From rocking the stage to running afoul of the law, Kid Rock’s journey is anything but ordinary. Continue reading…

Looks like Kid Rock isn’t the only one dropping a new song after the Super Bowl halftime show(s). Lee Brice announced tonight that he’ll be releasing his new single, “Country Nowadays,” on February 19, after debuting the patriotic anthem during the Turning Point USA All-American Halftime Show. Brice first teased the song during an interview with Breitbart News ahead of the performance, announcing that the song would be available on his still yet-to-be-announced upcoming 30-song album. The politically-charged anthem finds Brice lamenting the state of the country these days: “It ain’t easy being country in this country nowadays The direction of fingers point when it all goes up in flames Saying I’m some right wing devil because I was downside red letter raised It ain’t easy being country in this country nowadays” In introducing the song during the halftime show, Brice praised TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk for giving people a voice to speak out about their beliefs: “Charlie, he gave people microphones so they could say what was on their minds. This is what was on mine.” One verse (and line) in particular really seemed to resonate on social media: “I just want to cut my grass, feed my dog, wear my boots Not turn the TV on, sit and watch the evening news Be told if I tell my own daughter That little boys ain’t little girls I’ll be up a creek in hot water In this cancel-your-a** world” Immediately after the performance I began getting messages from people wanting to know where they could find the song, and it wasn’t long before Lee himself gave us our answer. The song is available for pre-save now on streaming platforms, and according to Spotify will be dropping everywhere on February 19. Pre-Save/Pre-Add “Country Nowadays” NOW! Link in bio. pic.twitter.com/qsWy8Oikj7 — Lee Brice (@leebrice) February 9, 2026 Lee’s announcement comes as Kid Rock also gears up to drop a song that he performed during the halftime show. After opening with his own rockin’ song “Bawitaba,” Kid Rock (whose real name is Robert Ritchie) slowed things down with his own spin on Cody Johnson’s #1 single “Til You Can’t,” even adding his own verse that he wrote after the death of Charlie Kirk: “There’s a book that is sitting in your house somewhere That could use some dusting off There’s a man that died for all our sins, hanging on the cross You can give your life to Jesus, and he’ll give you a second chance ‘Til you can’t” Kid introduced the new lyrics by saying that he woke up one morning and felt called to add one more verse: “I awoke one Sunday morning all alone with this song stuck in my head, and in that moment, something or someone spoke to me. They said there was still a verse that needed to be written for this song. And to get up and write it down.”  It’s a version of the song that Kid Rock first performed back in November while filling in for CoJo during the Hondo Rodeo Fest. And ahead of the halftime show, Kid even recorded his version of “Til You Can’t” to drop as a single tonight at midnight. If you enjoyed our version of "Til Ya Can’t” on The TPUSA All American Halftime – Our studio recording of it will be available to purchase or stream at midnight tonight! A big thank you to @codyjohnson and the songwriters Ben Stennis and Matt Rogers for giving me there blessing… pic.twitter.com/KzKUfKHebh — KidRock (@KidRock) February 9, 2026 I have a feeling both of these songs are going to be pretty popular.The post Lee Brice Announces New Single “Country Nowadays,” Which He Performed During Turning Point USA Super Bowl Halftime, Dropping This Month first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Putting a new spin on their #1 hit. If you watched the Turning Point USA All-American Halftime Show tonight during the Super Bowl, you heard Kid Rock deliver a soulful cover of the Cody Johnson hit “Til You Can’t.” After opening with his own rockin’ song “Bawitaba,” Kid Rock (whose real name is Robert Ritchie) slowed things down with his own spin on Cody’s #1 single, even adding his own verse that he wrote after the death of Charlie Kirk: “There’s a book that is sitting in your house somewhere That could use some dusting off There’s a man that died for all our sins, hanging on the cross You can give your life to Jesus, and he’ll give you a second chance ‘Til you can’t” Kid introduced the new lyrics by saying that he woke up one morning and felt called to add one more verse: “I awoke one Sunday morning all alone with this song stuck in my head, and in that moment, something or someone spoke to me. They said there was still a verse that needed to be written for this song. And to get up and write it down.”  