Jason Aldean's Home-Run Decision to Make Music
I am always preaching to any of my friends who will listen that the odds of their children becoming professional athletes are very, very slim. So enough with the traveling soccer teams and the personal baseball trainers and private hockey coaches, already. I always tell them that they need to encourage their kids to have a fall-back dream, like Jason Aldean had. "My dream growing up was to play Major League Baseball. I had some scholarship offers to play baseball in college, but when the (Atlanta) Braves didn't draft me, I decided to dive into music full time," he told an Austin, Texas, newspaper. And look how well that turned out for him. His Wide Open album has sold more than a million copies and gave him three No. 1 singles so far -- "She's Country," "Big Green Tractor" and "The Truth." So it looks like when Aldean takes a gamble, he knows when to hold 'em and knows when to fold 'em.
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Alison W says:
Gosh I love baseball-playing country boys. You should blog about Easton Corbin. The extremely cute George-Strait-sound-alike.
Peacock Queen says:
In my humble opinion, Aldean deserved to win many music awards for his work on “Relentless.”
Redmaz says:
To clarify, the three #1’s by Aldean were on the Pop Charts. He has never appeared on the Roots Chart, and has never been recogonized in Americana/Roots Music..
Alison W says:
Redmaz, no one is going to clarify that every time. Why would that be necessary? When you talk about your Americana/Roots charts, do you always make sure to say “This artist has never appeared on the Pop Charts, and has never been recognized in Pop music, just to clarify.” If you’re going to make those type of comments than I hope to see that type of sentence in every single blog that talks about Americana music.
Redmaz says:
Hi Alison, you said no one is going to clarify that every time? You are wrong. I will clarify that every time. The reason that would be neceassry is for bringing to the forefront factual statements, basic music fundamental knowledge and respect for music. When I speak of Americana/Roots Charts, and which artists they are I clarify that too, so there’s no need to point out their lack of, or inclusion in pop chart action. If a blog talks about Americana Music, the clarification is already there. If this blog would’ve said the Pop Charts, then there would have been no need for me to reply to it in the manner I did.
karen f says:
i saw Jason this summer in Dallas with Keith Urban and i have to say it was the BEST concert i have ever seen. jason did a fantastic job! he is an artist that both my daughters and i enjoy. his music is both modern country and still has that great sound of traditional country music from the late 60’s and early 70’s. keep it up jason, you deserve all the buzz and praise your getting. see you sat jan 30th in tyler,texas
Kevin says:
Nobody said that he had been on the “americana/roots charts. So why did it need to be clarified? The blog said that he has had 3 #1 singles off his current album, which is absolutely a fact. No clarification was needed.
Redmaz says:
Why does it need to be clarified? I’m glad you asked that. The reason it needs to be clarified is because no one said these were 3 #1’s on the Pop Charts. When this is done it makes a clear and concise factual statement. Being a music advocate, I expect this, and will tolerate nothing less. Besides that…I like jerking the chains of Mainstreamers like you with facts.
countryiscool says:
I think it’s pretty clear that on the majority of these MAINSTREAM country-Pop blogs that people know what artists are going to be represented. If we want Americana/Roots music blogs, we’ll go to them. We don’t need clarification.
Redmaz says:
They don’t have to because I say so. These are facts, not something I’m making up, and I will be one person who does clarify. Anyone who “sticks their nose up to entire genre”, has nothing to do with musical advocacy, that is a personal choice based on facts. For me basic music fundamentals come long before personal choices. I don’t care who or what you or anyone listens to, however I do have a problem with someone not knowing what it is, and not using the terminology that applies. That’s just the way it is, and the way it’s going to be. Bottom line is Aldean has had 3 #1’s on the Pop Country Chart. That’s a fact. Show me where he has had a #1 hit on the Americana Chart, and not only will I apologize, but I will no longer post on this blog. I didn’t start this, Alison did. Being a music advocate, I will take a stand. If you don’t need clarification then use basic music fundamentals and genre description or I will.
countryiscool says:
No one is saying you are making them up. And just because YOU prefer “basic music fundamentals before personal choices,” doesn’t mean the rest of us do, or want to be inundated with your fanaticism over it. We know what we like, and given the blog, again, it is MAINSTREAM Pop Country. If we want Roots or Americana, we’ll go to those blogs and comment. We are not saying Aldean has hits on those charts. If you don’t like Pop Country, don’t listen to it, don’t read the blogs–stick to YOUR preference of music.
How many times do you have to shoot yourself in the foot to get the point?
Peacock Queen says:
countryiscool is absolutely CORRECT. We may not be “masters” of music fundamentals but we do understand who and whay we are talking about here - mainstream pop country. No one claimed Aldean had singles to hit number 1 on Americana or Roots charts, so there isn’t any need to argue about it, is there? The only reason to get upset and start swinging verbal punches would be if Alison had erroneously SAID they were on Americana or Roots charts and even that shouldn’t be insulting enough to traditional country fans in order to cause someone to get mean. If you feel the need to always verify that you are talking about pop country, that is fine. I don’t need to call it anything other than “country” to be happy. To each his/her own.
Kevin says:
Red, if this was a blog about an americana/roots artist, and it was worded the same way, would you have clarified that it was americana/roots and not recognized in popular country? Id guess probably not.
Redmaz says:
Not arguing at all, just stating facts and will continue to do so until everyone is on the same page. This is basic music fundamentals people. Something that should be common knowledge on a MUSIC blogsite. If kevin, countryiscool and peacock queen, know about basic music fundamentals, knows what Mainstream Pop is, knows what Americana/Roots music is, then fine. my post wasn’t intended for you, my reply was for the vast majority who don’t know about Mainstream Pop and/or Americana/Roots music. There is no sense in keeping everyone uneducated and misinformed just because YOU know more than they do. If you know it alls don’t like my replies, please feel free to ignore them, if not I will gladly reply to you too.
Peacock Queen says:
Not a know-it-all. I only know so much about music and I don’t pretend to be a master because I am not. I know for a fact that I DO NOT berate people for not listening to the “traditional” country music. I like it, but I also understand that many on here will not like it, and that is their RIGHT. I can encourage them to listen to it, I can mention the names of those artists I believe are great but not in mainstream pop country with the hope that others will give them a listen. I do not have to get mean about it, because they will not give it a try. Why should they after they have been offended? There is a VAST difference in educating people by encouraging them to branch out and learn more, and “jerking the chains of mainstreamers” as you put it.
I have been very willing to check out artists you and Merlefan have suggested, and I have found some that I truly like. Can you not show those of us in the “pop country” world the same sort of courtesy for the artists we like?
Redmaz says:
I do not berate people for listening to traditional country either. My first blog reply has nothing to do with what people listen to. If you read it again I am simply stating a fact. You’ll also notice in a later post I state that I don’t care what you or anyone listens to. This blog and my reply has nothing to do with that. Let me state this again, I don’t care what people listen to. however I do have a problem with people not knowing what it is. It leads to all types discrepancies and disrespect. How many other areas of life do you go through without knowing basic fundamentals of a certain subject? Sports? News? Politics? Religion? History? Weather? Or is it just Music?