank you to our road family for rallying around us, Brittany Thornton for helping us bring this little dude into the world, Tupelo, Mississippi, for showing us mad love and support,” he added.
“And most of all … Amber Gilbert, for letting me love you and showing me EXACTLY how incredibly strong a woman can be. I love you,” Gilbert continued, labeling Amber “a freaking savage.”
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1729017533282000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3gFMrYp1yVFd33mh7KOsm7">MATT WALSH&#8217;S &#8216;AM I RACIST?&#8217; COMING TO DAILYWIRE+ OCT. 28</a>
On Monday, the couple spoke to <a href="https://x.com/FoxNews/status/1845883062728396843" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Fox News</a> about their crazy night, with Brantley joking “I can&#8217;t say this was on my bingo card. It was kind of crazy.&#8221;
The Gilberts said that they had a midwife with them and were prepared if something were to happen, but Amber said that it had still happened fast because they thought she was still a week away from delivering. 
“I went from reading a book in the bed to calling the midwife in a matter of minutes,” the singer’s wife told Fox News. “So, I was just ready to get my show … on the road.” 
The two have been married since 2015 and also share another son and daughter, <a href="https://pagesix.com/2024/10/12/parents/country-star-brantley-gilbert-pauses-concert-as-wife-gives-birth-on-tour-bus/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_campaign=pagesix">Page Six</a> noted.

