Shinedown drummer Barry Kerch ignited controversy by openly criticizing rapper Ludacris for withdrawing from the Rock the Country festival lineup, labeling the decision as “cowardly” during a recent podcast appearance. Kerch’s comments — made on The Vinyl Road podcast — have amplified debate around the band’s involvement with the politically charged event and sparked heated reactions from fans and commentators.
Kerch explained that Shinedown accepted the festival booking without fully understanding its political associations, describing the offer simply as “a cool lineup” that looked like a mix of rock and country. He said neither he nor lead singer Brent Smith was aware the event was tied to organizer Kid Rock, an artist widely seen as aligned with conservative politics. “We took the offer and played it, and then all of a sudden we find out, ‘Oh, this has got some political leaning to it,’” Kerch said, stressing that the band itself is apolitical.
Kerch’s main gripe was with Ludacris’s withdrawal from the lineup shortly after it was announced. The rapper’s name was removed from the official Rock the Country bill amid backlash from fans upset about his association with artists perceived as politically aligned, especially after social media criticism. Festival representatives later said Ludacris’s inclusion was a “mix-up” and that “lines got crossed.”
In Kerch’s view, Ludacris’s decision to pull out — at a time when the rapper doesn’t “need the money” — demonstrated a lack of backbone. “If he’s not tough enough to stick it out, that’s just silly. That’s him being a coward, in my opinion,” Kerch said. He reiterated that Shinedown doesn’t care about the politics surrounding the event and just wants to play music alongside other acts.
Host Jason Bailey also asked Kerch whether Shinedown would ever drop out of a festival due to political backlash or controversy involving other performers. Kerch responded that the band operates as a “democracy,” with each member voting on decisions, but said he personally would hope they wouldn’t pull out — emphasizing that his focus is on music, not politics.
Shinedown’s participation in the Rock the Country festival — a touring event featuring acts such as Jason Aldean, Nelly, Creed and Lynyrd Skynyrd alongside headliner Kid Rock — remains scheduled for July 26 in Anderson, South Carolina. Despite the political overtones perceived by many, including references to America’s heritage and nationalist imagery in past promotions, the band has maintained that their decision to play is rooted in a desire to perform music rather than take a stance on any social or political issues.
The episode has drawn mixed responses online. Some fans applaud Kerch’s blunt defense of performing the show and his refusal to let politics dictate artistic choices, while others argue that participating in a festival associated with polarizing figures and rhetoric is inherently political, and that calling Ludacris a coward for withdrawing overlooks the broader context behind his decision.
