Alan Jackson didn’t cause
much of a stir in music his first time out. When the fourth grader
stepped up to the mike to belt out a rocking version of Sam the Sham
and the Pharaohs’ “Little Red Riding Hood” in a talent show, he
didn’t get any offers to continue in his chosen field.
Undiscouraged, Jackson got some more education, but by the time he
got to high school, he had begun to prepare himself in a different
genre with some on the job experience working local pizza parlors
around his hometown of Newman, Georgia.
Jackson even got a year of college under his belt before giving
in to the temptation to go to Nashville in ’86 and try beat the
odds. The aspiring singer got a job in music right away, but it
wasn’t exactly what he’d envisioned. Jackson was employed by The
Nashville Network, but nobody would be seeing his face on TV just
yet — Jackson was stuck back in the mailroom. But that didn’t stop
the singer from making the most of his surroundings. Co-workers
remember him going missing frequently from his duties only to look
up on one of the in-house monitors and see Jackson auditioning for
the stations’ live TV talent show.
That didn’t work, but a chance meeting with Glenn Campbell did.
Jackson passed the audition Campbell set up for him and was hired as
a staff writer for Campbell’s publishing company. But Jackson’s
talents soon got him his own record deal and he hit the charts with
5 hits on his ’89 Arista debut. “Here In the Real World” became a
jukebox staple, and the lanky soft-spoken cowboy found himself in
demand on the road as well as on the shelves of record stores.
91’s Don’t Rock the Jukebox, ( I wanna hear some Jones, ain’t got
time for no Rolling Stones) became an instant classic, and spun off
four more hits including “Someday,” “Midnight In Montgomery,”
“Dallas,” “Love’s Got A Hold On You” as well as the title cut. He
did it again in ’92 with the hit “Chatahoochee,” and once again in
’94 with four more hits from Who I Am including one destined to
become a Ford truck commercial, “Gone Country.” In ’99, Jackson’s
Under the Influence paid tribute to classic country drinking songs
including Jim Ed Brown’s ode to beer, “Pop a Top” and even included
Jimmy Buffett, who sang a duet with Jackson on “Margaritaville.”
’02’s Drive honored his dad, and “Where Were You (When The World
Stopped Turning),” honored his countrymen and their response to the
events of 9/11. His latest is a collection of greatest hits, which
have helped the artist sell over 40 million records with thirty
number one singles. Jackson selected songs from Everything I Love,
High Mileage, Under The Influence, When Somebody Loves You and Drive
as well as selected singles including the recent drinking mans toast
recorded with Buffett, “It’s 5 O'clock Somewhere.” Jackson fans
proved they’re as fond of Jackson the second time around as they
were the first, buying up over a quarter of a million copies of the
album the first week it came out last year, beating out even P
Diddy. Jackson takes it all in stride, saying that he doesn’t
understand what he’s doing that pleases so many people, but whatever
it is, he’ll just keep on doing it.
Alan Jackson plays the
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Charlotte, on May 15. For
information call (704) 549-5555. l
