Paying tribute to his friend. Jason and Brittany Aldean were very friendly with Charlie Kirk prior to his assassination on September 10 during an event at Utah Valley University. Shortly after the 31-year-old’s death, Jason Aldean shared a message about the impact Kirk had on his life: “It’s been a hard day not only in our family, but all over the country. Charlie Kirk was one of the kindest, smartest and bravest people I’ve ever met. I’m honored to have met and spoke with him on a few occasions. He was a man of peace and wanted nothing but the best for our country and its youth. We might have lost Charlie today but what he has done will live on forever. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, kids and the entire Kirk family.” View this post on Instagram Since the assassination, Kirk’s wife, Erika, has taken over Turning Point USA as it’s CEO, stepping into the role that her husband used to hold. And because she has powered through being widowed and continued to keep the spirit of her late husband alive, last night she was honored at the 7th Annual Patriot Awards, hosted by Fox Nation, with the “Charlie Kirk Legacy Award,” which was presented to her by Jason and Brittany Aldean. And Jason also took the stage to honor his friend with a stripped-back performance of one of his biggest hits, “Try That In A Small Town.” In introducing the song, Aldean admits that he’s not sure Charlie Kirk was the biggest country music guy, but he understood the message of the song – one that many in the media deliberately misinterpreted after the song was was released to try to make it into a divisive issue: “I feel honored to be here tonight to pay tribute to our fallen friend, Charlie Kirk. Charlie was one of a kind, and will forever be missed and remembered by everyone who had the chance to know him. Though he was taken from us way too soon, his dedication to, and the impact he made with Turning Point USA lives on through his wife Erika and the countless dedicated staff members who have made it clear that they will honor his legacy by continuing and growing Turning Point’s mission like never before. Violence and division in our country have become way too common over the last few years, and I hope at some point we can all learn to have conversations again where we all want the same thing, which is a better country and future for our families. I know that’s what Charlie wanted too. I don’t know that Charlie was a big country music fan, I think he was more of a hip-hop guy maybe, from what I hear, but I know he understood where we were coming from with this next song, and it’s an honor to pay tribute to him and his family this evening.” @foxnews “I think he was more of a hip hop guy maybe from what I hear. But I know he understood where we were coming from with this next song.” Jason Aldean pays tribute to Charlie Kirk at the @foxnation Patriot Awards with ‘Try That in a Small Town.’ ♬ original sound – Fox News – Fox News Along with “Try That In A Small Town,” Aldean also performed his latest single “How Far Does A Goodbye Go,” and today he just announced that his next album, Songs About Us, will be dropping in April 2026.The post Jason Aldean Pays Tribute To Charlie Kirk With Stripped Back Performance Of “Try That In A Small Town” first appeared on Whiskey Riff.