Aldean plays Butte on first solo tour

By Leslie McCartney - 01/25/2008

Country music performer Jason Aldean will play at the Butte Civic Center on Saturday starting at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.

In the late 1990s, aspiring singer and songwriter Jason Aldean thought he was set: he had a record deal in Nashville.

But years later, he was dropped from the label and other offers came and went, but nothing was solid. And by 2003, the birth of his daughter colored his outlook on his lifelong love affair with music.

“I was getting frustrated and started thinking to myself ‘maybe this ain’t what I’m supposed to be doing.’ My priorities started changing, and I thought ‘I need to get a job and feed this kid,’” he said with a mild Georgia twang.

Making plans to move back to his home state, he took one gig at a Nashville bar where he was discovered by another producer.

But past experiences made him wary.

“I’d been playing in bars since I was 14; I’ve heard that pitch before,” he said in a phone interview with The Montana Standard.

Luckily, the deal with Broken Bow records turned out to be the real deal and in April 2005 Aldean’s first self-titled album was released, which produced his foot-stomping first hit “Hicktown.” And in 2007, his second album “Relentless” hit the air waves.

That sophomore effort, released in May, landed at the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s country albums chart and No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200.

In all, Aldean — who has had such hits as “Amarillo Sky” “Why” “Johnny Cash” and “Laughed Until We Cried” — had charted four consecutive Top 10 singles, four No. 1 videos, and a platinum album.

He also took home the 2006 Academy of Country Music’s Top New Male Vocalist in 2006.

And behind it all is a personable 30-year-old family man who is in the midst of his first solo tour and who will be playing in Butte Saturday night at the Civic Center.

This performance marks the second time Aldean has come to the Mining City to perform.

Aldean has been playing and singing since he was a boy, with a childhood and young adulthood infused with country classics like Alabama, George Strait and Hank Williams Jr. as well as strong Southern rock influences like Lynyrd Skynyrd and even rockers like Guns ‘N Roses and Aerosmith.

“I would say it’s widespread,” Aldean of musical influences that have shaped his distinctive music.

While he enjoys playing all of his hits — and isn’t tired of any of them yet — “Why” remains his favorite, as it was his first No. 1 hit on country radio.

In between touring and spending time for his family, which now includes two young daughters, Aldean is at work on a third album.

He hopes for a music career that spans the decades like the groups and singers he admires.

“In 10 years, I’ll only be 40 years old. Hopefully I’ll still be doing this,” he said.

Reporter Leslie McCartney may be reached via e-mail at leslie.mccartney@lee.net