Country music star Jason Alden has filed for divorce from his wife of almost 12 years, Jessica Ussery, seven months after he was caught cheating with American Idol alum, Brittany Kerr, US Weekly confirms.

According to papers filed on Friday, April 26th, the same day it was reported they separated, the two split because of "irreconcilable differences."

Aldean told US Weekly in a statement:

"This is a really tough time for my entire family. Jessica and I have been together since we were teenagers. We've been through a lot of ups and downs over the years as we grew up together as a couple. She will always be important to me because she is the mother of my children, and I know that we will both always make our daughters our No. 1 priority.

"I've learned that everyone always rushes to judgement when they hear news like this. That's really hard because no one knows anything about our relationship but us. I understand that because of my job, I have to go through a lot of this in the public eye, but for my girls' sake I really wish people would give us some level of privacy and at the very least be respectful of them."

The two have been together since they were both in high school, and they made a joint appearance on CBS This Morning to show the world they were sticking together after Aldean's kiss-fest with Brittany Kerr, a contestant on American Idol, was made public knowledge. 

Aldean and Ussery married in 2001, and have two daughters, Keeley 10, and Kendyl 5, from their marriage. 

A source tells US that the two initially separated in January, just three months after Aldean was spotted smooching with Brittany Kerr, and said, "There were obvious problems before the bar kiss, but he finally left earlier this year."

The news about Aldean and Kerr appears to have been the final straw for Ussery, who left just three months later, and did not escort Aldean to April's ACM Awards with her husband. 

The "Don't You Wanna Stay" singer won the CMA Country Album of the Year in 2011 for My Kinda Party, and he performd the album at the People's Choice Awards in January, the same month he and Ussery initially separated.