Five Finger Death Punch With Brantley Gilbert, Las Vegas, NV

Country Star Pauses Show To Help Wife Deliver Their Baby On Tour Bus

birth

Brantley Gilbert

fatherhood

Mississippi

Pregnancy

Remember Outlaw Country?
Mega-stars like Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/legendary-performer-kris-kristofferson-dead-at-88">Kris Kristofferson</a> and Willie Nelson upended the genre with their uncompromising sound. That rebel brand stuck, and some rough-and-tumble country tunes (and antics) followed.
Sadly, only Nelson is still with us, but a new wave of country rebels is here. These singers defy narratives on the Left and the harder Left.
<div id="attachment_811343" style="width: 889px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-811343" class="wp-image-811343 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-135294263-879x576.jpg" alt="The Highwaymen perform on stage, L-R Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, Ahoy, Rotterdam, 20th April 1992. (Photo by Rob Verhorst/Redferns)" width="879" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-135294263-879x576.jpg 879w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-135294263-300x197.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-135294263-768x503.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-135294263.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 879px) 100vw, 879px" />The Highwaymen perform on stage, L-R Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson, Ahoy, Rotterdam, 20th April 1992. (Photo by Rob Verhorst/Redferns)</div>
They give ‘til it hurts, no matter the politics in play. They speak out for free speech and patriotism and crush anti-Semitism when it raises its ugly head. Unfortunately those positions are suddenly counter-culture, but that’s the state of play.
Take Hurricane Helene and Hollywood’s (lack of) response. Celebrities rallied en masse 19 years ago when Hurricane Katrina battered New Orleans. Star-studded telethons. Wallets and purses opened wide. Housing restoration projects funded.
Celebrity Nation could hold its head high, even if <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/brad-pitt-charity-mess-katrina-victims-stranded-1235371222/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">not every rescue effort</a> proved fruitful.
The same Nation has been mostly quiet following the devastation left by Hurricane Helene.
Not country music superstars.
Dolly Parton was among the first to open her checkbook for Hurricane Helene survivors, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpdq65185qdo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">donating $1 million</a> to the cause. Morgan Wallen followed, leveraging his charitable foundation for hurricane relief. He also got a hand from <a href="https://countrychord.com/morgan-wallen-joined-by-theo-von-at-donation-drive-for-hurricane-helene-victims-in-knoxville-tennessee/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rebel comedian Theo Von</a>.
<div id="attachment_811345" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-811345" class="size-large wp-image-811345" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2156369957-864x576.jpg" alt="NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JUNE 06: Dolly Parton speaks onstage during Kicking Off CMA Fest: A Special Conversation With Dolly Parton Hosted By Rachel Smith at Music City Center on June 06, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/WireImage)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2156369957-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2156369957-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2156369957-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2156369957.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE &#8211; JUNE 06: Dolly Parton speaks onstage during Kicking Off CMA Fest: A Special Conversation With Dolly Parton Hosted By Rachel Smith at Music City Center on June 06, 2024 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Terry Wyatt/WireImage)</div>
Later, country superstars Eric Church and Luke Combs announced a <a href="https://www.kptv.com/2024/10/08/luke-combs-eric-church-teaming-up-concert-carolina-aid-hurricane-helene-recovery/">fundraising “Concert for Carolina</a>” effort along with James Taylor.
The list of celebrities who rallied following Hurricane Katrina was a who’s who of Hollywood, music and more. You’d be hard-pressed to pick a big name who sat out the effort.
This time around, country musicians are leading the way, blazing a trail for the thousands impacted by the crushing storm.
<div id="attachment_811351" style="width: 833px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-811351" class="size-large wp-image-811351" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1464824919-823x576.jpg" alt="PHOENIX, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 09: Luke Combs performs during Luke Combs Live from Arizona Financial Theatre for SiriusXM and Pandora on February 09, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for SiriusXM)" width="823" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1464824919-823x576.jpg 823w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1464824919-300x210.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1464824919-768x538.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-1464824919.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 823px) 100vw, 823px" />PHOENIX, ARIZONA &#8211; FEBRUARY 09: Luke Combs performs during Luke Combs Live from Arizona Financial Theatre for SiriusXM and Pandora on February 09, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for SiriusXM)</div>
It’s hard to ignore the political component on two fronts.
The corporate media hasn’t covered Helene like Katrina. Journalists also refuse to hold the Biden/Harris administration accountable for any issues tied to the government response.
Progressive celebrities may be ignorant to the devastation on display. Few read The Daily Wire or watch Fox News on a regular basis. That, or they realize that pooling their resources for hurricane relief might have an unintended consequence for Kamala Harris’ election chances. While Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flexes his considerable chops in hurricane relief again and again, the FEMA response (from, “we’re broke” to, “here’s up to $750, good luck!&#8221;) could have political implications.
Other country crooners are letting their voices be heard on other pressing matters. Comedian/country singer Chad Prather’s new song is a thumb in the eye to the status quo, a protest song that might fit in with the Flower Power era.
“Watered Down,” featuring John Rich, takes a blowtorch to media bias and government chicanery.
“Been fed a lot of lies and fear, still hurting from taking the last few years on the chin …”
“We’re exactly where the devil wants us to be, far away from God and everything that makes us feel complete … If the truth is what we breathe we’d all drown”
When mainstream superstars speak up these days, it’s to support the system a la Bruce Springsteen endorsing Kamala Harris.
Rich also took part in a remarkable party last month on behalf of young patriots. In May, pro-Palestinian protesters torn down an American flag on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill campus and replaced it with the Palestinian flag. Some patriotic fraternity brothers rushed to the rescue, restoring Old Glory while fending off debris thrown by the protesters.
Musicians like Lee Greenwood and Five for Fighting (John Ondrasik) joined country superstars Aaron Lewis and Big &amp; Rich for a free September celebration of their all-American pluck.
Rich riled up the crowd, getting a huge response to a simple question: &#8220;Do you still love America?&#8221;  If you think a patriotic gala isn’t controversial in 2024, think again.
Journalism major Matthew Broderick told Fox News some of his fellow students <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/unc-flagstock-erupts-usa-chants-john-rich-lee-greenwood-tells-students-its-ok-patriotic">didn’t like embracing the U.S. flag in such fashion. </a>&#8220;There&#8217;s a lot of people who are in huge favor of this. They love this. And then there&#8217;s a lot of people who think this is a really bad idea … I don&#8217;t think there&#8217;s a consensus about this.&#8221;
As recently as 2020, country crooners recognized the need to protect the First Amendment. How &#8230; radical. Brad Paisley, Kane Brown, Loretta Lynn, Jason Isabell and Darius Rucker rallied behind the &#8220;My Free Speech&#8221; national ad campaign.
And Oliver Anthony became a literal overnight sensation with his populist anthem, &#8220;Rich Men North of Richmond.&#8221; The tune&#8217;s Everyman cry spoke volumes about the state of the country, catapulting him up the music charts.
<div>
<div id="attachment_811355" style="width: 817px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-811355" class="size-large wp-image-811355" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2173837735-807x576.jpg" alt="KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 22: Morgan Wallen performs onstage for night two of his One Night At A Time tour at Neyland Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images for for Morgan Wallen's One Night At A Time 2024)" width="807" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2173837735-807x576.jpg 807w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2173837735-300x214.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2173837735-768x548.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/GettyImages-2173837735.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 807px) 100vw, 807px" />John Shearer/Getty Images for for Morgan Wallen&#8217;s One Night At A Time 2024</div>
</div>
Country music may lean to the Right, but its corporate side still favors a center-Left worldview. The aforementioned singers would rather be true to themselves than appeases their corporate masters.
Country’s original outlaws saw the bottom of a bottle, the inside of a jail cell or both. They took their rebel streaks seriously, sometimes putting their health in harm’s way. Their legends only grew as a result.
Today’s country rebels are more polite and less interested in law breaking. They just love taking progressive narratives by the scruff of the neck and giving them a good ol’ shake.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://x.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-11-Oct-2024-10-24-AM-8498

