So, it turns out that country music star Jason Aldean did receive that distinctive piece of six-gun artwork that Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon commissioned in tribute to his song “Try That in a Small Town.”

Kennon made a stir back in August when he posted what he called “the key to the city of Orange Beach.” It’s a painted wooden panel in which the key to the city adorns the cylinder of a Colt .45 revolver with the logo “Granddad’s Gun” on the grip and the motto “Try That in a Small Town” on a United States flag background. Kennon said it was an idea he’d described to city employee Mark Bryant, who created it.

Aldean was scheduled to play the Wharf Amphitheater in late August, and Kennon said he hoped to find a way to present the work to him. Like Aldean’s hit song, Kennon’s notion drew some strongly polarized responses, with Kennon shrugging off criticism. And there the matter ended … Until Thursday, when Kennon shared a photo of himself presenting the work to Aldean. (That Facebook post likewise drew a colorful mix of appreciation and scorn, with Kennon letting the latter roll off his back.)

Speaking by phone on Friday, Kennon confirmed that the presentation happened back in August. He said he’d meant to post the photo after the show, but it slipped his mind and he shifted his attention to other matters, such as the third annual Freedom Fest taking place this weekend.

“I just got busy and forgot,” he said. “Freedom Fest is this weekend and somebody reminded me of it, so I said, ‘You know, this is a great time to put it out.’ So that’s how it happened.”

“One of his band members, [steel guitarist] Jay Jackson, they have a place in Fairhope,” Kennon said. “He saw it and told Mr. Aldean and his wife about it, and they were very appreciative, and The Wharf said that we had a key to the city and would he like us to present it to them, and they said yes. So we did it backstage prior to the concert.”

“They were extremely gracious and very appreciative that we took the time to acknowledge the value of the song and what it meant to us,” said Kennon. “I just really appreciated that. They were down to earth good people.”

The third annual Freedom Fest takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday at The Wharf, in conjunction with the Bama Coast Cruisin’ Car Show. Features include displays by representatives of the U.S. armed forces; additional attractions on Saturday include arts & crafts booths, food vendors, a music stage and a motorcycle rally. For more details on the event, visit www.orangebeachal.gov.

“For me and for the city of Orange Beach, it is a festival, but more than it being a festival, it is a statement,” Kennon said. “It is a statement of our love for our country, our love for our military, our police officers, our firemen, public servants, first responders. It’s just a way for us to acknowledge them and thank them. It’s a way to say thank you to all of those that went before us, and those that are serving now, that protected and gave us our freedoms and our prosperity. It’s really an acknowledgement of those that made our life so good.”

Related:

Orange Beach mayor: Jason Aldean’s ‘Try That in a Small Town’ worth a gun-shaped key to city

Jason Isbell dares Aldean ‘to write his next single himself,’ Jake Owen slams ‘tough guy’ tweet