Country music fans are well aware of Alan Jackson’s tremendous career, which includes 16 studio albums. Those albums don’t include his three best hits recordings, two Christmas albums, and two gospel albums! This all goes to show that he knows what he’s doing in the music business.
Alan’s life work was just acknowledged at the 2022 CMAs, bringing him the credit he deserves on country music’s biggest night. Aside from that, his excellent music isn’t the reason he’s so popular; many admirers are unaware of his degenerative sickness. This is what you should know.
Is Alan Jackson sick?
Alan has kept his condition a secret for years, but he’s been battling with it behind the scenes for quite some time. In a 2021 TODAY interview with Jenna Bush Hager, he stated that he has Charcot-Marie-Tooth illness, a degenerative neurological ailment. He acquired a hereditary illness from his father.
The condition is neurological, meaning it directly affects the nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, sensory organs, and all of the body’s nerves. Fortunately, the disease is not fatal, although it does have some potentially life-threatening symptoms.
What’s going on with Alan Jackson’s health condition?
When asked about his health condition, Alan stated, “There is no remedy for it but it has been bothering me for years. And it’s becoming increasingly clear. And I know I’m bumbling about onstage. And now I’m having a little issue balancing, even in front of the microphone, which makes me quite uncomfortable.”
Now that his condition is becoming more apparent during his performances, he probably felt it was a good moment to tell his followers what he’s been going through.
How Is Alan Jackson Doing Today?
Alan Jackson does not reveal much about his personal life, and he has not provided an update on his condition since his 2021 declaration. In 2022, he embarked on a 16-stop tour titled “Last Call: One More For The Road.” According to Billboard, he had to reschedule one event because he tested positive for COVID-19 rather than due to medical symptoms.
“I’ve always admired my heroes like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, and Charley Pride, who just played as much as they wanted to, as long as they could,” Alan said in his press release. “I’ve always wanted to do that, and I hope to do so for as long as my health allows. I’ll try to help as much as I can, but if I come your way, come visit me.”
Fortunately, Alan’s daughters and wife are by his side as his condition worsens. “When I am low, he raises me up. “When he is down, I try to lift him up,” his wife, Denise, stated at the time of his illness announcement.
Will Alan Jackson Continue to Tour?
Going on a tour while coping with medical concerns cannot be simple for anyone. Music tours involve a lot of travel, packing, unpleasant sleeping arrangements, nightly performances, and other activities. It’s not ideal for someone facing a serious situation like Alan’s, but he appears to be prepared to give it his all.
Addressing fan concerns that he was finished with live performances, Alan told Jenna, “I’m not saying I won’t be able to tour. I’ll try to do my best.” Since his diagnosis, Alan has had to postpone several shows owing to health concerns. Nonetheless, it’s clear that the country music icon, who recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 CMAs, isn’t about to give up on his life’s love anytime soon.
Some of Alan Jackson’s Best Hits
Alan Jackson has been at the top of the charts since the late 1980s and early 1990s. His breakthrough single “Blue Blooded Woman” put him on the map, despite failing to make the Top 40 Hot Country Songs chart when it was released. By the early 2000s, he had established himself as a household name among many country fans.
“Remember When,” “Where I Come From,” and “Small Town Southern Man” are just a handful of his iconic classics. His poetic country music approach has earned him a lot of praise and many devoted admirers. We wish him the best of luck as he deals with his illness, and we hope he is able to continue performing for many more years.
Early Life
Jackson was born in Newnan, Georgia, to Joseph Eugene “Daddy Gene” Jackson (1927–2000) and Ruth Musick “Mama Ruth” Jackson (1930–2017). She has four older sisters. He and his immediate family lived in a tiny house constructed around his grandfather’s old toolshed. The family is predominantly of English heritage. His mother remained in the house until her death on January 7, 2017. He started writing songs in 1983.
Jackson grew up listening mostly to church music until a buddy exposed him to Gene Watson, John Anderson, and Hank Williams Jr. Jackson attended Elm Street Elementary and Newnan High School before joining the band Dixie Steel upon graduation.
When Jackson was 27, he and his wife of six years, Denise, relocated from Newnan to Nashville, Tennessee, where he wanted to pursue music full-time. Jackson recorded a pre-debut demo album called New Traditional in 1987 at Doc’s Place in Hendersonville, Tennessee, but it is incredibly uncommon and was only released in Japan.
Personal Life
Jackson married Denise Jackson, his high school sweetheart, on December 15, 1979. They have three daughters: Mattie Denise Selecman (born June 19, 1990), Alexandra Jane “Ali” (born August 23, 1993), and Dani Grace (born August 28, 1997). The pair became grandparents in December 2022, when their daughter Ali and her husband Sam Bradshaw had their first child, a son. Although the pair separated for several months in 1998 owing to the demands of Jackson’s work and his adultery, they have since reconciled
