Jason and Brittany Aldean were a major part of the 2025 Patriot Awards.
FOX Nation hosted its seventh annual Patriot Awards ceremony on Nov. 6 at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts in Brookville, New York.
Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, was honored with the inaugural Charlie Kirk Legacy Award. The Aldeans presented the award to Erika on Thursday night. FOX News’ Jesse Watters also presented the award to Erika.
After presenting the award to Erika, Jason later took the stage to perform one of his hit songs. Prior to his performance, Jason shared a few words about Kirk.
JASON ALDEAN AND WIFE BRITTANY HONOR CHARLIE KIRK WITH EMOTIONAL DUET
“Charlie was one of a kind and will forever be missed,” he said of the Turning Point USA CEO. “Violence and division in our country has become way too common.”
“I don’t know that Charlie was a big country music fan… he was more of a hip-hop guy 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.”
Jason then performed his hit, “Try That in a Small Town.” He is also expected to perform “How Far Does a Goodbye Go,” a song from his new album, later on in the show.
Prior to the big night, Brittany was documenting her day on social media. She shared an elevator mirror selfie wearing an all-black leather outfit with wired headphones in one ear. She tagged her location as New York City, which is where the Patriot Awards were held. Brittany was also holding a water bottle and had a pair of sunglasses on her head.
She also uploaded a photo of her breakfast, captioning the image, “Wine/juice kinda morning,” with a heart emoji. The image featured a glass of white wine next to a cup of green juice that was partially drunk.
The Aldeans have been very outspoken about the death of Charlie Kirk, who was shot and killed while speaking outside of Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.
JASON ALDEAN, CANDACE CAMERON BURE MOURN CHARLIE KIRK AFTER TURNING POINT USA FOUNDER’S DEATH AT 31
A few weeks after his death, the 48-year-old country star and the 37-year-old former “American Idol” contestant shared a joint Instagram post that featured a black-and-white video in which they sang Luke Bryan’s 2013 ballad about the unexpected loss of a loved one.
Jason was seen seated on a counter as he played a guitar while Brittany stood beside him. “For Charlie,” they wrote in the caption with a red heart emoji.
The video began with an image of the couple that was taken during Kirk’s memorial service. Jason and Brittany were seen from behind as they stood with their arms around each other and faced the stage at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
BRITTANY ALDEAN CALLS CHARLIE KIRK ASSASSINATION ‘EVIL’ IN EMOTIONAL VIDEO
Following the service, Brittany took to Instagram to detail the service for her followers. She admitted that the day “was overwhelming,” but said that she was inspired by how Kirk “impacted people.”
“Yesterday we went to Charlie’s funeral service in Arizona, and it was vastly different than what I anticipated in the sense that it was just so faith-based,” Brittany began. “I knew it was going to be, but everyone was worshiping … everybody. There was just something different in the room.”
“This man’s legacy that he has left, the impact that he’s had on so many people … Like, I knew he had impacted a ton of people, but this feels different,” Brittany said. “His death does feel like – everyone said in the services – a revival. It’s putting more people in touch with their faith, and just making such a difference in so many different lives, and it was very apparent yesterday.”
She noted, “It was overwhelming. I expected to go in there and cry the whole time. I brought this big thing of tissues, and instead, it was weirdly positive and extremely sad, but it was awesome to hear stories about him personally and … how he’s impacted people, and how he’s going to be so missed, but that his legacy was so large.”
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“He had a different purpose in life, and it was just so good to hear people say that. There was just a different plan that was greater for him that God knew,” Brittany added. “It left me feeling more positive after the service, and he’s obviously so missed. Something’s different about this.”
Brittany left her followers with the note, “They keep saying live like Charlie, so I’m going to really try to do that daily.”
On Sept. 11, Jason paid tribute to Kirk during a concert in Detroit, Michigan. At one point during the show, he took a moment to speak about Kirk and the impact he had on his life and career.
“An amazing person by the name of Charlie Kirk was murdered yesterday in Utah,” he told fans, as seen in video captured by an audience member.
Cheers erupted at the mention of Kirk’s name, and Jason continued to explain that he knew Kirk personally and had the opportunity to meet with him multiple times over the past few years.
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“One of the best people ever,” he said of Kirk. “This is not the guy you go after, is what I’m trying to say. And it’s a weird country that we live in when you start taking people out because you disagree with their opinions. That’s not what we’re about here.”
He continued, “This guy wanted nothing more than what was best for all of us, and for our kids moving forward. Charlie is a guy that’s going to be very, very much missed, and this is something that his legacy is going to live on forever with Turning Point [USA] and what he’s done with only 31 years on this planet, it’s amazing.”
Jason went on to perform “Try That in a Small Town” in honor of Kirk.
