Since the horrific gun-related massacres at the Route 91 Harvest festival in Las Vegas and Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, some country artists have started to rethink their loyalty to the NRA. These 37, however, have doubled down on their support — and remain recipients NRA funds.
Country music’s die-hard allegiance to the NRA is starting to get tricky. But as adamant as NRA opponents have grown, some country artists are doubling down on their allegiance to the organization. In fact, many are likely strengthening their pro-gun fanbases in the process.
The list NRA supporters no longer includes the likes Caleb Keeter, guitarist for the Josh Abbott Band. Keeter, a longtime gun rights advocate, reversed his position after surviving the Route 91 Harvest massacre last year.
The Route 91 Harvest — a country music festival with a solidly pro-gun audience — was the scene a the worst massacre in U.S. history involving an active shooter. Yet the event did little to shift thinking amongst country artists on gun control. In fact, almost all the artists that were publicly sponsored by the NRA immediately before the Las Vegas shooting have remained publicly loyal to the organization.
As part the NRA’s community outreach efforts, the organization sponsors and supports a significant group country artists. The demographic match makes sense, and artists need the money. Accordingly, on the NRA website, a total 37 country artists are publicly listed as NRA advocates.
Since the Vegas massacre, only one name has been removed from that list: Frankie Ballard.
But as quickly as Ballard dropped out, another artist moved in. Accordingly, the Ballard was quickly replaced by another country talent, Drew Baldridge. Which means that since the monstrous events in both Vegas and Florida, the number country artists publicly campaigning for the gun rights organization has remained the same.
Here are the 37 country artists that publicly endorse the NRA, and receive funding from the group.
The group artists is proudly listed on the organization’s site, many posing with guns and NRA hats.
- Trace Adkins
- Rodney Atkins
- Frankie Ballard
Drew Baldridge (new) - Lee Brice
- The Swon Brothers
- Craig Campbell
- Luke Combs
- Easton Corbin
- Tyler Farr
- Colt Ford
- Kevin Fowler
- Lucas Hoge
- Angie Johnson
- Aaron Lewis
- LoCash
- Love and Theft
- Montgomery Gentry
- Justin Moore=
- Craig Morgan
- Heidi Newfield
- Jon Pardi
- Eric Paslay
- Michael Ray
- Chase Rice
- Pete Scobell
- Granger Smith
- Big SMO
- Blackberry Smoke
- Tate Stevens
- Sunny Sweeney
- Josh Thompson
- Storme Warren
- Aaron Watson
- Drake White
- Chuck Wicks
- Hank Williams
- Gretchen Wilson
