Country Stars Make Their Voices Heard On Hurricane Relief

Remember Outlaw Country?

Mega-stars like Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson 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.

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)

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 not every rescue effort 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, donating $1 million to the cause. Morgan Wallen followed, leveraging his charitable foundation for hurricane relief. He also got a hand from rebel comedian Theo Von.

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)

Later, country superstars Eric Church and Luke Combs announced a fundraising “Concert for Carolina” 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.

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)

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!”) 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 & Rich for a free September celebration of their all-American pluck.

Rich riled up the crowd, getting a huge response to a simple question: “Do you still love America?”  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 didn’t like embracing the U.S. flag in such fashion. “There’s a lot of people who are in huge favor of this. They love this. And then there’s a lot of people who think this is a really bad idea … I don’t think there’s a consensus about this.”

As recently as 2020, country crooners recognized the need to protect the First Amendment. How … radical. Brad Paisley, Kane Brown, Loretta Lynn, Jason Isabell and Darius Rucker rallied behind the “My Free Speech” national ad campaign.

And Oliver Anthony became a literal overnight sensation with his populist anthem, “Rich Men North of Richmond.” The tune’s Everyman cry spoke volumes about the state of the country, catapulting him up the music charts.

John Shearer/Getty Images for for Morgan Wallen’s One Night At A Time 2024

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.

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Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of HollywoodInToto.com. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at @HollywoodInToto.

The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.