- 2 days ago
Jason Aldean celebrated the debut of his new album, 'Songs About Us,' with a co-headlining show alongside Luke Bryan, inside Sanford Stadium, the home of the Georgia Bulldogs. Before he took the stage, he sat with Katie Neal to talk about the show, the album, his upcoming tour, and more.
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MusicTranscript
00:00It's Katie Neal, and we're here at Sanford Stadium.
00:03This has got to be like the coolest place I've ever done an interview.
00:06Yeah, right.
00:06Thank you for having us here, Jason Alcine.
00:08It's the coolest place I've ever done an interview, too.
00:09Right, I'm sure for you, yeah, being a lifelong Georgia fan, right?
00:12Yeah, absolutely.
00:13How much time have you, would you say, you've spent at this field?
00:16Like, how many memories here?
00:17I don't know.
00:17I know I was at two games this past season, played here.
00:22You know, the funny thing is, I didn't really get a chance to come here a whole lot as a
00:25kid.
00:25Really?
00:25No, I mean, you know, we couldn't really afford to come here to games and stuff like that.
00:31And I'm only a couple hours away is where I'm from.
00:34But, you know, and I remember when my sister went to college here,
00:39that was one of the first times I ever came to a game here.
00:42So I was like in my probably mid-20s, maybe.
00:46And I remember coming down, I was on the sidelines for my first game ever.
00:51And I think Georgia took the opening kickoff back for a touchdown.
00:55And I was just like, on ESPN later that night, you could see me like running down the sidelines, you
01:00know.
01:01You're like, I did it, I mean.
01:02Yeah, but it was awesome.
01:03And then, you know, having a chance to come here and play the show in 2013, you know, it was
01:10just,
01:10it was pretty cool because the fact that I didn't get to come here a whole lot as a kid.
01:15And then all of a sudden it's like, you know, my tour was taken over, the whole stadium was kind
01:19of a cool thing to see.
01:21My mom came in that day and she was, you know, she started crying.
01:24I bet.
01:25She was like, yeah, so it was a cool experience.
01:27But always fun to be here and, you know, just, I don't know, they don't let anybody play here.
01:34So it's like, you know, we got to do the one show and nobody's played here since and we get
01:38to do it again.
01:39So it's going to be fun.
01:40That's pretty awesome.
01:41Yeah, I was going to talk about like when did you guys decide you wanted to do this again?
01:44Or when was it like back on the table?
01:46Well, I mean, I think it's always been on the table for me.
01:49You know, it's like if we're going to do stadiums, this is always the one that I want to do.
01:53I mean, whenever anybody asked me, you know, what's your favorite show you've ever played?
01:57It's always this one to me.
01:58So it's just getting them to allow us to come in, you know, so.
02:03But I think it was always a thing.
02:05And I think, you know, now with the NIL stuff where the schools are, you know,
02:10trying to raise money for sports and all those things that like now they're a little more open to the
02:15idea, you know.
02:18And so obviously Luke and I did this before, you know, and so, you know, but he was my opening
02:25act.
02:25So he had opened for me in 2012.
02:27And so when I got the call to do this show in 2013, I called him.
02:31I said, man, I need you for one more show.
02:33And so he came out and did it.
02:35And then this time, you know, it's like, let's truly go in and like co-headline this thing
02:39and do a different kind of show than we've ever done before.
02:42And because you guys are kind of like splitting song, like you're both out there at the same time, right?
02:47Yeah.
02:47Is that what's happening?
02:48Sometimes.
02:48Okay.
02:49Got it.
02:49So it'll be like sometimes and then I'll play and then he'll play and then I'll play and then he'll
02:54play
02:54and then we'll get back together for a little bit.
02:56And so it's a different kind of show even for us.
02:59And so, but it's cool.
03:01I mean, he and I both being from Georgia, I mean, it doesn't get any bigger than playing here.
03:05So, you know, it's fun to do it by yourself.
03:10It's also a lot of fun when you can kind of share it with your buddy too, who's just as
03:14big a fan.
03:15For sure.
03:16And then Brantley is going to be one of your special guests.
03:18Talk about your relationship with Brantley.
03:20He's like one of my favorite people.
03:21Like talk about just the funniest human being.
03:23Yeah, he's awesome.
03:24He, you know, I met Brantley, you know, really back in the day.
03:29I'd cut one of his songs.
03:30He was, he's from right here around Athens and, you know, he had, he had cut an album.
03:35It was kind of like a little bit of an underground album.
03:38He hadn't moved to Nashville yet, didn't have a record deal.
03:42And I think he had pitched me a song called The Best of Me or something like that,
03:45that we cut on an album, maybe the, the wide open record or something.
03:49And, and so we go in to cut the next album, which would eventually be the My Kind of Party
03:54album.
03:55And he sent a couple songs, which was My Kind of Party and Dirt Road Anthem.
04:00And, and I remember him showing up.
04:02First time I ever met him was in the studio when we were cutting it.
04:05And he showed up, his clothes were all torn up and like he walks in and I'm like,
04:10what the hell happened to you, man?
04:11And I think he had gotten into a little scuffle at a bar the night before.
04:15Shocking.
04:16Yeah.
04:16And so, you know, I just kind of hit it off with him and stayed in touch with him over
04:21the years.
04:21Then eventually, you know, he kind of moved to Nashville and started doing his own thing.
04:24And just, you know, he's, he's been a big part of my career.
04:28I mean, those two songs were, were really big for my career.
04:31And, you know, I've had a chance to cut stuff with him.
04:35We cut Rolex on a redneck on his record and just always been a cool guy, really good friend of
04:40mine.
04:40And so I just thought, man, we're, we're kind of, he's a Georgia guy too.
04:44He's from right here.
04:45And I wanted to bring him out to do Dirt Road Anthem with us too.
04:49And he does a third verse in his shows that I don't do.
04:52So I'm like, come out and do that.
04:53Yeah.
04:53So that'll be so much fun.
04:55And I also want to talk about like how special this weekend is with the album being out today.
04:59Songs about us.
04:59How are you feeling?
05:00Yeah.
05:00How are you feeling about this?
05:02I'm excited.
05:03I mean, we, it feels like we've been working on this thing for a couple of years now, you know,
05:08and I think that's the thing people don't understand is when you're, you know, when you're cutting an album,
05:13you know, as soon as, as soon as you're done with this record, like recording it,
05:17you know, with just for instance, song, the new album, the day you're done recording it,
05:23it's like, you're looking for songs for the next one.
05:25Yeah.
05:25So like I already have a Dropbox with probably 10 songs for the next album in it, you know,
05:30that I'm listening to already.
05:31And it's just sort of a never ending process.
05:33So the day comes when you finally get to release it to the world.
05:37And it's, it's nice because we've been listening to it for a year or so.
05:41And finally you can get some outside feedback and, you know,
05:45from people other than like your mom and dad, you know what I mean?
05:48I was going to ask what were like the family favorites from this album?
05:51Like what are the ones that the kids want to hear?
05:53The kids, the kids want to hear easier gone than the one with me and their mom.
05:58So, uh, that's their, that's one of their favorites, but, um, you know, I don't know.
06:03I kind of play all this stuff on taking them to school every day, you know,
06:06and I'll just kind of always tell them, I'll look in the mirror and go, Hey,
06:09give me a thumbs up or thumbs down if you guys want to hear this one.
06:12And so I'll play something and they'll thumbs up or thumbs down it.
06:16And so I kind of just base it on that, you know,
06:18whatever mood they're in on the way to school.
06:20It's a good test group, right?
06:21Yeah.
06:21A little focus group for you.
06:23Oh, I love that.
06:24What song do you think that you're most excited for people to hear and see how
06:27people react to that hasn't, you know, come out as like a crat track yet?
06:30Uh, I think anytime soon is probably one of my favorites.
06:34That's one of the reasons I wanted to kick the album off with it.
06:37Um, it's a little bit of tip of the hat to Ronnie Millsap.
06:41And so that's one I feel like it is going to be a big one on the record.
06:46And then there's one called she's why that we haven't released yet, um,
06:51or didn't release early.
06:53And that's another one I think is that could be a big song on the record.
06:56So, uh, I don't know.
06:57I mean,
06:57we tried to save some of those that we thought could possibly be singles down
07:00the road and sort of save those for the release.
07:03And, uh, those are two that, you know, I, I kind of got high hopes for,
07:07so we'll see what happens.
07:08Talk about doing a cover of dust on the bottle and having David Lee Murphy on
07:12the album.
07:13Well, David Lee, I've been friends with him forever.
07:15I mean,
07:16I think I met him when I was 19 years old and got to open a show for him and,
07:20you know, and kind of met him then.
07:22And, um, fast forward,
07:24I moved to Nashville a couple of years later, started writing songs.
07:26And he was one of the first guys I wrote with when I moved there.
07:31And, you know, he's been a big part of my career too.
07:33He's written big green tractor, you know, stuff like that over the years.
07:37And, um, and I just thought, man, you know, every nineties country is kind of
07:42getting this big, you know, I don't know.
07:45It's kind of a nostalgia.
07:46But yeah, nostalgia, there's like a whole thing, right?
07:49Yeah.
07:49And so I just thought, man, if we're going to do something, I mean, you know,
07:52I used to play that song in the clubs coming up, you know, when it first came
07:55out, he had that and party crowd and just once.
07:59And some of those things that I was playing a ton.
08:00So I was like, man, let's, let's get that guy in the studio and let's really
08:04make it nineties country.
08:06And so, cause he still sounds amazing.
08:07And, um, and he's just, to me, he's always been one of the coolest guys in
08:12Nashville.
08:13So to get to work with him again, uh, was just really cool and something that I
08:17thought would be fun.
08:17And it was the 30 year anniversary of dust on the bottle was kind of the bigger
08:20thing.
08:21So that's wild.
08:23Wow.
08:23Incredible.
08:2430 years.
08:25Talk about don't tell on me the latest single, why you wanted this to be the
08:28single.
08:29Uh, don't tell on me.
08:31It was actually supposed to be the first single from the album.
08:34Um, and, um, you know, we were kind of getting toward the end of the record and
08:39I'd kind of earmarked that one to be the lead single.
08:42And then, uh, the guys came in and they said, Oh, we, we just wrote this thing.
08:46It could be really cool for the next album.
08:48And it was how far does a goodbye go?
08:50And I just listened to it.
08:52I called him.
08:52I said, there is no chance we're sitting on this song for two years, not a chance.
08:56So then that we went in to cut that, that became the lead single.
09:00And then we were able to, to kind of save don't tell on me for the second
09:03single, but I just love that.
09:05I mean, it's, um, those are the kinds of songs that I enjoy going out and, you
09:09know, on stage and play in it's, um, I don't know, just a little kind of tough
09:15sounding.
09:15It's a little more attitude driven.
09:16And even though you're talking about a heartbreak and, you know, those kinds of
09:20things, it's like saying it in a way that's not, you know, you're not crying in
09:25your beard, you know, it's a little tougher.
09:28And so, uh, if you're going to do it sometimes, I think doing it like that's
09:32cool.
09:32It's just cooler to me.
09:34So, uh, luckily we were able to save that for, for the second single.
09:37And, and it's, uh, I think that's been a good kind of one, two punch to, to get
09:41the album going.
09:42For sure.
09:42And then you've got the songs about us tour going to run July through
09:45September.
09:46What are you looking forward to about this being on the road?
09:48Uh, I just think, you know, anytime you release a record, you got new songs to
09:52put in your show to kind of spice things up out on the road.
09:54And, um, how are you even picking songs for the set list now?
09:57Like having like over 30 number ones, I feel like it's gotta be like really
10:00difficult.
10:01Yeah.
10:01It's a good problem to have.
10:03Um, but that's the thing.
10:05I mean, you get these new songs, you want to add those in, but unfortunately you
10:08have to take something out, you know?
10:10So a lot of times it's songs that, you know, we've been playing forever, which
10:16maybe we need to take them out and let them kind of breathe for a minute, you
10:19know?
10:19But, uh, I feel like for the most part, I mean, you just try to put together a
10:23show, you feel like people want to come out and see, and you're going to be
10:25playing the hits.
10:26You're not going to be playing a bunch of random, you know, album cuts or
10:30whatever.
10:30You're going to play songs they know that are familiar.
10:32And, um, some of them are going to be some of the old school stuff and some of
10:37it's going to be new school.
10:38So, uh, I think that's the fun, you know, part of the fun and putting together a
10:43tour and figuring out what you're going to play and how to change it up from
10:46year to year.
10:47I mean, that's kind of what makes it fun for us too.
10:49Absolutely.
10:49And then last month we had country radio seminar and you showed up to play what
10:53you thought were a couple of songs, but actually it ended up being a surprise
10:5730th, number one, 31, number one's party for you.
11:01Talk about like your reaction to figure like, when did you realize that's what
11:04was happening?
11:05Not in very late.
11:07It was very late.
11:08You know, I was, I had just been upstairs, like hanging out with my band in a,
11:12in a, uh, hotel room, just kind of getting ready to go down and play.
11:15And, you know, every year during CRS, the record company puts on a, uh, kind of a
11:20show or all the artists on the, on the label come out, play a few songs and, you
11:24know, it's just kind of a thing.
11:25And I just thought that's what we were doing until I showed up and they were
11:29like, sit in this chair right here.
11:30And I'm like, well, I don't want to sit there.
11:32Like all my friends are here.
11:33I want to go hang out with them.
11:34And they're like, no, trust me, sit down.
11:36And so at that point I was like, what is going on?
11:38And, uh, and then all of a sudden the video starts rolling and then Blake came out and
11:43so eloquently delivered his, uh, his poem.
11:47So which was, which was, uh, which was pretty comical.
11:52So, uh, it was a fun night and definitely not what I thought I was getting into that
11:56night, but, um, but, uh, but a very cool night for us.
12:00And my family was there, my mom, my dad, my kids, my wife, everybody.
12:03So it was, it was awesome.
12:04It's really special.
12:05I was thinking about when you have a show that you're playing in Georgia like this,
12:08how many ticket requests do you have from every member of your family?
12:11Like, what does your guest list look like?
12:13They started to come in pretty, pretty hot this week.
12:16Um, you know, I mean, it's, uh, you get a few, you get a few.
12:22And then if you, you know, the fact that Luke's from here too, it's like, I can't even imagine.
12:27I think our backstage is going to be, uh, be pretty packed.
12:30Yeah.
12:30Just as packed as it will be out here.
12:32Probably close, probably close.
12:34But you try to keep it in check, but it's, it's tough, man.
12:37Cause you want to see everybody and spend time with everybody.
12:40So yeah.
12:41Talking about Brit and the kids and everybody, you and I talked a little bit about this when
12:44easier gone came out, but like, we talked about like possibly she'll come out at some
12:48point and perform.
12:48Is that on the docket anytime soon?
12:51Or like, I think probably more so once the tour kicks off, I was going to say, it'd be
12:55pretty hard to throw her in.
12:56Yeah.
12:57Yeah.
12:58I wouldn't want to throw her into this one and into the fire like that.
13:01But, um, but I think once the tour gets going and we kind of have some time to really work
13:05on it and, uh, cause we haven't even added like some of these things we haven't even
13:09really rehearsed yet.
13:11So, uh, once we get ready, start getting ready for my tour in July, you know, we'll really
13:17go in and start rehearsing my stuff.
13:18And so I think at some point, uh, this summer, you probably more than likely we'll see that.
13:24So it kind of depends.
13:24She's not out all the time.
13:25So it kind of depends on, on her availability.
13:29Yeah.
13:29You know, she's very busy.
13:30I saw she launched a new fragrance company.
13:32How much like smelling of fragrances have you done in the like time that it's taken to do
13:37this?
13:37It's a lot, probably why my allergies are so screwed up right now, but, um, no, she, yeah,
13:42she did.
13:42She's been working really hard on that for a couple of years and, um, just finally launched
13:47her, uh, her perfume line Veda, which is doing really, really well for her.
13:52And, um, so excited to see that.
13:54Like I said, it's been a, it's been a couple of years and of her getting ready for that.
13:58So, uh, so it's been cool to see that kind of finally starting to, to come out.
14:03How are the kiddos doing?
14:04Like they're like so big.
14:05I can't believe it.
14:06They're good.
14:06They're, uh, you know, the, the little ones, they, they're in school doing school and they're
14:12doing sports and all the things.
14:14And so I've been the sports that they're gravitating towards baseball and softball right now.
14:19We're just trying to keep it simple.
14:20Memphis is now saying he wants to play golf and play basketball too.
14:23So pick one, pick lane, buddy.
14:25I'm like, man, you know, let's just, let's just, uh, conquer one and then we'll, we'll go
14:29after the other one.
14:30So we'll see.
14:31Thank God baseball, basketball season are two different seasons.
14:34So I know.
14:35Cause it's like, you talk to everybody.
14:35It's like, I'm just driving around nonstop all the time.
14:38I'm a chauffeur at this point when I'm not on the road.
14:41I know a thousand percent.
14:42All right.
14:43I want to do like a quick, who's most likely to Luke, Brian, Jason Aldean version of some
14:49questions.
14:50So I'm going to give you some things and I want you to tell me who you think is most
14:52likely to do it.
14:52You or Luke.
14:53Okay.
14:53Okay.
14:54Who's most likely to be late?
14:56Luke.
14:58Who's most likely to split their pants on stage?
15:00Luke.
15:01Most likely to not kill anything on the hunting trip.
15:05Probably me.
15:06The way it's been going lately.
15:08What about fall on stage?
15:10Luke.
15:11Definitely.
15:12Forget the lyrics.
15:13Me.
15:14Really?
15:14Yeah.
15:15I thought you said Luke for sure.
15:16And then lose money gambling.
15:20Probably both of us.
15:22Wait, have you not been getting anything out hunting this year?
15:25Man, I've had a dry streak the last couple of years.
15:28Turkey season's been good.
15:29Deer season the last couple of years has not been very good to me.
15:31So, yeah.
15:33But I also, Luke, he goes on a lot more trips than I go on too.
15:37Yeah, that guy's never working.
15:38Right?
15:38Like he's always.
15:40He's a TV star now.
15:41He's got a lot of time off.
15:43You know what I mean?
15:43I know.
15:44Right?
15:44We were talking about on the way here just like how hysterical that man is.
15:48Like I don't think I've ever been with him and not belly laughed.
15:50Right?
15:50Like the stuff that comes out of his mouth.
15:52Because there's no filter.
15:53There's absolutely no filter.
15:55And I've always said it's like you and I, like he and I could say the same thing.
16:01Right?
16:02He's going to get away with it and nothing's going to happen.
16:05I'm going to be like front page news the next day.
16:08You know what I mean?
16:08You're 100% right.
16:09And I'm like, how do you do that, man?
16:11You just have to wait.
16:12With a smile, people laugh, and nobody thinks anything about it.
16:15He really is.
16:16It's a gift.
16:17He really, yeah.
16:18I know.
16:19When they announced that he was going to be on American Idol, I remember thinking, oh
16:21my God, what is Kerry's manager going to do?
16:23Because he's going to get up there and say something.
16:24But you know what?
16:24He's done really, really good.
16:26But he knows how to turn it off when he wants to.
16:28But it's, if he's just normal when he's around, I mean, he just, there's no filter.
16:34And I think that's part of what I love about him.
16:37It makes me, I always say I could be in the worst mood ever.
16:40And it's like, he shows up in about five minutes.
16:43I'm laughing like crazy.
16:45Because he's just saying something and saying, like, I can't wait to see.
16:47And it's stupid.
16:48Like, whatever he's saying is really stupid.
16:50But it's funny.
16:51But for some reason, it's like still so endearing.
16:53Yes.
16:53That's why, like, we were talking about, like, the show on Saturday.
16:56I was like, it feels like, you know, like, it will be so fun.
16:59I can't wait to see the number of viral moments that happen.
17:01Because you know you're going to look over and he's been doing something nuts.
17:03Well, I remember one of the funniest things where I lost it on stage was, he had a song called
17:10We Rode in Trucks.
17:12And so we did this little bit on stage where it'd be like, how many of y'all came in
17:15a Ford?
17:16How many of y'all came?
17:17And then I'd say, like, how many of y'all came in a Chevy?
17:20And then Luke came back one night and he goes, how many of y'all came in a Mitsubishi?
17:28And, like, just stuff like that on stage.
17:29And I completely lost it.
17:31Just him saying a word of Mitsubishi is funny.
17:34Yes.
17:35Like, who the hell drives a Mitsubishi truck?
17:37No offense to you, Mitsubishi drivers.
17:40No, no, no.
17:40You know what I mean?
17:40Not at all.
17:41Well, listen, I'm so happy for you.
17:42Album sounds great.
17:43I think that this is going to be so much fun.
17:45Thank you for having us to be a part of it.
17:46Well, thank you guys.
17:47This is awesome.
17:48We're so happy to be here.
17:49Thanks for coming.
17:50I appreciate it.
17:50Of course.
17:51I'm going to talk to you.
17:52Of course.
17:53I appreciate it.
17:54I appreciate it.
17:57I appreciate it.
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