Kid Rock's Rock the Country festival scraps stop as band pulls out
- - Kid Rock's Rock the Country festival scraps stop as band pulls out
Brendan Morrow, USA TODAYFebruary 9, 2026 at 2:26 AM
0
Kid Rock's 2026 Rock the Country tour has lost more talent, and one of its planned stops has been scrapped entirely.
The festival tour, which is set to feature vocal conservatives including Kid Rock, has canceled a pair of shows that were scheduled for July 25 and July 26 in Anderson, South Carolina, according to The Post and Courier. Anderson County Administrator Rusty Burns told the outlet the county was informed of the cancellation on Feb. 5 but not given a reason.
Organizers told Fox Carolina the shows were canceled because of "unforeseen circumstances."
USA TODAY has reached out to the Rock the Country tour for more information.
Kid Rock looks on as President Donald Trump signs an executive order targeting ticket scalping at the White House on March 31, 2025.
The South Carolina stop no longer appears on the Rock the Country website, which previously said the tour would consist of "8 massive shows," but now advertises "7 massive shows." The site had said that artists including Shinedown would perform in Anderson.
Rock the Country: All the artists who've pulled out of Kid Rock's festival tour
On Feb. 6, though, Shinedown confirmed it had pulled out of the festival. In a statement shared on Instagram, the rock band said its "purpose is to unite, not divide," adding, "We do not want to participate in something we believe will create further division."
Country singer Morgan Wade previously dropped out of the tour, her management confirmed to Billboard, and Carter Faith also backed out, according to Rolling Stone.
Brent Smith of Shinedown performs during iHeartRadio Hot 99.5's Jingle Ball in Washington on Dec. 16, 2025.
Rock the Country is described as a "celebration of community, tradition, and the spirit that's carried America through 250 years," tying into the United States' Semiquincentennial. The tour was founded by Kid Rock, a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump, in 2024. The current lineup includes Kid Rock, Jason Aldean, Blake Shelton, Jelly Roll and Miranda Lambert, among other artists.
The tour will kick off in May in Bellville, Texas, with additional stops planned in Georgia, South Dakota, Kentucky, Michigan, Florida and New York.
1 / 6Kid Rock appears before Senate to testify about Ticketmaster pricingMusician Kid Rock arrives to a subcommittee hearing with the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation in the Russell Senate Office Building on Jan. 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. The subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Technology, and Data Privacy, held the hearing to discuss the live entertainment industry and improper ticket sale practices.
Ludacris was initially listed as part of the festival's lineup, but he confirmed in January that he would not perform amid backlash from fans. At the time, a representative for the rapper told Rolling Stone his inclusion on the lineup was "a mix-up," adding, "Lines got crossed and he wasn’t supposed to be on there."
News of the Rock the Country cancellation comes as Kid Rock is set to headline the conservative organization Turning Point USA's "All-American Halftime Show," described as an alternative to Bad Bunny's official Super Bowl halftime show.
Contributing: Taijuan Moorman
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kid Rock's Rock the Country festival canceled in South Carolina
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