It’s a version of the song that Kid Rock first performed back in November while filling in for CoJo during the Hondo Rodeo Fest. And ahead of the halftime show, Kid even recorded his version of “Til You Can’t” to drop as a single tonight at midnight. In a post announcing the song’s release for streaming and download, the rockstar revealed that he was given the blessing of both Cody Johnson and the songwriters, Ben Stennis and Matt Rogers, to record his version of their #1 hit: “A big thank you to [Cody Johnson] and the songwriters Ben Stennis and Matt Rogers for giving me [their] blessing to record and release it, It really is one of the best written songs I have heard in a long time and NOTHING is more powerful than a great song in my book!” If you enjoyed our version of "Til Ya Can’t” on The TPUSA All American Halftime – Our studio recording of it will be available to purchase or stream at midnight tonight! A big thank you to @codyjohnson and the songwriters Ben Stennis and Matt Rogers for giving me there blessing… pic.twitter.com/KzKUfKHebh — KidRock (@KidRock) February 9, 2026 Not to get too much into the laws surrounding copyright and song licensing, but unlike a simple cover, adding a new verse to an existing song creates a “derivative work” that generally requires permission from the copyright holders. So Kid Rock’s version of the song likely wouldn’t have been possible were Stennis and Rogers not onboard. Luckily, they gave their blessing, and the new version will be available everywhere soon. The alternate broadcast obviously received a lot of criticism from the left and the media (but I repeat myself). But Kid Rock, along with the other headliners, insisted that the Turning Point USA halftime show was simply an opportunity to play music for those who didn’t feel represented by the “official” halftime show: “At the end of the day, like people like Taylor Sheridan and Tyler Perry have, they realize there’s a big portion of this country, like it or not, that’s underserved entertainment-wise. We’re just going to go play for our base, you know, people who love America, love football, love Jesus. And it’s pretty much that simple. Of course, the media and the haters are going to try to detract from it. And I think I would like to get this point across once again when I say I think I speak for Turning Point and all the artists involved that none of us are approaching this with any hate in our hearts at all. It’s just a love for our base and love for music, our country and everything else.” The Turning Point USA YouTube stream peaked at over 6 million simultaneous views, while also being broadcast on several networks and various social media channels. It’ll be interesting to see the final numbers, but it’s safe to say that regardless of the numbers for both halftime shows, TPUSA’s venture was a massive success.The post Kid Rock Says Cody Johnson & “Til You Can’t” Songwriters Gave Their Blessing For His Cover first appeared on Whiskey Riff.

Here's what you missed from the Turning Point USA All-American halftime show. Continue reading…

If you’ve got a chance, take it. Kid Rock had some surprises in store during his performance at the Turning Point USA Turning Point USA Unveils Lineup For All-American Super Bowl Halftime Show, breaking out a version of a Cody Johnson hit that he first debuted last year. During an appearance on Fox News ahead of the alternate Super Bowl halftime show, Kid Rock teased a surprise cover that he planned to perform during the broadcast, which he said would be released on streaming soon after: “Musically I know that nothing beats a great song. That’s the most powerful thing. No performance, no pyro, no lighting will beat a great song, so I’m gonna flip a 180 and do what I think is one of the best-written songs in a long time, and then that night at midnight that song will be released, streaming and downloading, everywhere.” And when he said it was one of the best-written songs in a long time, he wasn’t wrong. For the halftime show, Kid Rock broke out his soulful version of Cody Johnson’s #1 hit “Til You Can’t,” adding a verse that he wrote after the death of Charlie Kirk: “There’s a book that is sitting in your house somewhere That could use some dusting off There’s a man that died for all our sins, hanging on the cross You can give your life to Jesus, and he’ll give you a second chance ‘Til you can’t” Kid introduced the new lyrics by saying that he woke up one morning and felt called to add one more verse: “I awoke one Sunday morning all alone with this song stuck in my head, and in that moment, something or someone spoke to me. They said there was still a verse that needed to be written for this song. And to get up and write it down.”  Kid Rock (whose real name is Robert Ritchie) first performed his version of the song last November during an appearance at the Hondo Rodeo Fest, when he stepped in for Johnson at the last minute after Cody was forced to cancel his appearance due to a busted ear drum. Along with Kid Rock, the halftime show also featured Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice and Gabby Barrett. You can watch the full show, including Kid Rock’s Cody Johnson cover, here: Turning Point USA first announced their alternate broadcast after the NFL announced that Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny would be headlining the Apple Music halftime show at Super Bowl LX, a controversial decision given his outspoken statements against President Donald Trump and his immigration policy. Recently during the GRAMMY Awards, Bad Bunny once again made a political statement with his acceptance speech: “Before I say thanks to God, I’m gonna say: ICE out. We’re not savage, we’re not animals, we’re not aliens. We are humans and we are Americans.” Bad Bunny says "ICE OUT" at the #Grammys and receives a massive standing ovation: "We are not savage, we are not animals, we are not aliens, we are humans and we are Americans. The hate gets more powerful with more hate. The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love.