Gavin Adcock was able to walk away when his social media nemesis Zach Bryan tried to start a physical fight with him at an Oklahoma festival.
But the “Run Your Mouth” singer might face another confrontation — this time with a different artist — at Stagecoach next April. Will he be able to avoid putting his dukes up again?
Adcock’s newest squabble is with a singer named Benjamin Tod, the frontman of Lost Dog Street Band and an Americana fan favorite from Tennessee.
Read More: Gavin Adcock Had One Good Reason Not to Fight Zach Bryan Back
Essentially, Adcock made a comment implying that Tod is never going to be a star and should probably “get a new job.” Tod fired back with some harsh words of his own, saying Adcock “has no concept of hard work” and, “You don’t represent Christians, and you do not represent country music.”
Tod concluded with, “See you at Stagecoach, motherf–ker.”
At first glance, it might seem odd that Adcock would take aim at an artist whose music, fan base and overall scene is pretty far removed from his own. So what’s his dog in this fight? Stick with us — we’ll break it down.
Why Did Gavin Adcock Start Beef With Benjamin Tod?
The whole thing seems to date back to an interview Tod gave to the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast in early November.
The Country Limits TikTok page resurfaced a clip from that interview, where Tod appeared to disparage artists who get TikTok-famous and skyrocket to stardom — skipping over those who’ve spent years paying their dues the old-fashioned way.
He specifically referenced the stretch of a singer’s career when they “eat s–t at dive bars for a pitcher of beer and $75 for playing three hours for years.”
He said artists who rise quickly through TikTok often “don’t know a goddamn thing about” country music, and he specifically mentioned Sam Barber as someone who got famous almost overnight — a trajectory that can be difficult to watch for “us old-heads who clawed our way through the f–king mud.”
Tod later clarified that he “did nothing but say good things about Sam Barber,” and blamed the viral clip on “a completely fake account making fake content.”
But it wasn’t Barber who took issue with that TikTok clip. Nope, it was Gavin Adcock.
“If you’ve played for $75 for years and years you need a new job,” Adcock replied.
Gavin Adcock Benjamin Tod Feud
It’s plausible that Adcock felt like he might be one of those fast-rising stars Tod was railing against in the interview.
Adcock has said on The Bobby Bones Show that he didn’t start really playing guitar until he was 22 (he’s 27 now).
Read More: Who is Gavin Adcock? Here Are His Best Songs
His first taste of fame also came from a viral video, though that clip didn’t have a whole lot to do with his music. It was a viral beer-chugging video that dates back to his football days — and actually wound up getting him suspended from the team.
It’s also possible that he doesn’t believe in the idea that artists should play for a pittance when they’re cutting their teeth.
In that same Bobby Bones interview, he told a story about trying to play a bar in his hometown, but the owner told him he’d only get paid a portion of the total drinks sold that night. Adcock says he went across the street to another bar where he’d get paid $300, and when he wound up bringing in a packed house, the owner paid him $500 instead.
What Did Benjamin Tod Say in His Response to Gavin Adcock?
Tod didn’t mince words.
He said Adcock’s reaction was “completely emblematic of why people like Gavin Adcock cannot represent country music, and pointed out that “95 percent of our industry” performs at bars, often for low pay.
“You know many years Willie Nelson burned up the road? Don’t even get me started on the Louvin Brothers, Waylon [Jennings], Johnny [Cash],” Tod continued.
“You have no f–king concept of the relationship between talent and success and the inequalities that exist throughout this industry,” he continued, “that lend to someone like you getting power easily.”
He also called Adcock “an entitled little brat” who “got handed everything in life.”
“You are a lazy, stupid, shiftless motherf–ker,” Tod continued, also saying that Adcock’s actions don’t fit what he describes as his Christian faith.
Did Benjamin Tod Threaten to Fight Gavin Adcock?
“I’ll see you at Stagecoach, motherf–ker,” he said as a sign-off in his response to Adcock.
Though that in itself isn’t directly a nod to the singer’s near-fight with Zach Bryan, it does seem like Tod was alluding to that incident, especially when coupled with the caption of his post: “Who needs to jump a fence when you’re a hand grenade?”
What Other Beefs Has Gavin Adcock Started?
Adcock has beefed with several other artists at this point, and by our count, he’s started every last one of those feuds.
In addition to Bryan, Adcock has also taken shots at Beyoncé, Charley Crockett and Nickelback’s sound guy.
Read More: Zach Bryan Hops Fence, Tries to Fight Gavin Adcock in Oklahoma
Their responses have been varied, from Beyoncé (radio silence) to Bryan (scaled a fence to try and start a brawl.)
But from Tod’s response, it sounds like there’s at least a small probability that, come Stagecoach next spring, he might ask Adcock to repeat those fightin’ words, right to his face.
Adcock might be making some enemies in country music, but he’s got some powerful friends, too. He counts Morgan Wallen as a buddy. Wallen even seemed to take Adcock’s side in his Charley Crockett beef during an onstage moment back in September.
10 Gavin Adcock Songs Every New Fan Should Hear
A traditionalist at heart who’s also not afraid to push genre boundaries and incorporate novel sounds, Gavin Adcock is walking his own line in country music.
What other country artists incorporate grunge rock, blues and yodeling — sometimes even in the same song? Keep reading for a primer on the 10 best Gavin Adcock songs to listen to if you want to get a taste of what this buzzy newcomer is all about.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
