Alan Jackson

Here in the Real World

Almost from his birth, on 17th October 1958, in Newnan, Georgia, Alan Jackson has been on a mission to keep country music real. And he's been rewarded with multi-platinum sales and twenty-six no.1 singles.

Throughout his childhood, Jackson took various jobs to help his family out, including working in a shoe store aged 12. And he was introduced to gospel music at an early age and was inspired by gospel greats like Gene Watson and John Anderson. So it was no surprise when he moved to Nashville in the 1980s to pursue his dream of a music career.

Starting out in the mailroom of The Nashville Network, Alan honed his skills as a songwriter and sang backup before becoming the first artist to sign to Nashville Arista Records. His first album for the label Here in the Real World (1990) spawned four singles that stormed the top 5, including "Here in the Real World" and "Chasin' that Neon Rainbow”.

Fame came fast, with a string of hit albums and singles. He penned songs with another neotraditionalist, Randy Travis, including "Better Class of Losers" and "Together Forever", and has recorded with country music great George Strait. In 1999, he recorded Under the Influence, a covers album packed with straight remakes of songs by Merle Haggard, Charlie Pride and more.

Alan won a Grammy for his heartfelt and poignant tribute to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," and has received multiple awards from the CMA and ACM. Alan is still married to Denise, his childhood sweetheart, although the couple briefly separated in 1996. In 2007, Denise penned It's All About Him: Finding The Love Of My Life about their enduring relationship.