'Unite, Not Divide': Shinedown Drops-Out of Rock The Country Music Festival

Shinedown is no longer performing at the traveling rock festival Rock the Country, headlined by Kid Rock, noting in a statement that their band aims to “unite, not divide.”

The Florida rockers were set to headline the July 25 and 26 editions of Rock the Country in Anderson, South Carolina this year, however, the band took to social media to share that they are dropping-off the lineup. Shinedown noted that they are “everyone’s band” and “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,” Shinedown said. “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. We know this decision will create differences of opinion. But we do not want to participate in something we believe will create further division.”

However, it’s worth noting that Shinedown’s drummer Barry Kerch recently called Ludacris a “coward” after he dropped out of the festival. Ludacris’ representatives called his name a “mix-up” on the lineup.

Kerch appeared on “The Vinyl Road” podcast previously and said that the band really didn’t have a clue the festival was “Kid Rock’s thing.”

“It was just, ‘Hey, here’s an offer. It looks like a cool lineup, and it’s a mix of country and rock. Okay, we’ll play it,’” Kerch said. “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 added: “I don’t care. I’m just gonna go play a show. I really, really don’t care. You can keep your politics to yourself.”

Nonetheless, Shinedown has seemingly changed their mind about the festival. It is unclear if the South Carolina shows will still move forward; the gigs have since been removed from the festival’s website.

A message from Shinedown pic.twitter.com/IinAWc1BQj

— SHINEDOWN (@Shinedown) February 6, 2026