People still talk about it. Even years later, the internet doesn't really let go of the specific way how Jason Aldean met Brittany Kerr. It wasn't a "meet-cute" in a coffee shop or a setup by mutual friends at a Nashville gala. It was messy. It was public. Honestly, it was a total PR nightmare for a guy who, at the time, was the golden boy of country music.
If you were following country music news in 2012, you remember the photos. TMZ published blurry, late-night shots of Jason Aldean—then a married man—getting very cozy with a young woman at a bar on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. That woman was Brittany Kerr. She was a former Charlotte Bobcats cheerleader and a one-time American Idol contestant.
The fallout was instant.
That Fateful Night at The Den
The year was 2012. Jason was in Los Angeles for a performance, and he ended up at a spot called The Den on Sunset. He wasn't alone; he was with his crew, but he was also very much still married to his high school sweetheart, Jessica Ussery. They had been together for almost two decades. They had two daughters. They were the "it" couple of the relatable, hard-working country scene.
Then the photos dropped.
They showed Jason and Brittany at the bar. He had his arms around her. They were kissing. It wasn't "just talking." It was the kind of evidence that doesn't leave much room for interpretation. In the immediate aftermath, Jason issued a public apology on Facebook. He admitted he’d had too much to drink and had "screwed up." He told fans he was embarrassed and wanted to work on his marriage.
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Brittany, for her part, also apologized. She called it a "lapse in judgment" and expressed regret for the hurt she caused. For a few months, it seemed like the Aldean family might actually weather the storm. They appeared on red carpets together. They did the "we're working on it" interviews. But by 2013, Jason filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
Transitioning From Scandal to Relationship
You’d think a scandal that big would be the end of it. Usually, in the celebrity world, the "other woman" disappears from the narrative after the apology. That didn't happen here.
In March 2014, Jason and Brittany made their first public appearance as an official couple at the CMT Music Awards. It was a bold move. They knew the backlash would be fierce, and it was. Country fans are famously loyal to the "family values" image, and seeing the mistress become the girlfriend was a tough pill for many to swallow.
Jason has always been pretty blunt about this period. He’s basically said that while he knows he handled things poorly, he couldn't ignore the connection he felt. He’s often told critics to mind their own business, arguing that nobody knows what goes on behind closed doors in a marriage. It’s a valid point, though it didn't do much to quiet the "Team Jessica" fans at the time.
Why the Public Can't Stop Talking About It
The reason the story of how Jason Aldean met Brittany sticks around isn't just because of the cheating. It’s because they actually stayed together. They didn't just date for a few months; they got married in March 2015 in a beautiful ceremony in Mexico.
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They built a life.
Since then, they’ve had two children, Memphis and Navy. They’ve built a massive mansion in Tennessee. They’ve become a political powerhouse couple in certain circles. They are, by all accounts, incredibly happy. This creates a weird tension for the public: do you judge them for the beginning, or do you respect the longevity of what they built?
- The American Idol Connection: Brittany was on Season 11 of American Idol. She didn't make it to the live rounds, but she was memorable enough that people recognized her immediately when the scandal broke.
- The Social Media Factor: Unlike many country stars of his era, Jason became very active on Instagram alongside Brittany. They show off their kids, their vacations, and their lifestyle constantly.
- The Defense: Jason has repeatedly jumped into the comment sections to defend Brittany against "trolls." He’s very protective of her, which has actually helped flip the script for some fans who now see them as a "us against the world" type of couple.
A Different Kind of Nashville Love Story
In Nashville, there’s a specific template for how stars are supposed to act. You marry your high school sweetheart, you sing about your "mama," and you stay out of the tabloids. Jason broke that template.
When you look at the timeline of how Jason Aldean met Brittany, it’s a story of a massive mistake that led to a life-changing relationship. It wasn't clean. It wasn't easy. But it was real.
They’ve been married for nearly a decade now. In celebrity years, that’s an eternity. They’ve navigated multiple controversies since then—including the tragic Route 91 Harvest festival shooting in Las Vegas, where Brittany was present while Jason was on stage. Those kinds of traumatic events tend to bond people in ways that the public can’t fully grasp.
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Moving Beyond the 2012 Headlines
If you want to understand the current state of their relationship, you have to look at their business ventures. Brittany isn't just "the wife" anymore. She has her own hair extension line, a conservative-themed clothing line, and a massive following that rivals many country artists. She’s a brand.
The way they met will always be a footnote in their biography, but it’s no longer the headline. Most fans have moved on. The couple has leaned into their identity as outsiders who don't care what the "Mainstream Media" or "Nashville Elites" think of them. It’s a strategy that has worked remarkably well for Jason’s career, which has remained at the top of the charts despite—or perhaps because of—the controversy.
Practical Insights for Navigating Celebrity Culture
When we consume stories about how celebrities meet, it’s easy to get caught up in the drama. But there are a few things to keep in mind about the Aldean saga:
- Context is rarely public. We see the photos at the bar; we don't see the years of a marriage that might have already been failing.
- Public perception can be shifted. Through consistency and showing a united front, the Aldeans managed to change their narrative from "scandalous" to "solid."
- Social media changes the game. By being the ones to post their own photos and stories, they took the power away from the tabloids.
To truly understand the impact of this story, look at the longevity of Jason’s career. He didn't get "canceled." If anything, his fan base became more protective of him. It’s a fascinating case study in how a modern celebrity can survive a massive personal scandal by simply refusing to go away and leaning into their new reality.
If you're interested in following their journey further, the best place is actually Brittany's Instagram or Jason's official fan club. They are extremely transparent about their day-to-day lives, often sharing behind-the-scenes footage of tour life and family milestones that you won't find in any magazine. For a deeper look at Jason's musical evolution during this period, listen to his Old Boots, New Dirt album, which was the first project released after the scandal—it’s widely considered one of his most personal and successful works.