It’s time for country music superstar Alan Jackson to don his signature Stetson hat.
The Newnan, Georgia, genre traditionalist began his career in the 1980s and soon exploded into popularity during the oft-cited ’90s country wave with heartfelt songs aimed at working men who wanted to drink, fish, or ideally both, and sold more than 60 million records over the course of his illustrious career.
And on Saturday night at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, he ended his touring career.
The event, titled “Last Call: One More for the Road – Finale,” was a triumphant swan song for the performer, celebrating his life and career in collaboration with the artists he directly inspired.
Nashville All-Stars make an appearance
It was a two-movement concert.
The first two hours consisted of a marathon of Jackson covers by some of the biggest names in modern country.
Each performer then shared their personal stories.
Carrie Underwood sang “Everything I Love” after Jackson revealed it was her first concert at the 1994 Tulsa State Fair.
Thomas Rhett warmed up the crowd with “Small Town Southern Man,” and it’s a fitting choice for a singer who’s currently living the song’s lyrics — he’s the father of four girls.
Miranda Lambert, who was born and raised in Texas, performed “Dallas.” Rainie Wilson wowed the audience with “Tall, Tall Trees.”
“It’s almost impossible to choose a favorite Alan Jackson song…but I had to try,” Luke Combs said before launching into “Hard Hat and a Hammer.”
Each performer performed with Jackson’s backing band, but Eric Church covered “Someday” with just his voice and acoustic guitar.
It was an all-star night for one of country music’s greatest voices. Other guest stars included Luke Bryan, Riley Greene, Cody Johnson, Little Big Town, Jake Owen, Jon Pardi, Lee Ann Womack, and a host of super talented members of Jackson’s own family, Adam Wright, Big City Brian Wright, and Carlyle Wright.
Five years ago, the 67-year-old music mogul revealed he had Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a neurodegenerative disease that affects his sense of balance and was first diagnosed 10 years ago.
He said this is a genetic disease and the impact on gait and performance is becoming more pronounced.
The CMT Research Foundation, an organization that funds research to find a cure for Charcot-Marie-Tooth, donated $1 for every ticket sold Saturday night.
When it was time for Jackson to take the stage just after 9:35 p.m., after about an hour’s delay due to a storm, he was greeted with deafening cheers.
The singer seemed stiff as she walked to the microphone, but when she picked up her guitar for opener “Gone Country,” she was right back in action, with minimal strumming but a smoky baritone and timeless tune.
“I’m overwhelmed,” he told the crowd, promising, “I promised not to spend too much time on the last show stuff. I’m not dead!”
a memorable night
The Country Music Hall of Famer ran through his most famous hits with true ferocity. “I Don’t Even Know Your Name” arrived quickly, as did “Livin’ on Love,” “Summertime Blues” and the moody “Midnight in Montgomery,” their respective music videos playing on giant screens behind them.
He made sure to walk from one end of the stage to the other, greeting each section while championing his band and the power of “real country music.”
“If anyone lived the American dream, it was me,” he said later, sitting in his chair.
Anecdotes arose from there. He talked about writing “I’d Love You All Over Again” for his wife on their 10th wedding anniversary and how the radio version of “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow” is now in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. And he said 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 help for his next song. George Strait appeared with the collaborations “Designated Drink” and “Murder on Music Row.”
What followed was a string of incredible hits, including “Little Bitty,” “Country Boy,” “Good Time,” and “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).” The latter was written and recorded after the September 11th terrorist attacks.
Huge hit singles followed, including “Don’t Rock the Jukebox,” “Remember When,” and “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” the latter of which was famously featured on the recording by the late “Margaritaville” singer Jimmy Buffett.
Fireworks were set off in the sky at Chattahoochee.
Alan Jackson’s story continues
Just because this is the end of Jackson’s touring career, it doesn’t mean the end of his music career. On Thursday, two days before his final concert blowout, Jackson released a country cover of Orleans’ “Still the One” to celebrate his 50-year relationship with his wife and high school sweetheart Dennis Jackson.
She was a cheerleader practicing dance routines to soft rock classics. He was immediately hooked.
For those who missed Jackson’s final bow, the show will be released as an NBC concert special later this year.
But for those in the stadium in the midst of a huge storm, it was an unrepeatable and unmistakable night.
