'Having everything taken away from you that you love to do has been rough,' he tells ET.
Jason Aldean is heading back on the road. Only ET's Cassie DiLaura was with the singer backstage at his Jason Aldean: LIVE From The Bonnaroo Farm show on Saturday, where he opened up about returning to live performances more than a year after the coronavirus outbreak.
"It feels good," Aldean shared. "It's been 14 months for us since we played a show, and that's crazy. We used to play over 200 shows a year."
"Just kind of having everything taken away from you that you love to do has been rough," he added. "So, it just feels good to be back with the band and the crew and get a chance to get onstage, see some fans."
Aldean made his big comeback with two shows, on Friday and Saturday, and said just getting back out there was emotional.
"I think just the initial walking onstage, that's kind of always my favorite part anyway is the initial moment that I walk onstage and you kind of get the pop from the crowd. To hear that after 14 months, it was pretty special," he expressed.
Pretty soon, Aldean will get to feel that feeling every single night. His three-month Back in the Saddle tour kicks off in August.
"I've been at this now for 16-ish years, something like that, but I never have any time off like this," he reflected. "There's a lot of pent-up frustration that's about to get turned loose, you know, and it started last night. I think for us, we're ready to go. You know, we're rested up more than we wanted to be rested and, you know, I think these will be some of the best shows we've ever done probably."
But first, the singer will get a few more months of family time at home. Aldean shares 3-year-old Memphis and 2-year-old Navy with wife Brittany, while he's also dad to 18-year-old Keeley and 13-year-old Kendyl from his previous marriage to Jessica Ussery.
"I have one going to college and two still in diapers. And then I have one that's 13, so it's been great getting the chance to spend some time with them. My wife says she loves having me at home, I don't know if that's actually the case," he quipped. "I think she's probably ready for us to get back on the road. But it's been really cool and, you know, it's allowed us to do some family trips and things like that and get some quality time in with the family."
Little Memphis and Navy "don't do well sleeping on the bus," so they won't be accompanying Aldean to all his tour stops. Bur they'll still be "a part" of the action every now and then, he revealed.
A new tour isn't the only project Aldean's been working on. He also launched Wolf Moon Bourbon with Florida Georgia Line last year, joining buddies Luke Bryan and Blake Shelton, who also have alcohol brands.
"Blake's stuff tastes terrible, Luke's, it's awful," Aldean joked. "Now this is pretty good right here, you guys!"
And as for those recent rumors his wife, Brittany, would be joining the cast of a possible Real Housewives of Nashville, Aldean said he's not keen on that opportunity, if it were to ever come up.
"Obviously, we've been approached about multiple things in the past like that and, you know, even before that show. And I think for us, you kind of look at a lot of reality TV and it's good for the viewer because it's a lot of drama and things like that. But, you know, when it's your household, you don't really want to be a part of that stuff," he explained.
If Aldean's learned anything from the past year, it's that he loves his family as they are.
"You know, it's been a blessing for us and it can be taken away that quick," he shared. "I think it has made me appreciate everything that I have way more than I did before."
Tickets for Aldean's Back in the Saddle tour go on sale Friday.
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