Jason Aldean Schedules More Family Time in 2011
Jason Aldean says his girls are being a little more vocal these days about the time he spends on the road and away from home. Daughters Keeley, who will be eight on Valentine's Day, and Kendyl, 3, naturally want to spend more time with their dad, whose job took him on the road an average 125 days last year.
"They are older and while they do understand (it's my job), when I get ready to leave and they don't want me to, it's hard," Jason tells The Boot. "When I'm walking out the door they're not very happy. We scheduled our tour to have maybe 80 shows this year, to make it where I can be home with them a lot more. It will give me a better balance of being on the road versus being at home."
Jason and his wife, Jessica, have been together since he was 17, and he says they are best friends. The singer is quick to praise his better half for dealing with the financial side of his career. "She handles all the stuff I don't want to handle," he admits. "I'm the guy who wants to play my music and meet my fans. She picks up the phone and makes the business call. When it comes to the music, she'll give me her opinion if I ask her but that's about it. It works out pretty good."
The family might go out with Jason during school breaks or holidays, but most of the time it's Jason, his band and crew, criss-crossing the U.S. to take the music to the fans.
"It's tough," Jason admits. "You spend part of the day at sound check. You stay on the bus, and just hang around there, or I might get off to play golf."
When he does get to spend time offstage and away from the bus, there are a few cities Jason enjoys returning to year after year. "One of my favorite cities is Dallas, and Kansas City is cool. There are a ton of places that are cool to hang out in; they're all different. I loved it in Oregon, when it stopped raining! It's cool to be out there because you get to see all the different places, the different cultures, and sample the different foods. We enjoy it when we get to go out and experience each city a little bit."
While Dallas, Kansas City and Oregon are not on Jason's My Kinda Party tour schedule in the next couple months, he does have some pretty cool dates coming up. While he's in Lubbock on January 30, he could take a side trip to the Buddy Holly Center or go to the National Ranching Heritage Center. In Greensboro, N.C., on Feb. 4, he could visit the International Civil Rights Center and Museum or play golf on one of the city's numerous courses. And when he hits Cheyenne, Wyo. in July, he could take in a few rodeo performances and soak up the cowboy culture of the famous western town. Check here for Jason's upcoming tour dates.