Alan Eugene Jackson was born on October 17th, 1958 in Newnan, in the heart of Georgia. Fifth of five children, the young Alan inherits from his mother, Ruth, the passion for music, whilst his father Eugene, a mechanic, helps him discover the world of motors. After graduating from Newnan High School, Alan ventures into the unlikely career as a car salesman, alongside the job as a forklift driver. Of course, his passion is country music, which, in this part of the United States dominates radio stations and television stations. Thanks to a fortuitous meeting with Glen Campbell, the doors to Nashville are now opened to him, where Alan moved to with his wife Denise, to follow his own path as a musician. During this period, Alan Jackson wrote several songs and performed in countless clubs of the Music City, waiting for the chance to eventually turn pro. Opportunity that inevitably comes when the New York based rock record label Arista, decided to open an office in Nashville with the task of dealing with country music. Alan shows up for an audition and immediately becomes the first country singer to sign with the label. In addition, this label introduces him to Keith Stegall, one of his most promising producers, thus giving rise to the collaboration (Jackson / Stegall) that will bring Alan Jackson to sell nearly 55 million albums. In 1989 he released his first single entitled “Blue Blooded Woman”, which reached N°45 in the charts.
The following year, Alan reaches the top spot with “I’d Love You All Over Again”, to coincide with the release of his first album, “Here In The Real World”, which will remain in the charts for 6 months. The album contains some of Alan’s most beautiful songs, for example, the autobiographical “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow”, or the title track “Here In The Real World”. In 1991, Arista released his second album entitled “Don’t Rock The Jukebox” which ,with a few great songs, topped the charts. Among which was the track “Midnight In Montgomery”, where he sings about a fascinating visit to Hank Williams’ grave during a stormy night, or “Don’t Rock The Jukebox”, which pays homage to George Jones, true inspiration behind the music of Alan Jackson. It is also worth mentioning one of the best songs of “Don’t Rock The Jukebox”, “Dallas”,written by Jackson during a tour in Texas.
Within a few months the album reaches the two million mark, and Alan Jackson finally becomes one of the greats of country music. The confirmation of this innate tendency to churn out successful albums came in 1993 with the release of his third album “A Lot About Livin’ And A Little About Love”. The song “Chattahoochee” becomes the anthem of a new dance style, ‘line dance’, which now catches on in many “country” clubs throughout Europe. In the wake of these achievements and on the occasion of the upcoming holiday season, Arista releases Jackson’s Christmas album entitled “Honky Tonk Christmas”. In 1994, Alan promptly returned, topping the charts with his fifth recording effort, which is entitled “Who I Am”. The most significant songs are the sweet “Livin’ On Love” and “Gone Country”, which, as the title suggests, is a true manifesto about the values of the “country” life. At this point, the release of a “Greatest Hits” album is a must, which arrives in 1995. The album contains 18 hits plus two new songs: “Try” and “Tall Tall Trees”, an old, but always fantastic song by Roger Miller. Short pause for reflection and in 1996 he releases his seventh album entitled “Everything I Love”. This is probably the most beautiful album of our singer / songwriter, thanks to the incredible quality of all the songs. Songs such as “Little Bitty”, “Buicks To The Moon”, “Between The Devil And Me” and “There Goes” are all potential hits. It’s really hard to find a group of songs all enclosed in a single album like this. The ’90’s ended with two more albums, hugely successful, “High Mileage” (1998) and “Under The Influence”, in 1999. The new century opens with “When Somebody Like You”, also produced by the loyal Keith Stegall.
The album immediately goes platinum, and the single “It’s Alright To Be A Redneck” rockets to the top of the charts. In 2002 “Drive” is released, which contains “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)”, and in 2004, always with Arista Nashville, Alan Jackson releases “What I Do”. The career of this singer from Newnan continues with a series of albums (“Like Red On A Rose” in 2006, “Good Times”,in 2008, “Freight Train”,in 2010, “Thirty Miles West” in 2012 and “The Bluegrass Album” in 2013), all of which add nor take nothing away from the grandeur of this entertainer. Faithful interpreter of a musical line, typical of the new traditionalists, Alan Jackson is now a mainstay for those who love country music. A modern day sound, but not too much, with bass, drums and electric guitar, but still regulated by the rhythms of steel and fiddle. (Gianluca Sitta)
