Alan Jackson Is Country Music
Alan Jackson writes and sings the type of country music that you can scoop with a spoon. He’s straight country. He’s not pop-country. He’s not alternative-country. He’s not new- country. He’s just plain old country music.
When fans in Henderson or Abbotsford go to see Jackson perform, they go because they want to hear real country music.
Jackson could have been a successful country music star in the ‘50’s or ‘60’s. His music is that timeless.
To say he’s straight country is not meant as a slight. The blonde Georgian has managed to put together a great country music career that’s spanned two decades.
Recently, Jackson took to the stage in front of 1,400 people at the famed Cadillac Ranch in Nashville to play 35-songs from his stellar 20-year career.
"We're gonna play a bunch of junk tonight, and see what happens," Jackson quipped to the receptive audience.
His self effacing humor is appreciated but even Jackson has to admit that his music has been anything but “junk.”
Starting in 1990, Jackson has recorded 12 studio albums and placed more than 50 singles inside the Top 30 of Billboard’s country music charts—25 have reached number one.
He’s also a member of the Grand Ole Opry and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.
Besides recording and performing hit after hit, Jackson has also written songs for other artists. Randy Travis charted three songs co-penned by Jackson. Clay Walker, Chely Wright and Faith Hill have also had hits with Jackson compositions.
"It's still hard to kind of understand all this, but I'm just glad y'all like my music," Jackson told the crowd at the Cadillac Ranch.
People have liked his music enough to buy 50 million of his albums and thousands of Alan Jackson tickets to his concerts.
This summer, Jackson is taking his down-home country charm and his gaggle of hits back out on the road. Fans can catch Jackson in places like Costa Mesa, Raleigh and Columbia.
Jackson will also make several appearances in the Great White North, including Kamloops, Regina and Red Deer.
The country music superstar is touring to support his 2008 album Good Time. When not performing, Jackson is putting the finishing touches on his 13th studio album. It’s set to drop this fall.
Jackson may have an “ahh shucks” attitude but he’s keenly aware of the state of country music and his place in it.
In 1999, at the Country Music Association Awards, Jackson stopped in the middle of his song to play George Jones’ “Choices.” Jackson did this to support his longtime friend who boycotted the event because they asked him to cut his performance by a minute and a half.
A year later, Jackson recorded a duet with fellow country singer George Strait called “Murder on Music Row.”
The song, never released as a single but still managed to reach #38 on the country music charts, criticized the current state of country music. The song claimed country music was getting to similar to rock and pop.
The song, first performed by Larry Cordle and Lonesome Standard Time, laments that greats like Merle Haggard, Hank Williams and George Jones, “wouldn't stand a chance on today's radio.”
That was nearly a decade ago, but not much has changed. In fact, country music has only gotten worse.
Ultimately, country music needs Alan Jackson more than Alan Jackson needs country music. Current country stars act like rock stars while performing their pop-country or their rock-country or their alternate-country.
Jackson reminds us that country music isn’t just a twang and a cowboy hat. It’s about having passion and respect for the people who call the country home.