Country Stars Make Their Voices Heard On Hurricane Relief

Country Singers

Floods

fundraiser

Hurricane Helene

Luke Combs

North Carolina

Opinion

Omer Netzer had long dreamed of making a name for himself in Nashville as one of the few Israelis in American country music. But on October 7, the first Israeli to perform at the Country Music Awards put his career on hold so he could fly to Israel and help defend his country.
“I went back, of course, and volunteered,” Netzer said. “24/7 we were risking our lives.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Meet Omer Netzer, the first Israeli to play at the Country Music Awards.
On October 7, he put his career on hold and flew to Israel to help defend his country. <a href="https://t.co/bhHdRWxpXp">pic.twitter.com/bhHdRWxpXp</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/1844099639789879633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> 
Netzer volunteered to return to his previous job in a special forces police unit in Nahariya, a city just a few miles from the Lebanon-Israel border, for four months following the start of the war. He left behind his wife and newborn daughter to volunteer in the unit, which tracked terrorists aiding Hezbollah or stockpiling weapons in their homes.
Netzer said he lost three of his best friends who were serving in the Sderot police near the Gaza border on October 7.
“We did what we were doing to our best and that’s protecting our country,” Netzer told The Daily Wire.
Netzer said his mother — who lives in Achziv, even closer to the border than Nahariya — has been scared to leave her house for months.
“My mom called me two days ago and said she heard buzzing outside. I told her to go to the bomb shelter and in less than a  minute there was a suicide drone that exploded,” Netzer recalled. 
Since Hamas’s October 7 attack, Hezbollah has fired rockets and suicide drones daily at Israel’s northern communities. More than 60,000 people from northern Israel have been <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whats-behind-israels-attack-on-hezbollah-experts-weigh-in">displaced from their homes</a>.
Though his team is still serving, Netzer decided to return to the United States and use his voice to raise awareness about the October 7 victims and hostages. He has played at events around the country including at a joint Christian-Jewish event at the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., on Monday.
<div id="attachment_810113" style="width: 579px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-810113" class="size-large wp-image-810113" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screenshot-2024-10-09-at-10.23.43%E2%80%AFAM-569x576.png" alt="" width="569" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screenshot-2024-10-09-at-10.23.43%E2%80%AFAM-569x576.png 569w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screenshot-2024-10-09-at-10.23.43%E2%80%AFAM-297x300.png 297w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screenshot-2024-10-09-at-10.23.43%E2%80%AFAM-768x777.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screenshot-2024-10-09-at-10.23.43%E2%80%AFAM-1519x1536.png 1519w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/Screenshot-2024-10-09-at-10.23.43%E2%80%AFAM.png 1570w" sizes="(max-width: 569px) 100vw, 569px" />Omer Netzer with his unit in northern Israel. (Photo: Courtesy).</div>
Music has helped Netzer cope with trauma since October 7th. He said writing about Israeli heroes has helped in his healing process.
“My best friend was a SWAT team leader and he died October 7,” Netzer said. “He wrote a note before he died, so I translated that note and made a song out of it,” he said. “It’s not about me anymore, it’s about them. It’s about the heroes that died protecting our country.”
Netzer said playing at unity events around the United States has given him hope.
“I see a lot of unity between Christians and Jews together fighting against hate,” he said. “I saw evil in my own eyes, so those people gave me hope.”
“I’m building the bridge of unity through the music, and I’m playing churches and military bases,” 
Netzer said he was proud to be the first Israeli to perform at the Country Music Awards in November. 
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<a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C75YTaUtN7r/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Omer Netzer (@omer_netzer_official)</a>
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Netzer was introduced to music by his parents, first generation Israelis born to Moroccan immigrants. They owned a music store, Netzer says, and gave him his first set of drums at age six, his first guitar at 10.
He recalled his English teacher once asking him to play a song for his class in English.
“I picked up the guitar and I played Johnny Cash,” he said, adding that he also enjoyed growing up listening to blues and rock and roll.
<div id="attachment_810111" style="width: 676px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-810111" class="size-large wp-image-810111" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/dfcb9db6-520c-4021-ae4a-5939e6f56627-666x576.jpg" alt="" width="666" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/dfcb9db6-520c-4021-ae4a-5939e6f56627-666x576.jpg 666w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/dfcb9db6-520c-4021-ae4a-5939e6f56627-300x259.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/dfcb9db6-520c-4021-ae4a-5939e6f56627-768x664.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/dfcb9db6-520c-4021-ae4a-5939e6f56627.jpg 896w" sizes="(max-width: 666px) 100vw, 666px" />Omer Netzer playing on his drum set as a child in his parent&#8217;s music shop in northern Israel. (Photo: Courtesy)</div>
“I thought I was going to work in security, not as a musician, but God had a different plan,” he added.
Netzer will be performing at Nashville’s Whiskey Jam this week, an event where many famous artists, including Morgan Wallen and Brad Paisley, performed before becoming household names.
But Netzer’s not taking a victory lap just yet.
“I’ll know I made it when I play the Grand Ole Opry,” he says.

