Pop Talk by George Varga

When Jason Aldean invokes "Sweet Home Alabama," he's not talking about — or singing — the 1974 Southern-rock classic by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

"Alabama is my favorite band of all time," said Aldean, 34, who is fast becoming a favorite of many country-music fans.

"That's one band I always hoped to get a chance to work with and tour with. Unfortunately, they retired before I had a chance to, although I did get to work with Randy (Owen, Alabama's former guitarist and singer)."

Given his repeated chart-topping success — Aldean's fourth album, 2010's "My Kinda Party," last week regained the No. 1 spot on the national Billboard charts — this former high school baseball star is in a good position to work with almost anyone he wants.

Past partners include Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry and "American Idol" alum Kelly Clarkson, who is featured on his latest album and sang "Don't You Wanna Stay" during last fall's CMA Awards telecast. In 2009, Aldean and veteran Canadian rocker Bryan Adams shared the stage for a Country Music Television special. Earlier this month, he sang with James Taylor at the Academy of Country Music Awards telecast (Aldean was nominated in two categories, but he went home trophy-less).

His best songs combine the broad appeal of Alabama, the top-selling country band of the 1980s, with the high-octane guitar crunch of Lynyrd Skynyrd in its mid-1970s heyday. This winning combination is enhanced by his earthy, no-frills vocals and glitz-free, everyman persona.

"Being a country (music) guy, I want to hear fiddles and steel-guitars. And my two guitarists being from a rock background, they want to hear rock guitar," Aldean said during a recent phone interview from Kentucky. "When we get together in the studio, all those things happen naturally. It's not something we map out on a piece of paper."

The first country-oriented artist in memory whose concerts have included "Paradise City" by Guns N' Roses, Aldean grew up in Macon, Ga., home to such legends as Otis Redding, Little Richard and the Allman Brothers.

"I don't think you can be from a town that has that much musical history and not be influenced by it," he said. "In Macon, I grew up a country-music fan. But on the country radio station, they always played the Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker Band and guys like that, as well as George Strait. So, growing up, I thought that was country.

"The older I got, the more I started finding out about Otis Redding, who is probably my favorite singer of all time. Nobody, to this day, sings like that guy. So growing up with that musical heritage is something I'm proud to be a part of — and it's definitely influenced me."

Does that mean Aldean might break into Redding's "Try a Little Tenderness" some night on his current tour?

"I used to, back in the day," he said. "When I was doing club gigs, I'd sing (Redding's) 'Dreams' and some of those songs. It's been awhile."

Listening to the ringing guitar chords that anchor "Texas Was You," a standout song from Aldean's latest album, some rock fans may be reminded of The Who's "Baba O'Riley" or Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane." Is this musical tip of the hat deliberate?

"I never thought about The Who, but I see what you're saying now," said Aldean, who rarely writes his own songs.

"I love those big power-chord kind of things you're talking about — Bram! Bram-bram! — because they're catchy. Now I'll think of The Who every time we play that song."

Aldean's current tour includes stops at indoor venues with a capacity of 2,000 to 3,000. This summer and fall, he'll be playing at amphitheaters that can accommodate crowds of up to 20,000. Does he change his show depending on the size of the venue?

"My show is the same, whether it's (for) 2,000 or 20,000 people," he said. "The goal for me is having fun, which is infectious, and that translates to the people who are watching the show.

"It's harder to reach somebody (outdoors) on the back of the lawn. The thing you have to do is make them aware: 'Hey, I see you guys back there!' I'd love to have a little jet-pack and fly back there, but — unfortunately — I can't. So you have to figure out ways to get their attention and you have video screens up, so they can see everything. As long as people see we're having a good time, they end up having a good time. But we treat every show the same."

As the first base man on his high school baseball team, Aldean played well enough to earn a partial college scholarship. He turned it down, however, so that he could pursue music full time. Are any similarities for him between playing ball and playing music?

"I think the biggest thing for me that's kind of helped with music," he replied, is having ..." Aldean paused.

"I don't want to say this the wrong way," he continued, "and make it sound — it's not cockiness or arrogance, but having the confidence that when you go up to the plate to hit, that you're going to make the play and get a hit. Having that same confidence translates to the stage, and that's what I think I took with me from baseball to music.

"The biggest thing for me, having just graduated high school and having the opportunity to play ball or do this music thing, I don't know, man, the thought of me having to go to school for four more years was not something that was appealing to me at the time. I'd grown up playing ball, which I still love, but at that time I was ready for a little break. I had this music thing that was really cool, so I was like: 'Let me try this for a while — if this doesn't work out, I can go back to school, play ball and try to work on music (in my spare time). I just never went back."

JASON ALDEAN'S TOP 10 HIT PARADE

Jason Aldean is no stranger to the top of the country-music charts. He has thus far scored five No. 1 singles, two that reached the No. 2 spot and four that made the Top 10.

His No. 1 songs include:

— "Why" (2005)

— "She's Country" (2008)

— "Big Green Tractor" (2009)

— "The Truth" (2009)

— "Don't You Wanna Stay" (2010)

His No. 2 songs include:

— "Crazy Town" (2009)

— "My Kinda Party" (2010)

EGO-FREE SONGS

Many music stars like to write and sing their own hits, but not Jason Aldean.

A look at the writing credits on his four albums confirms that he has only co-written two of the songs on his self-titled 2005 debut disc. He did not write any songs on any of his subsequent albums. Asked why not, he offered a refreshingly candid response.

"These days, everyone wants to write their own songs, which is cool. But I feel there are great writers in Nashville and I'd be missing out on some cool stuff to record my songs instead. So, for me, it's a no-brainer. I love playing music. Performing and being a recording artist is my No. 1 goal. Being a songwriter is my No. 2 goal."

To find out more about George Varga and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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