Jamey Johnson Goes on Epic Rant Against Local Pop Country DJs

WARNING: Language

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Whoa, Jamey Johnson, tell us how you really feel!

The traditional country stalwart was in Lincoln, Nebraska Friday night, August 12th, playing the “Lincoln on the Streets” event with Blackberry Smoke and Ella Langley. The city had blocked off a portion of ‘M’ street downtown for the event, near the city’s Centennial Mall.

After Blackberry Smoke had finished playing and before Jamey Johnson took the stage, personalities from the local pop country radio station, New Country KX 96.9, came out to fill time between the set change. The crowd of mostly traditional country fans was not too impressed with the results, and neither was Jamey Johnson. And as opposed to keeping his opinion to himself, Jamey Johnson went off.

There was a radio station that came out on this stage uninvited to run a little pep rally before I came out. I feel like I oughta tell you, I don’t care what radio station you listen to in the morning, they’re all good,” Jamey Johnson said. “They’re all good, and they’re no better than any of the other ones. And the thing is, none of them play my music, so why should they be up on my stage playing to you?”

Then Jamey Johnson continued, “I thought we had a good deal worked out. Y’all don’t play my music, and I don’t play yours, so stay the fuck off my stage! ‘Kicks’ whatever the fuck your name is, who gives a shit?'”

The crowd roared in approval. See video of the incident from Steve Mossman and the Nebraska Red Dirt and Country Music page on Facebook below.

“I saw it coming (like a volcano),” says Saving Country Music reader Steve Mossman, who was in the crowd. “The [KX 96.9] DJ’s came up between Blackberry and Jamey and stuck out like a sore thumb so not a bit surprised Jamey let them have it … I believe they ‘misunderestimated’ the depths of Jamey’s loathing. Classic outlaw country moment (like Waylon walking off the set of Tom Snyder show) that I am proud to be a witness to.”

Jamey Johnson then dedicated his next song “Can’t Cash My Checks” to “‘Rowdy’ J Cope,” also known as Jason “Rowdy” Cope, who used to play with Jamey Johnson before forming the Southern rock band The Steel Woods and passed away in 2021.

Jamey Johnson has been known to take a stand every now and then, whether it’s standing up for the American Flag, or taking off his belt and whipping unruly concertgoers off the stage. This moment Friday night in Nebraska will definitely go down in the Jamey Johnson Hall of Fame as he spoke up for so many frustrated and angry country music fans whose interests are no longer served on mainstream country radio.

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