the time has come country music superstar alan jackson To hang his signed Stetson hat.
The genre traditionalists from Newnan, Georgia, whose career began in the 1980s and shortly thereafter exploded onto the country wave of the ’90s with heartfelt songs for working people who like to drink, or fish, or ideally both, have sold more than 60 million records throughout their career.
And on Saturday night at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, they ended their touring career.
The event, titled “Last Call: One More for the Road – The Finale”, was a triumphant swansong for the artist, a celebration of his life and career with the help of the artists he directly inspired.
Nashville’s all-stars come out in droves
It was a concerto in two movements.
The first two hours were composed of a marathon of Jackson covers of some of the biggest names in contemporary country.
And each artist had a personal story to share.
Carrie Underwood sang “Everything I Love” at the Tulsa State Fair in 1994 after revealing that Jackson was her first concert.
Thomas Rhett warmed up the crowd with “Small Town Southern Man,” a fitting choice for the singer currently living the lyrics — he’s the father of four girls.
Miranda Lambert, born and raised in Texas, performed “Dallas”. Lanny Wilson inspired the crowd by singing “Higher, Taller Trees”.
Before launching into “Hard Hat and a Hammer”, Luke Combs said, “It’s almost impossible to pick a favorite Alan Jackson song… but I had to try.”
Each artist played with Jackson’s backing band, except Eric Church, who chose to cover “Someday” with only his voice and an acoustic guitar.
It was an all-star night for one of country music’s greatest voices. Other guest artists included Luke Bryan, Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Little Big Town, Jake Owen, Jon Pardi, Lee Ann Womack, and several super talented members of Jackson’s own family: Adam Wright, Big City Brian Wright, and Carlisle Wright.
Five years ago, music legend Jackson, 67, shared that he had a degenerative nerve condition that affects his balance called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which he was diagnosed with. first diagnosed a decade East.
He said it was a genetic condition, and its effect on his ability to walk and perform had become more noticeable.
One dollar from every ticket sold on Saturday night was donated to the CMT Research Foundation, an organization that funds research to find a cure for Charcot-Marie-Tooth.
When it was time for Jackson to take the stage after 9:35 pm – after a storm delay of almost an hour – he was greeted with deafening cheers.
The singer appeared stiff as he walked toward his microphone, but once he picked up his guitar for opener “Gone Country,” he was immediately back in action with that smoky baritone and timeless lyrics, although the strumming was kept to a minimum.
“It’s tremendous,” he addressed the crowd, before assuring them that he would “do that last show stuff… I’m not dead!” But won’t waste too much time.
a night to remember
The Country Music Hall of Famer performed his most famous hits with real intensity: “I Don’t Even Know Your Name” followed immediately, as did “Livin’ on Love,” “Summertime Blues” and the moody “Midnight in Montgomery,” as the music videos for each were played on a giant screen behind him.
He decided to walk from one side of the stage to the other and greet each section, championing his band and the power of “real country music.”
“If anyone has lived the American dream,” he said later, sitting on a stool, “it’s me.”
From there the stories started flowing. He talked about writing “I’ll Love You All Over Again” for his wife on their 10th wedding anniversary and how the radio version of “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow” is currently in the Country Music Hall of Fame museum. And he mentioned that “Drive (For Daddy Gene”) was written after his father’s death.
An hour into his set, Jackson teased the audience by saying he needed some help with the next song. came out George Strait For their collaborations on “Designated Drink” and “Murder on Music Row.”
Then came the incredible hits: “Little Bitty,” “Country Boy,” “Good Time” and “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)”, the latter of which was written and recorded after the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Blockbuster singles followed: “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” “Remember When,” and “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere”, the latter recording famously featuring the late “Margaritaville” singer Jimmy Buffett.
Fireworks were released into the sky for “Chattahoochee”.
Alan Jackson’s story continues
Just because it’s the end of Jackson’s touring career doesn’t mean it’s the end of his music career. On Thursday, two days before the conclusion of the final concert, Jackson released a country cover of Orleans’ “Still the One” to celebrate his 50-year relationship with wife and high school sweetheart Denise Jackson.
She was a cheerleader who practiced dance routines to the soft rock classic; He was immediately astonished.
For those who missed Jackson’s final bow, the show will be released as an NBC concert special later in the year.
But for those who were in the stadium – in the middle of a giant storm – it was a unique and unremarkable night.
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