Cover images-6 (1)

Omer Netzer: From The Country Music Awards to Israel’s War Zone

Hamas

Israel

October 7

Country star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/luke-combs">Luke Combs</a> announced he and other stars are coming together for a benefit concert in Charlotte to help those in the southeastern states affected by Hurricane Helene.
In a <a href="https://x.com/lukecombs/status/1843294077757902916">post</a> on Monday, the 34-year-old country singer wrote that he “had something big planned for Carolina. One of the ways we’re helping is a benefit concert at Bank of America Stadium on Oct. 26th!&#8221;
“This concert took so much planning, work, and coordination from so many people,” he added. “I’m so thankful to everyone who helped make this a possibility on such short notice. Tickets will go on sale this Thursday and 100% of all proceeds will be going directly to those who need it most.”
Combs named Eric Church, James Taylor, and Billy Strings as joining him for the concert with all proceeds from the show to be split 50/50 between Combs and Church&#8217;s Chief Cares Foundation to help those in the Carolinas affected, <a href="https://www.wcnc.com/article/weather/hurricane/helene/hurricane-helene-benefit-concert-luke-combs-eric-church-james-taylor-billy-strings/275-e7bcfbfc-1d38-4312-9f47-60656ea00a73">WCNC </a>noted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I told y’all I had something big planned for Carolina. One of the ways we’re helping is a benefit concert at Bank of America Stadium on Oct. 26th! This concert took so much planning, work, and coordination from so many people. I’m so thankful to everyone who helped make this a… <a href="https://t.co/b6bHwcGfZq">pic.twitter.com/b6bHwcGfZq</a>
— Luke Combs 🎤 (@lukecombs) <a href="https://twitter.com/lukecombs/status/1843294077757902916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
Church and Combs also spoke to <a href="https://www.billboard.com/music/country/luke-combs-eric-church-hurricane-helene-relief-concert-interview-1235796031/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">Billboard </a>about the conversation the two singers had after the hurricane that led to the concert.
Combs — who went to Appalachian State University — said the morning after the hurricane hit both of them “were just inundated with calls and texts and pictures and images from the areas.”
“I called Eric and was like, ‘Hey, let’s figure out how to do a show. I don’t know when, I don’t know where. We’ll worry about that later, but let’s just pool our resources,'&#8221; Combs said. &#8220;Let’s do what we do best and help in the way that is best suited to my abilities and Eric’s abilities’ and I think we’re doing that.&#8221;
“It was disbelief,” Church said. “These are areas that I knew and then I saw the photos and I didn’t recognize these areas. My family spends half the year in Banner Elk.”
“That’s as much home as Nashville is,” he added. “It was just this shock of I know what I’m supposed to be looking at, but that doesn’t look anything like what it looked like a week ago. I don’t think I’ve come to grips with it yet.”
The concert follows massive donations from country superstars like <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/dolly-parton">Dolly Parton</a>, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jason-aldean">Jason Aldean</a>, and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/morgan-wallen">Morgan Wallen</a> to aid with hurricane relief efforts. The heavy metal rock band <a href="https://x.com/Metallica/status/1842292459558289888">Metallica</a> also announced they were contributing $100,000 to help those in the area.
“Over the past week, Hurricane Helene has left a 500-mile path of destruction throughout Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee in its wake,” the band <a href="https://x.com/Metallica/status/1842292459558289888">wrote</a> on X. “It is an unmitigated tragedy, with over 215 lives lost and hundreds of people still unaccounted for. Historic water levels and widespread flooding across the Appalachians have left hundreds of roads inaccessible, hindering rescue efforts.”
The <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/05/us/helene-death-toll-rises-saturday/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death toll</a> was up to at least 232 as of Monday across Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia in the wake of the hurricane.
For information about the “Concert for Carolina,” visit their <a href="https://www.concertforcarolina.com/">website</a> for tickets, updates, details, and more.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jason-aldean-makes-huge-donation-to-help-hurricane-victims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jason Aldean Makes Huge Donation To Help Hurricane Victims</a>

