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NEED TO KNOW
The Kid Rock–backed Rock the Country festival has canceled its South Carolina tour dates
The move comes after several of the artists slated to perform withdrew from the show
According to the festival's website, the seven remaining tour dates are set to proceed as planned from May to September 2026
TheKid Rock–backed Rock the Country festival has canceled its South Carolina tour dates after several of the artists slated to perform dropped out.
ThePost & Courierreported on Friday, Feb. 6, that Anderson County, S.C., officials confirmed that the two-day concert planned for July 25 and July 26 had been canceled.
The county learned that the festival would be called off on Feb. 5, but no specific reason for the cancellation was given.
Anderson was one of eight cities on the schedule for Rock the Country, which runs from May to December 2026, according to the event'swebsite.
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The cancellation comes after several artists on the lineup said they would not be attending, including rock band Shinedown, whoannounced on Friday that they would no longer participate.
"Shinedown is everyone's band. We feel that we have been given a platform to bring all people together through the power of music and song. We have one boss, and it is everyone in the audience. Our band's purpose is to unite, not divide. With that in mind, we have made the decision that we will not be playing the Rock the Country festival," the band said ina statementposted on X.
"We know this decision will create differences of opinion. But we do not want to participate in something we believe will create further division," the band added.
Other performers who dropped out in recent weeks includedCreedandLudacris.Morgan WadeandCarter Faith's names have also been removed from the lineup.
Rock,Jason Aldean,Blake Shelton,Jelly Roll,Brooks & Dunn,Riley Green,Miranda Lambert,Hank Williams Jr.,Ella Langley,Lynyrd Skynyrd,Jon Pardi,Brantley Gilbertand many others are still listed on the festival's lineup.
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According to the festival's website, the rest of the tour is set to proceed as planned, with stops in Bellville, Texas, and Bloomingdale, Ga., in May; Sioux Falls, S.D., in June; Ashland, Ky., in July; Hastings, Mich., and Ocala, Fla., in August; and Hamburg, N.Y., in September.
Rock the Country has not explicitly said it has any political affiliation, but Rock and other headliners, including Aldean, have previously been vocal supporters of PresidentDonald Trump.
Rock, as well as country singers Gilbert,Lee BriceandGabby Barrett, are slated to appear atTurning Point USA's "All-American" alternative halftime show, airing in opposition toSuper Bowl LXon Sunday, Feb. 8.
News of the event came after it was revealed that Puerto Rican musicianBad Bunny— who has been outspoken about the Trump administration's aggressive immigration policies — would be taking the stage as the Super Bowl Halftime Show performer.
According to thePost & Courier,Rock the Country was expected to bring a large economic boost to South Carolina, as officials previously estimated that the 2024 event drew roughly 25,000 attendees and generated about $17 million statewide.
"We weren't told a reason," county administrator Rusty Burns told the outlet of the festival's cancellation. "It happens in the business. We had a good, two-year run."
"The last two events showed we can host large-scale shows successfully," he added.
Read the original article onPeople
