Jason Aldean Explains Racial Halloween Costume

— -- It's been almost a year since photos surfaced showing country singer Jason Aldean dressed in blackface for Halloween.

The country icon had never really addressed it until now. In a recent Billboard interview Aldean said his costume was not meant to be disrespectful and was not "malicious."

“In this day and age, people are so sensitive that no matter what you do, somebody is going to make a big deal out of it,” he told the magazine.

He continued, “Me doing that had zero malicious intent ... I get that race is a touchy subject, but not everybody is that way. Media tends to make a big deal out of things. If that was disrespectful to anyone, I by all means apologize. That was never my intention. It never crossed my mind.”

Aldean, 39, also addressed his family life in the interview and his bringing his daughters Keeley, 13, and Kendyl, 9, and his new wife, Brittany Kerr, on tour recently.

“It has been good having Britt out on the road. It gives her a chance to see the stuff I go through," he said. "We’re on the road, and we play music for a living. It’s hard on me. It’s a lot of traveling, not sleeping, working day after day without a day off. She gets to see that. It’s nice to have my partner with me out there. It makes it a lot easier.”