… pic.twitter.com/IFzvguqdCR — Variety (@Variety) February 2, 2026 The alternate halftime show obviously received a lot of criticism from the left and the media (but I repeat myself). But Kid Rock, along with the other headliners, insisted that the Turning Point USA halftime show was simply an opportunity to play music for those who didn’t feel represented by the “official” halftime show: “At the end of the day, like people like Taylor Sheridan and Tyler Perry have, they realize there’s a big portion of this country, like it or not, that’s underserved entertainment-wise. We’re just going to go play for our base, you know, people who love America, love football, love Jesus. And it’s pretty much that simple. Of course, the media and the haters are going to try to detract from it. And I think I would like to get this point across once again when I say I think I speak for Turning Point and all the artists involved that none of us are approaching this with any hate in our hearts at all. It’s just a love for our base and love for music, our country and everything else.” Before the show even started there were already over 1.5 million people watching on Turning Point USA’s YouTube stream alone, and viewership appeared to peak at over 6 million simultaneous streams just on YouTube, so it’s safe to say it was a success, regardless of your opinion on it. Turning Point USA All-American Halftime Show Setlist Real American – Brantley Gilbert Dirt Road Anthem – Brantley Gilbert I Hope – Gabby Barrett The Good Ones – Gabby Barrett Drinking Class – Lee Brice Country Nowadays – Lee Brice Hard To Love – Lee Brice Bawitaba – Kid Rock Til You Can’t – Kid Rock (Cody Johnson cover) Brantley Gilbert Speaks On TPUSA Halftime Show When Turning Point USA announced their lineup for their halftime show, some questions directed at Brantley Gilbert apparently started pouring in. That’s at least what I’m assuming, since the country music artist put out a statement earlier today that was titled “For those asking ‘Who is Brantley Gilbert?’ and ‘Why Is He Playing This Event?’” Feeling as though he had to defend his decision and involvement with the alternative show, Gilbert first shared a bit about himself, and provided some commentary on the current state of the country: “I’m a songwriter who grew up, and still lives in Jackson County, Georgia, whose goal in the music business was to sell out the local theater a few miles from my house and somehow make my living writing songs. I’m a recovering addict with the history of all the bad choices that come with it. I’m not proud of those choices, but I am proud of the choice I’ve made to live in another direction. I share my story through my music, in hopes that it may help and inspire others in their darkest hour. I’m a Christian, and I love our country, despite its flaws. I’ve dedicated part of my life to the men and women who fight for it, and the families of those who gave their life for it. Above all, I’m a proud husband and  father of three.” The “Bottoms Up” singer went on to say that he’s taking pride in bringing country music back to the halftime show (even though it’s not necessarily an official return to the NFL stage), and ultimately decided to join the lineup because he wanted to make his kids proud: “We’re celebrating 250 years as a country, and it’s been more than 20 years since a country artist has been asked to play the Super Bowl halftime show. I respect that some people may see this differently, but I’m not playing this show to be divisive. I was offered this opportunity and imagined my kids watching their daddy perform at halftime during the biggest game in American football. Everything I do, I do for them.” Gilbert concluded with a unifying message, and sharing that he has a prayer for the United States to come together and be united. The country artist then said that he’s excited to take the stage on Sunday, which all but confirms that Turning Point USA will be trying to pull off a live performance right at the same time that Bad Bunny takes the stage at Super Bowl LX: “The way I treat people isn’t conditional based on what our differences may be. I believe “united we stand, divided we fall,” and my prayer for our country is that we stand united. Thank you to my road family and all the fans who have stood beside me. Looking forward to hitting the stage this Sunday and giving folks a hell of a show.” pic.twitter.com/T7kGIXEz6w — Brantley Gilbert (@brantleygilbert) February 6, 2026 Lee Brice: Nothing Against Bad Bunny For Brice, he says it wasn’t anything against Bad Bunny that made him want to be a part of TPUSA’s counterprogramming: “I don’t know much about him. I’ve heard he’s won a bunch of Grammys and he’s a great artist or whatever. But, you know, I didn’t get asked to play the other Super Bowl, but I did get asked to do this and be a part of something that I believe in.” During an interview with Fox News, Brice says the halftime show is a reflection of the organization’s late founder’s mission: “Charlie Kirk wanted everybody to have a microphone, and it’s a celebration of what he believed in and what he brought to the table. And I’m just proud. You know, I’m proud to be an American. And I’m excited. I’m a musician. I get to go play music.” The post Kid Rock Performs Soulful Cody Johnson Cover During Turning Point USA Super Bowl Halftime Show first appeared on Whiskey Riff.