Early Life

Jason Aldean was born Jason Aldine Williams on February 28, 1977, in Macon, Georgia. His parents, divorced when he was three years old. He was raised by his mother. Aldean was introduced to country music by his father, who taught him how to play the guitar. As a child, Jason Aldean loved country music and often sang at talent shows and local fairs. At 15, he joined a band called “house band.” The group performed at local clubs and festivals.

Personal Life

In 2001, Jason Aldean married his high school sweetheart, Jessica Ussery. The couple has two daughters together, Keeley and Kendyl. In 2013, Aldean divorced Ussery. He married Brittany Kerr in 2015. The couple has two children together, a son Memphis Aldean and a daughter Navy Rome.

Career

Aldean’s musical career began in 1998 when he was signed to a recording contract with Broken Bow Records. He released his self-titled debut album in 2005. The album’s lead single, “Hicktown,” peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Country charts. Aldean’s second album, Relentless, was released in 2007. The album’s lead single, “Amarillo Sky,” peaked at number four on the Country charts.

Jason Aldean’s 2009 album Wide Open was his second consecutive release to achieve platinum status. The album’s first single, “She’s Country”, peaked at number one on the country charts. “Big Green Tractor” and “The Truth” were also released as singles, peaking at numbers three and fourteen respectively. Aldean won the 2010 Academy of Country Music Awards for Entertainer of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year, making him the first artist in history to win both awards in consecutive years. Aldean’s sixth studio album, My Kinda Party, was released on November 2, 2010. The album’s lead single, “Don’t You Wanna Stay”, a duet with Kelly Clarkson, received a Grammy nomination.

Aldean’s seventh studio album, Night Train, was released on October 16, 2012. The album includes 16 songs, all co-written by Aldean. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album’s lead single, “Take a Little Ride”, peaked at number one on the Country Airplay chart in October 2012. The album’s second single, “The Only Way I Know”, featuring Luke Bryan and Eric Church, peaked at number one on the Country Airplay chart in February 2012. The album’s third single, “Night Train”, peaked at number one on the Country Airplay chart in June 2013. On July 22, 2014, Aldean released his seventh studio album, Old Boots, New Dirt. The album includes 18 songs, all co-written by Aldean. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and has been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).

On February 28, 2016, Aldean announced his eighth studio album They Don’t Know would be released on September 9. The album’s lead single, “Lights Come On”, was released to radio on April 5 and reached number one on the Country Airplay chart in August. It was followed by the release of a second single, “A Little More Summertime”, which peaked at number two on the Billboard Country Airplay chart. “Any Ol’ Barstool” was released as the third single from the album in January 2017 and became Aldean’s seventeenth number-one hit on the Country Airplay chart in May. The album’s fourth single, “You Make It Easy”, was released to radio in July 2017 and peaked at number one on the Country Airplay chart in October.

On October 1, 2017, Aldean was performing at the Route 91 Harvest music festival on the Las Vegas Strip when a gunman opened fire on the crowd from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, killing 60 people and injuring 867. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history. Aldean canceled his scheduled performances for the next several days. He returned to performing on October 7 with a benefit concert for the victims of the Las Vegas shooting, where he was joined by numerous other country music stars. All proceeds from the concert went to a fund set up to assist the victims and their families.