When discussing music and musicians with others, I always remind everyone that all people are subject to certain problems and tragedies of life. Musicians are just like all of us. Any problem of life can be experienced by a musician, regardless of how popular or wealthy. However, there are certain tragedies that are incomprehensible, for persons from any walk of life. Think back to the date October 1, 2017, as country superstar Jason Aldean performed at the Route 91 Harvest festival. Stephen Paddock began firing into the crowd from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort. Aldean and his band managed to exit the stage unharmed, but 58 people were killed and 851 people were injured as a result of the incident. So many lives were affected in this senseless act, it’s hard to consider. Aldean was unharmed physically. Did the incident affect him? Of course it did! As with most tragedies, Aldean has moved on and continued to make music. I’m sure it wasn’t easy.
One thing to consider is that Jason Aldean had some adversity even before that incident at his concert. Perhaps nothing quite like a mass shooting, but life altering nonetheless. Despite bad experiences, Jason Aldean has enjoyed a long and successful musical career. We will take a look at his start and some highlights leading up to where we are today.
Jason Aldine Williams was born February 28, 1977 in Macon, Georgia. His parents separated when he was three. He was raised by his mother in Macon, and during the summer he would spend time with his father in Homestead, Florida. Before his father went to work he would map out guitar chords on notebook paper to show Jason where to place his fingers to play the chords, and the boy would sit and practice all day while his dad was at work. When his dad got home, he got out his own guitar and they played together. Soon he could play a song after hearing it only a few times.
Both of his parents encouraged young Aldean as he progressed musically. From age 14, after watching the country-music awards on television, he wanted to perform on stage. With his mother’s help, he performed at the local VFW hall in Macon. He then began performing at area talent contests and local fairs. At 15, he joined the “house band” at Georgia nightspot Nashville S. In order to stand out, Aldean changed the spelling of his middle name, Aldine, to come up with the name Aldean.
After high school, with his father’s help, Jason Aldean and his band performed at clubs and festivals around the Southeast. With Justin Weaver (one of the band’s members), Aldean began writing and recording original songs. In 1998, he performed songs from his first album at a showcase staged by Atlanta nightclub The Buckboard. He was approached by Michael Knox, then of the Warner-Chappell song-publishing company. After signing with Warner-Chappell, Aldean moved to Nashville on November 1, 1998, at age 21.
At this point in his life, Jason Aldean seemed to be on his way toward a long music career. However, an initial wave of problems popped up that put his musical dreams on hold. Aldean was offered a recording contract but was subsequently dropped. He signed with another label but again was dropped in 2000 after his label postponed his recording sessions repeatedly. Various showcases failed to bring him a contract. The last straw was an attempt at the Wildhorse Saloon where the promised label talent scouts never even showed up. Still frustrated and discouraged with his struggling career, Aldean gave himself six months before planning to leave Nashville and return home to Georgia. Then five weeks later, he was offered a deal from Broken Bow Records in Nashville.
A few weeks ago Jason Aldean released studio album number eight Rearview Town, for Broken Bow Records. He has released twenty-four singles, of which 19 have reached number one on either the Hot Country Songs or Country Airplay charts. Add to the list a slew of award nominations and wins, and you have what amounts to a great country music career.
Another bump in the road of life had to be Jason Aldean’s divorce from his first wife Jessica. He filed for divorce after almost twelve years of marriage and the birth of two daughters. Normally such events are private in nature, but when you are a major recording artist much of your life plays out in the tabloids worldwide. The publicity of all of his problems made necessary some public statements explaining what happened. As with anyone, divorce is a life altering event that distracts from everyday activities. However, for Jason Aldean this must have been extremely difficult. Like most of us who face adversity, he survived, and moved ahead.
Jason Aldean and former American Idol contestant Brittany Kerr began dating and made their first public appearance as a couple at the 2014 CMT Awards. The couple was married on March 21, 2015. On May 8, 2017, Aldean and Kerr announced that they were expecting a baby. Their son Memphis Aldean Williams was born on December 1, 2017.
In an interview with People magazine, Aldean spoke about the major changes of becoming a new father. “I love being Dad,” “it’s been a minute since I’ve had a little one at the house,” he says. “Believe me, he’s making me remember all of it, and it’s cool. Having a boy after all this time, and honestly thinking I was done having kids, for him to come along has been … definitely a shot in the arm for us at the house as far as, like, excitement. [I] can’t wait to get up [in the morning] and go up there and get him out of bed and bring him down and hang out.” Yes, Jason Aldean has moved ahead.
How could anyone move ahead from that mass shooting at the Las Vegas concert? Jason Aldean stated that much of the music on new album was completed before the tragedy. “As far as … feeling like I needed to go back in and sort of put an exclamation mark on the record for what happened in Las Vegas, I didn’t feel the need to do that.” Nevertheless, Aldean decided to dedicate the album to the victims and families. “You guys will forever be in my heart,” he wrote in the album notes.
Aldean is now preparing to launch his “High Noon Neon” tour on May 10 in Kansas City. So far, the tour stops don’t include Las Vegas, even though there is a grassroots effort among shooting survivors for Aldean to finish his festival concert. He returned to the city recently, for the ACM Awards. Aldean confirms he has been in discussions on how to mount a special Las Vegas show. “I think you’ve really got to make sure you handle it the right way,” he says. “You want to make sure, if you’re gonna go back and play that show, that the people who were there — who were the victims and the families — are the people who are getting to come to the show. … It may take a little time for us to figure it out, but we’re talking about it.”
For now, Jason Aldean will hit the road and continue to bring his music to waiting large audiences of fans. We must all move ahead!