"Kick the Dust Up" hitmaker Luke Bryan certainly kicked up some backlash with his recent comments that were viewed as an attack on outlaw country legends such as Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. But he's sticking up for himself and fully explaining the quote in context to upset fans.

In an interview with Hits Daily Double, Bryan was describing his type of country music, which is admittedly worlds away from the typical "outlaw country," and said something that riled up the country music community.

"I think that people who want Merle, Willie and Waylon just need to buy Merle, Willie and Waylon," Bryan says. "I’ve never been a 'Those were the good old days' kind of guy. I’m not big on looking back on the past."

But it was Bryan's next comments that sparked a lot of heat.

"I’m not an outlaw country singer. I don’t do cocaine and run around. So I’m not going to sing outlaw country," Bryan says. "I like to hunt, fish, ride around on my farm, build a big bonfire and drink some beers — and that’s what I sing about. It’s what I know. I don’t know about laying in the gutter, strung out on drugs. I don’t really want to do that."

To add some context, Jennings was arrested for cocaine possession in 1977, although the charges were later dropped, and admitted to being addicted early in his career. He admitted to a $1,500 a day habit but sobered up in 1984.

When fans viewed it as an attack on the three legends, Bryan took to Twitter in a heartfelt attempt to clear the air. He was straightforward and to-the-point in his four-tweet response.

“I would never speak against any artist,” Bryan says on Twitter. His complete comments are in the gallery above, but he goes on to explain that it was a great interview and that he was disappointed that something so negative came from the story.

"Every now and then, I feel I need to defend myself in this business," he says, adding that he was just explaining who he was and what his music entails.

However, some (including other country artists) are unhappy with the singer. Levi Lowrey posted on Facebook that laying in the gutter “might be just what the doctor ordered” for Bryan.

“You may be able to write a decent song after a stint in the real world,” Lowrey adds.

After Bryan posted his thoughts, fans responded in droves with comments that reiterated their love for him and encouraged him to "shake it off."

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