As Turning Point USA prepares to air its alternative Super Bowl halftime show, Erika Kirk says the event carries deep personal meaning for her and her family.

Erika shared that the All-American Halftime Show is meant, in part, to honor her late husband, Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, who died in September 2025 at age 31.

“It’s powerful because what Charlie always loved and knew is that he wanted to be in the forefront of the culture war,” Erika said.

She continued, “He would be fist-pumping at this. He would be so stoked. And what better way to honor him than to just get in the middle of this and be able to offer an alternative to families.”

Erika went on to describe the show as an extension of the mission her husband cared deeply about — creating programming meant to reach entire households, across generations.

“That’s the thing that is so beautiful about Turning Point USA and our programs — it’s holistic, it’s for the entire home,” she told Fox News. “It’s of every age, and so for us to be able to provide an alternative that is pro-America, that is just pro-everything.”

She added that the goal was never to tear down other entertainment options, but to offer something different for families who feel underserved.

“I don’t want to go into details and bash that,” she explained. “There is apparently an audience that wants that — but there’s a larger audience that wants ours.”

Turning Point USA announced plans for the All-American Halftime Show last fall, positioning it as an alternative to the NFL’s official Super Bowl LIX halftime performance, headlined by Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny.

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Erika — who now serves as CEO of Turning Point USA — also praised the artists who agreed to participate.

“Our team has worked so hard,” she said. “The artists that have teamed up with us — I just want to say thank you to them. It’s very brave of them to do this. They partnered with us without hesitation, and it’s actually been a huge blessing. It’s going to be an unbelievable halftime show.”

All Eyes on the ‘All-American Halftime Show’

Turning Point USA’s All-American Halftime Show will stream live on Sunday (Feb. 8) at 8 p.m. ET.

Turning Point USA Halftime Show SURPRISE! What Kid Rock Won’t Tell You

The show will air across several platforms, including YouTube, Rumble, and X, as well as several right-leaning media networks such as Daily Wire+, TBN, OAN, and Real America’s Voice.

The show will feature performances from Kid Rock, Brantley Gilbert, Lee Brice, Gabby Barrett, and additional artists.

15 Country Artists Primed to Headline a Super Bowl Halftime Show

Any way you slice it, country music is long overdue for its time in the spotlight at the Super Bowl. Although several artists have sung the National Anthem at the game, the coveted halftime show has been anything but country for over three decades.

The last time anyone from the genre headlined the performance was in 1994, when Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, Wynonna Judd and Naomi Judd did a medley of their biggest hits. With country music gaining in popularity, there’s no better time than now to put one of our own in the spotlight. Here are 15 artists who are already primed to take on the task.

Gallery Credit: Jess

Lainey Wilson

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Lainey Wilson

There are few artists who can command a stage like Lainey Wilson. If you’ve seen her perform live, you know she visits every piece of that platform, giving everyone in the audience the best she has. Wilson was named CMA Entertainer of the Year in 2023 and 2025, so she’s very familiar with putting on a great show. In addition, she captivated football fans when she performed during the Lions-Vikings game on Christmas Day in 2025 . The “Wildflowers and Wild Horses” singer has several collaborations with many artists who could make for some incredible guest appearances.

Blake Shelton

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Blake Shelton

Fans of country music have loved Blake Shelton for decades. He has some beer-drinking songs in addition to some rockin’ anthems that he could pull out, which would delight both country and non-country viewers. Shelton has become quite popular across the country after his long stint as a coach on The Voice, making him a great choice to entertain on such a big stage. Plus, a Gwen Stefani cameo is pretty much a given.

Luke Combs

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Luke Combs

After a successful world tour in 2023, Luke Combs certainly knows how to fill a stadium anywhere on the globe. In fact, he’ll be back at it again with a massive stadium world tour in 2026. And with back-to-back CMA Entertainer of the Year trophies, the “Where the Wild Things Are” singer will put the “entertain” in Super Bowl halftime entertainment. Combs has a large catalog of foot-stompin’, beer-drinkin’ songs that are sure to be a hit with any football fan. He also has NFL halftime experience under his belt, as he took on the mid-game festivities at the 2021 Thanksgiving matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Las Vegas Raiders.

Shania Twain

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Shania Twain

Shania Twain went from fearing she would never sing again, to absolutely dominating her career. She underwent vocal surgery in the early 2000s after her Lyme disease diagnosis, but it hasn’t held her back. Twain can pull out some old favorites that were crossover hits early in her career and combine them with her newer material. Plus, if you’ve seen one of her Vegas residency shows or one of her Queen of Me Tour dates, you know the woman puts on a spectacular show.

Luke Bryan

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Luke Bryan

Luke Bryan would be a perfect fit to execute a rocking Super Bowl halftime performance. The man has been crowned Entertainer of the Year multiple times, and he knows how to put on a good show. For the doubters out there, just take one look at his curated Crash My Playa Festival in Mexico. He could easily bring those tequila-laced vibes with him to the field. Bryan has also garnered national appeal outside of country music as a judge on American Idol. Did we mention he sang the National Anthem for the Super Bowl in 2017? He’s a shoo-in.

