Jason Aldean Kicks Off ‘Asphalt Cowboy’ Hall of Fame Exhibit [Pictures]
Jason Aldean is one of the biggest superstars in country music today, but he seemed in awe at the opening of his new exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville on Thursday night (May 25).
Aldean was on hand in the rotunda at the museum to help launch Jason Aldean: Asphalt Cowboy, which opens to the public on Friday (May 26). The exhibit features an assortment of items from throughout Aldean's life and career, including some of his early sports awards, his first guitar, flyers from early club appearances in Nashville (for which the singer, sporting a mullet, was billed as Jason Aldean and Young Guns), a guitar strap emblazoned with his real name, Jason Williams, stage clothing, awards, handwritten notes and more.
The overall effect is a timeline of not only Aldean's successes, but also his struggles in his early days in Nashville, where he suffered through one disappointment after another before signing a make-or-break deal with a new independent label, Broken Bow. Aldean had decided to move back home to Georgia when the deal came along, and together the unknown country singer and fledgling label went on to build one of the biggest success stories in Nashville history.
Aldean seemed humbled at the chance to appear in an exhibit in the hallowed halls where is own musical heroes have been enshrined.
"I think as a singer, the ultimate pinnacle of what we do is to be here on this wall," he said, gesturing at the names and faces of icons adorning the rotunda. "I think to be enshrined in this building in any capacity for any artist is pretty amazing."
Aldean thanked the Hall of Fame, but he was especially effusive in his thanks for those who helped nurture his career when nobody else wanted to. Many of those core people remain intact today, including his label team, band members and producer, Micheal Knox, who "found me in a club in Atlanta and brought me to town almost 20 years ago."
The superstar previewed the exhibit before addressing reporters on Thursday, taking in the items from his past alongside his mother, father, step-parents, wife and daughters. He hopes the exhibit will resonate with fans, but he seemed especially pleased to get the chance to show his daughters his journey.
"I mean, they don't know anything other than this," he reflected, evidently in reference to the level of success that he currently enjoys. "To go back and to see that it wasn't always like this, I think is probably kinda cool for them."
Jason Aldean: Asphalt Cowboy is slated to run through Nov. 5 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Aldean's music will be on display when he headlines the 2017 Taste of Country Music Festival in June.
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