CMA Fest 2022 – Day 3

Country Stars Unite For Benefit Concert For Hurricane Victims

concert

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jason-aldean">Jason Aldean</a> stepped up to make a huge donation to help the victims of Hurricane Helene after it devastated the southeastern states of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas.
On Friday night, the 47-year-old country singer and Georgia native closed out his 2024 Highway Desperado Tour in Macon, GA, when he presented a check for $500,000 to Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones (R-GA) to help the recovery efforts for those affected by the hurricane, <a href="https://tasteofcountry.com/jason-aldean-donation-hurricane-helene-donald-trump-gofundme/">Taste of Country</a> reported.
Aldean also presented a check for more than $6.9 million for Samaritan’s Purse from the <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-hurricane-helene-victims-with-president-trump">GoFundMe</a> launched by former President Donald Trump to help with hurricane relief donations. 
Trump even popped up on the screen behind Aldean at the concert with a video message for the crowd, who went wild watching the <a href="https://x.com/alexbruesewitz/status/1842913826951573731">video</a>.
&#8220;We&#8217;re gonna make America great again. You&#8217;re all gonna be very happy,&#8221; Trump said. 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Jason Aldean Donates $500,000 To Hurricane Helene Relief, Presents Check For Over $6.5 Million Raised By Donald Trump&#8217;s Go Fund Me<a href="https://twitter.com/Jason_Aldean?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Jason_Aldean</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/burtjonesforga?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@burtjonesforga</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DonaldTrump</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HurricaneHelene?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HurricaneHelene</a> <a href="https://t.co/x1GF7q6H5o">https://t.co/x1GF7q6H5o</a><a href="https://t.co/x1GF7q6H5o">https://t.co/x1GF7q6H5o</a>
— Whiskey Riff (@WhiskeyRiff) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiskeyRiff/status/1843120398998860211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 7, 2024</a></blockquote>
Superstar Dolly Parton announced at a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CLV6GETecI&amp;t=1153s">press conference</a> on Friday and said — just as during the 2016 wildfires when she and others stepped up — this is another time to do the same, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/these-are-my-people-dolly-parton-announces-massive-donation-to-help-hurricane-victims">reported</a>.
“We all have seen the devastation,” Parton said. “I mean, who knew in our little part of the country here, where I was born, raised just right down the road, that we would have this kind of devastation?”
“And I look around, and I think these are my mountains, these are my valleys,” she added. “These are my rivers flowing like a stream. These are my people, these mountain-colored rainbows. These are my people. And this is my home.”
“Today, I wanted to announce that from myself personally, just from my own bank account, I’m donating $1 million dollars today. But also with my Dollywood companies and all the people I’m involved with … [Dollywood Foundation, etc] and we’ve added another $1 million to that,” the country singer continued, saying it’s going to take a lot of money and a long time.
Country star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/morgan-wallen-makes-huge-donation-to-help-victims-of-hurricane-helene">Morgan Wallen</a> also donated to the hurricane victims and wrote that his “family in East Tennessee are safe but I know many are absolutely devastated there and in multiple states.”
“It is going to take a monumental effort and I am in contact with my team and others working on ways I can help,” he added.
Red Cross’ National President for Humanitarian Services, Trevor Riggin, later shared a thank you to Wallen for his $500,000 donation — made through his Morgan Wallen Foundation — &#8220;to impact help on the ground now in the areas affected by Hurricane Helene, including his beloved East Tennessee.&#8221;
The death toll continued to rise over the weekend, with the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-death-toll-asheville-north-carolina-34d1226bb31f79dfb2ff6827e40587fc">Associated Press</a> reporting on Sunday that the confirmed death toll across Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia had climbed to 227. Hundreds of thousands remained without power a week later, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/10/04/hurricane-helene-death-toll-aftermath-live-updates/75509868007/">USA Today</a> noted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-not-government-its-us-chris-pratt-issues-plea-for-hurricane-victims-following-donation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘It’s Not Government, It’s Us’: Chris Pratt Issues Plea For Hurricane Victims Following Donation</a>

Jason Aldean Makes Huge Donation To Help Hurricane Victims

Georgia

Country star <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/dolly-parton" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dolly Parton</a> announced a massive donation to help the victims of Hurricane Helene following the devastation to the southeastern states of Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas.
Speaking at a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CLV6GETecI&amp;t=1153s">press conference</a> held at a Walmart in Newport, Tennessee, the 78-year-old country singer said &#8212; just as during the 2016 wildfires when she and others stepped up &#8212; this is another time to do the same.
“We all have seen the devastation,” Parton said. &#8220;I mean, who knew in our little part of the country here, where I was born, raised just right down the road, that we would have this kind of devastation?”
“And I look around, and I think these are my mountains, these are my valleys,” she added. “These are my rivers flowing like a stream. These are my people, these mountain-colored rainbows. These are my people. And this is my home.&#8221;
“Today, I wanted to announce that from myself personally, just from my own bank account, I&#8217;m donating $1 million dollars today. But also with my Dollywood companies and all the people I’m involved with … [Dollywood Foundation, etc] and we’ve added another $1 million to that,” the country singer continued, saying it’s going to take a lot of money and a long time.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Hurricane Helene Press Conference" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6CLV6GETecI?start=1153&#038;feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
During a Q&amp;A with local reporters, Parton said watching people suffer is “personal because I have a lot of my own relatives that live here. When we heard about this, it was devastating, not just because it was my family, but all these people feel like my people. We all feel related, and we are in some sort of way.”
“It just devastated me just to know that we had to suffer like that. You don’t want to see anybody suffering, especially me, so anything that we can do to help,” she added. “I was heartbroken like everybody else, just amazed and devastated by it.”
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726313279401000&amp;usg=AOvVaw115_qPFFEePDP86-Fvo-Vd">Am I Racist? Is In Theaters NOW — Get Your Tickets Here!</a>
&#8220;I know it&#8217;s easy for us to say, &#8216;Oh, things are going to get better&#8217; when things are still really bad,&#8221; the country singer continued. &#8220;All we can say is that we are with you. We love you. We hope that things get better real soon, and we&#8217;re going to do our part to try to make that possible. We love you, and we appreciate you. And we thank you. And I think that with God&#8217;s help and all the help of all these good people, we&#8217;ll make it. We’ll be better than ever, one of these days.”
At least <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hurricane-helene-death-toll-approaches-180-as-hundreds-still-missing">180 people</a> across Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia have already been confirmed dead in the wake of the hurricane, with the death toll expected to rise. Millions were left without power, internet access, and cell phone service.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/its-not-government-its-us-chris-pratt-issues-plea-for-hurricane-victims-following-donation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘It’s Not Government, It’s Us’: Chris Pratt Issues Plea For Hurricane Victims Following Donation</a>

‘These Are My People’: Dolly Parton Announces Massive Donation To Help Hurricane Victims

'These Are My People': Dolly Parton Announces Massive Donation To Help Hurricane Victims

Tennessee

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