Darius Rucker

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Darius Rucker

Darius Rucker is a stellar candidate for the Super Bowl halftime show because of his wide appeal to different music lovers. The singer began his career as the lead singer of the band Hootie & the Blowfish before making the jump to country music as a solo artist in 2008. He’s produced several successful albums and has some of the most catchy songs that fans can sing along too. Rucker could also pull some big collaborators out of his rolodex to perform on stage with him – like a Hootie & the Blowfish reunion. It’s a win-win for the NFL’s biggest game.

Carrie Underwood

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Carrie Underwood

After winning season four of American Idol and releasing several crossover hits, it’s safe to say Carrie Underwood has mass appeal. And while she’s dominated country music for decades, she has released some non-country albums, including a Christmas album and a gospel record. Underwood has also made a name for herself in the world of rock ‘n’ roll after performing with Axl Rose and opening for Guns N’ Roses in 2023. It wouldn’t be surprising for her to bring him out for another round of show-stopping collaborations.

Kenny Chesney

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Kenny Chesney

Kenny’s Chesney’s music has been adored by country music fans for years. His easy-breezy island themes would make for an enjoyable show for viewers everywhere. Chesney has an extensive catalog of music, with 32 No. 1 hits spanning 20 albums. He’s one of those names that’s recognized all over the globe — especially those places with picturesque beaches. It also doesn’t hurt that Chesney is a big football fan.

Reba McEntire

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Reba McEntire

McEntire has been a beloved country singer for decades. With her tenured career in in the genre, she is sure to delight an audience of all ages and could possibly bring a few of her friends to join her on stage. She has also become a household name with her projects outside of music. In addition to her television show Reba, McEntire has acted in several other projects — like her new show Happy’s Place on NBC — and most recently joined the coaches panel for Season 24 of The Voice. This would be an ideal marketing ploy for both McEntire and NBC, who are broadcasting the 2026 game.

Tim McGraw

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Tim McGraw

There’s just something about Tim McGraw and football, isn’t there? Not only is he a self-proclaimed football fan, but he has a few songs that are perfect for a football tailgate party. Now picture that tailgate party in the stadium on a much larger stage with all the lights. McGraw could dig up several of his hits from over the years to delight a variety of fans. He could also call up a country pal or two to join him on stage, including his wife, Faith Hill. She’s a perfect fit, given she used to perform the Sunday Night Football opening theme song on NBC.

Morgan Wallen

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Morgan Wallen

Morgan Wallen proved his mass appeal during his multi-year One Night at a Time Tour. The country singer has entertained audiences across the globe with his music and could easily get a Super Bowl crowd on their feet. Wallen has out-of-format appeal. He has spent nearly 40 collective week’s on top of Billboard’s all-genre Top Artists chart in the last year. Not to mention, with 82 songs divided among his three albums, he’s got lots of music to choose from, with plenty of raucous singalong tracks.

George Strait

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George Strait

The King of Country Music. How can anyone not enjoy a performance from George Strait? The man is a living legend, and surely has the mass appeal the Super Bowl is looking for. He’s also been playing college stadium shows consistently over the last few years. Strait could deliver a solid show jam-packed with No. 1 hits that anyone could sing along with, and he wouldn’t even have to try. Honestly, it’s a travesty the man hasn’t played the NFL’s biggest game.

Dolly Parton

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Dolly Parton

It’s hard to find something Dolly Parton isn’t doing these days. In addition to her extensive list of albums, merchandise, collaborations and philanthropic efforts, the country veteran hosted the ACM Awards three years in a row. She is a beloved figure both in and out of country music, and in 2023, she dropped a rock album that topped Billboard’s Top Rock & Alternative chart. Parton has extensive experience on stages all over the globe, and she headlined the halftime show for the 2023 Thanksgiving matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Washington Commanders.

Garth Brooks

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Garth Brooks

Garth Brooks is a natural entertainer whose tours consistently sell out stadiums worldwide. The country veteran could draw in a global audience of all ages with his vast catalog of iconic hits. You’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t know the chorus to “Friends in Low Places.” Not to mention, Garth has a hefty rolodex of country music contacts that could put several other big names on stage with him.

Taylor Swift

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Taylor Swift

Name a bigger name in the universe right now. Go ahead, we’ll wait. If Taylor Swift was famous before, her popularity has exploded in the last few years, as seen with her Eras Tour. And now that she’s engaged to Travis Kelce, a Super Bowl winner, the scenario feels almost poetic … especially if Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in a future game. There have been rumors about Swift doing the show, and it’s a very real possibility this former country starlet could be taking the stage sooner rather than later.

 

Read More: Why Erika Kirk Believes Charlie Would’ve Loved the Halftime Show | https://tasteofcountry.com/erika-kirk-charlie-kirk-turning-point-halftime-show/?fbclid=IwY2xjawP2xQBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFpT1o1T09iQlpuRFNQeXdEc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHtk6t3OY7mtD507DrGlKRv89lJAeCiknMNHUCcYiiCa8zIcWJs2ISPETDoSa_aem_R3WM47GLQBAEcvisqWcokA&utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral