Gone Country: Jason Aldean and George Strait
A weekly column about all things country.
Posted by Melissa Daniels
Photo Courtesy of OnMilwaukee.com
It’s been a big week in country music news. There’s the gossip surrounding one of country’s it-men and then there’s the heartbreak of a final tour announcement from the King of Country, himself. Nevertheless, we have some things to talk about.
Last week images surfaced via TMZ of Georgia boy Jason Aldean canoodling with former American Idol contestant Brittany Kerr, the Charlotte Bobcats cheerleader who made it to Hollywood, more so on her good looks and big… well never mind. When news broke early that morning, it came as a bit of a devastation seeing as Aldean had just graced the cover of People Magazine, opening up about married life, fatherhood and life in Tennessee.
Swirling through my own mix of emotions (yes, I’ll admit, if the man wasn’t married, I’d hop that Night Train before… there I go again… never mind) — confused, not surprised, but completely disappointed — I held off on listening to My Kind of Party, a weekly staple in my regular rotation. But just as the afternoon rolled around, Aldean took to his Facebook to apologize to fans with the following:
Kerr took to her social media pages to apologize as well, saying her actions were a “lapse in judgement,” but after receiving a barrage of hate tweets, she shut down both pages. Now, I have to admit, as much as I’d like to despise the woman, it takes two to tango, and more often than not, ladies get the shorter end of the blame stick in instances like this. So even when you’re a drunken mess, sloppy behavior just isn’t appropriate, regardless if you’re in a public or private place with or without cameras flashing.
I will say, that I absolutely respect Aldean for coming clean as fast as he did, admitting he was in the wrong. His apology reads something a little more raw than a polished PR draft, and with the authenticity known by country music, I think it’s safe to say this one came from the heart. Or gut, which is where I’m sure his heart had sank to. He’s just a weak man, looking for a little grace, owning up to his wrongs, trying to set things straight.
And yes, I have a soft spot for country music (and the men I wish I’d gotten to before their wives), but I do not condone the actions of a cowboy casanova, cheating hearts or sneaky hands: on any level or account. Sure, my reaction is solely based on this specifc case, and they’re not all the same, but for now, I’ll restore My Kind of Party to it’s regular rotation while anxiously awaiting Night Train’s release later this month.
Photo Courtesy of GACTV
The King of Country, George Strait, announced last Wednesday that he’ll be embarking on a two year world tour to give fans a final chance to take in all that is the foundation of the country music us 80s babies grew up on. The Cowboy Rides Away Tour will kick off January 2013 in Texas and will feature some of Strait’s 59 number one songs. The man has sold well over 65 million albums and to date, is the only artist in music history to have secured a Top Ten hit each year of his 30-year career.
Tickets for the current announced dates go on sale October 12. The thought of catching Strait’s last tour date on The Cowboy Rides Away Tour is officially on my list of things to do in 2014. And though the announcement comes with a bit of a bittersweet sorrow, Strait plans to continue recording music and playing select concert dates after the tour wraps up. So though he may be saying farewell to touring, he’s definitely not disappearing anytime soon. THANK GOODNESS!
THE COWBOY RIDES AWAY – 2013 TOUR DATES
JAN 18 | Lubbock, Texas | United Spirit Arena
JAN 19 | Oklahoma City, Okla. | Chesapeake Energy Arena
JAN 25 | Salt Lake City, Utah | Energy Solutions Arena
JAN 26 | Nampa, Idaho | Idaho Center
JAN 31 | Sacramento, Calif. | Power Balance Pavilion
FEB 1 | Fresno, Calif. | Save Mart Center
FEB 2 | Las Vegas, Nev. | MGM Grand Garden Arena
FEB 15 | St. Paul, Minn. | Xcel Energy Center
FEB 16 | Grand Forks, N.D. | The Alerus Center
FEB 22 | Buffalo, N.Y. | First Niagara Center
FEB 23 | Hartford, Conn. | XL Center
MAR 1 | Knoxville, Tenn. | Thompson-Boling Arena
MAR 2 | Lexington, Ky. | Rupp Arena
MAR 17 | Houston, Texas | Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo*
MAR 22 | Greenville, S.C. | Bi-Lo Center
MAR 23 | Greensboro, N.C. | Greensboro Coliseum Complex
APR 5 | Albuquerque, N.M. | The Pit
APR 6 | Las Cruces, N.M. | Pan American Center
APR 12 | N. Little Rock, Ark. | Verizon Arena
APR 13 | New Orleans, La. | New Orleans Arena
*Denotes previously announced tour date featuring the Randy Rogers Band and Martina McBride.
