“It is Absolutely Pathetic”: Benjamin Tod Sounds Off on Gavin Adcock After Social Media Dig

Throwing in his two cents.

Benjamin Tod has responded to Gavin Adcock, after the latter commented on a video of Tod speaking about his musical journey, mocking, “If you've played for $75 for years and years you need a new job”. Tod has long been outspoken against aspects of the contemporary country scene, particularly the ‘bro-country’ space.

Tod has not held back in his response to Adcock, with the alt-country troubadour explaining that, in suggesting that artists who are not making a sizeable living from music should quit, he is unknowingly lambasting virtually the entire industry.

Tod begins, “Howdy folks. Benjamin Tod here, I didn't catch this for a few days because I'm not a teenager who sits on TikTok, but I have to talk about this. The reason why it's so wonderful is that it's completely emblematic of why people like Gavin Adcock cannot represent country music. You have no idea how many people you s*** on with this comment. You know how many years Willie Nelson burned up the road? Don't even get me started on The Louvin Brothers, Waylon, Johnny...”

He expands, “95% of our industry, you just insulted, because it shows this clear divide where you have no f***ing concept of the relationship between talent and success, and the inequalities that exist throughout this industry that lend to someone like you getting power easily. Second, it shows that you are an entitled little brat”.

Tod doubles down, “You have no concept of hard work. You have no concept of what it took for the majority of us to get here. It is absolutely pathetic. In my eyes, you insulted everyone, and you openly make the case that you don't appreciate or understand the hard work that artists like me and 95% of the industry who worked in that capacity for years and years and years to get where they are, because you got it handed to you, just like you got handed your daddy's truck, just like you got handed a scholarship to a D list school because you couldn't make third string on the Georgia Bulldogs...just like you got handed everything in life”.

The ‘Wyoming’ crooner concludes by taking aim at Adcock's faith, “You are a lazy, stupid, shiftless motherfucker...That cross on your hand ain't gonna save you from selling your soul to the Devil to get where you are. You don't represent Christians and you do not represent country music. I'll see you at Stagecoach, mother***er”.

Adcock has somehow found himself becoming a lightning rod for controversy and beef over the past year, with the ‘Morning Bail’ singer-songwriter wading into disputes with the likes of Charley Crockett, Zach Bryan and even Nickelback's sound-guy.

Similarly, Tod has never shied away from speaking his mind, with the Tennessee native regularly expressing his dislike for Nashville's ‘Bro-Country’ wave in the 2010's. Adcock is often viewed as pushing a new incarnation of that style.

There should definitely be room for experimentation and genre-blurring, as this helps the genre to grow and evolve, so some of Tod's comments about holding steadfast to the traditions of country music often feel misplaced. But here, it does feel like Adcock has overstepped by questioning why Tod is still plying his trade if he's earning $75. It's no-one else's business what he decides to do for a living, regardless of his salary. That being said, Tod's response is very heavy-handed, and he doesn't pull any punches as he criticises virtually every aspect of Adcock's personality.

That feels too far, particularly when he seemingly undermines Adcock's faith. Given the breadth of streaming, can't it be possible for two styles of country music to co-exist, without it having to descend into a bitter, spiteful war of words that ends up with the same, tiring debate - “What is real country music?” If you're a fan of Tod, cool, if you're a fan of Adcock, cool. When did it have to become a bigger statement about the fate of the genre simply because you gravitate to one style more than the other? Despite Tod's ominous sign-off, we're hoping Tod and Adcock bury the hatchet before their appearance at Stagecoach next Spring - because, quite frankly, if we're discussing what country music needs more or less of, one thing it definitely needs less of is grown men beefing.

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