Alan Jackson Basic Facts:
Name: Alan Eugene Jackson
Birthdate: October 17, 1958
Birthplace: Newnan, GA
Country Style: Neo-Traditional, Honkytonk
Alan Jackson quote (on performing):
"I'm just a singer of simple songs, and that's the truth."Alan Jackson Songwriting:
Alan Jackson has written many of his biggest hits. One of the most popular was the song that he wrote after the 9-11 World Trade Center bombings, called "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)." He also wrote or co-wrote "Chasin' that Neon Rainbow," "Don't Rock the Jukebox," "Drive (For Daddy Gene)," "Livin' on Love," and his 2008 No. 1 song, "Good Time."
Musical Influences:
George Jones, Hank Williams, Merle Haggard and George Strait.Suggested Alan Jackson Songs:
- Download/Purchase "Don't Rock the Jukebox"
- Download/Purchase "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)"
- Download/Purchase "Here in the Real World"
- Download/Purchase "I'll Go On Loving You"
- Download/Purchase "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere"
Similar Artists:
Some other artists with music similar to Alan Jackson
Recommended Albums:
Don't Rock the Jukebox
- Drive Read review
- Good Time Read review
Alan Jackson Biography:
Alan Eugene Jackson was born the fifth child and only boy to Ruth and Eugene Jackson in Newnan, Georgia on October 17, 1958. Growing up, he listened to Gospel music, but wasn't a huge music fan in his younger years. When a friend introduced him to Gene Watson, John Anderson and Hank Williams, Jr., Jackson was hooked.
Alan married his high school sweetheart, Denise, and the couple moved to Nashville, where Alan worked in the Nashville Network's mail room. Eventually, Jackson was signed to Arista Nashville, where he was part of the Class of '89, which included future superstars Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Travis Tritt, Lorrie Morgan, and Mary Chapin Carpenter.
Debut album
Alan's first album was Here in the Real World. The first single didn't crack the Top 40, but the second single, the title cut, shot straight to No. 3. The four songs that followed from that album also were Top 3 songs, including his first No. 1, "I'd Love You All Over Again."
Jackson had great success in the 1990s, writing hits for other artists, such as Randy Travis' "Better Class of Losers," and Clay Walker's "If I Could Make a Living." He also wrote many of his own songs, which also became hits.
Alan shows his influences
In 1999, Alan took a risk, releasing an album (Under the Influence), of classic country covers in a time where pop-country was all the rage. While many of the songs didn't crack the Top 40, he did have two Top 10 hits with his duet with George Strait, "Murder on Music Row," and the Don Williams cover, "It Must Be Love," which added to his growing list of No. 1 songs.
Two months after the September 11, 2001 attacks, Alan performed the song "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" on the CMA Awards. The song was not planned to be part of an album, but the live performance was played on radio stations nationwide, and soon was added to his album, Drive.
An Album of Ballads
In 2006, Alan changed producers, asking Alison Krauss to produce his next album, which would be Like Red on a Rose. This came on the tails of an album of Gospel hits that he had originally written for his mother as a Christmas gift, called Precious Memories. None of the songs from Precious Memories charted, and the album Like Red on a Rose was just so different, without the traditional honky tonk sound fans were used to, that the singles released from that album didn't add to his No. 1 toll.
Good Times in Store again for Alan
In 2007, the first song ("Small Town Southern Man") off his upcoming album Good Time was released. Fans were once again hearing the honky tonk sound, and the song went straight to No. 1, as did the title track.
Alan Jackson celebrated 50 million in sales in 2008. Quite a feat, as many of the stars that had been around back in 1989 didn't fare as well. Alan continues to tour and record, and claims he'll do so as long as the fans want to hear his music.
