Alan Jackson has now been on the public stage for years and has been famous for his traditional country music, but did you know that he started his life as the son of poor parents in Newnan, Georgia? But the country superstar has lived one incredible life since then, filled with hit songs and prestigious awards.
Here are some interesting Alan Jackson Facts that you likely never knew.
10. He Wasn’t A Big Fan Of Music When He Was A Kid
Believe it or not, Alan Jackson wasn’t a “music-lovin’, record-buyin’ kind of guy” growing up. Though he frequently listened to gospel songs and hymns when he was younger, he never really liked any other type of music.
But everything changed when his friend introduced him to country greats like John Anderson, Gene Watson, and Hank Williams Jr. Alan Jackson quickly fell in love with country music that he later moved to Nashville to pursue a career in it. We all know how that turned out to be!
9. His First Job Was In A Shoe Repair Store
Before making a trek up to Nashville, Alan Jackson once had jobs in various places you’d ever think of him working. Started working at a very young age of 12, his first job was in a shoe store.
He also had a job as a forklift driver at a Kmart warehouse in his home state of Georgia and then in the mailroom at The Nashville Network after moving to Music City.
8. His Parents Started Out Marriage Living in a Tool Shed
Alan Jackson’s parents married at a very young age. His mother was only 16, while his father was just 19, so his parents scrambled to raise him and his siblings. That also meant allowing them to live in a tool shed his grandfather built for them. It started there, but slowly the Jacksons added on as the family kept growing.
“My granddaddy had built this 12-by-12 tool shed, and when my mama and daddy got married, they rolled the tool shed on logs to their plot of land next door. That’s where they lived. They started adding on to it,” Jackson said.
“When they had four daughters, and by the time I came along, the house was a lot bigger.” But he still had to sleep in the hallway until he was ten years old, and his older sister moved out to attend college.
7. He Has This Unique Hidden Talent
If you’re lucky enough, Alan Jackson may show off a skill that probably wouldn’t have gotten him as far as country music has. During his 2012 interview with USA Today, the singer admitted that he could – guess what – wiggle his ears.
He got this talent from his father, a man who didn’t speak much.
6. His Favorite Sandwich Is Pineapple And Mayonnaise
Though this may seem like an unusual choice, Alan Jackson likes it because it is easy for him to make one while he’s on the road. He told Us Weekly that he’s never toured without Blue Plate mayonnaise.
In fact, the “Remember When” singer loves the sandwich so much that he included a photo of his favorite snack in his cookbook, Who Says You Can’t Cook It All. Though he did not reveal any secret recipe, the sandwich is pretty easy to make. It features pineapple rings between mayonnaise-covered slices of white bread. The sandwich also became famous for the other residents of Newman.
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5. He Named His First Band After A Box Of Nails
Before landing a deal with Arista, Alan Jackson joined the band Dixie Steel after graduating high school. The band’s name was inspired by the label on a box of nails found in the basement of his band member’s house.
Jackson might be referring to Penn-Dixie Nails, which are no longer produced, as the company went out of business.
4. His Favorite Hobby Is Restoring Antique Cars
Alan Jackson once revealed that he has one big passion aside from music. “My greatest passion is restoring antique cars,” he said.
In 2004, he gave CMT News the opportunity to get a glimpse of his garage. CMT News described his garage to be nicer and bigger than most people’s homes. “The V-shaped building has ten cars and a 1958 Harley-Davidson Panhead down one corridor alone. The other section houses four more cars and a small plane,” CMT reported.
3. He Calls Himself Weather Channel “Junkie”
Weather can sometimes be interesting, but Alan Jackson finds it to be intriguing beyond belief. He once confessed to Us Weekly that he thoroughly enjoys watching The Weather Channel. He went as far as calling himself a Weather Channel “junkie.”
When he is not tuning in to the weather, Jackson loves watching classic television show reruns on TV Land.
2. He And His Wife Briefly Separated In 1997
High school sweethearts Alan and Denise Jackson may have one of the strongest marriages in the industry today, but most fans did not know that they have been through several battles. In 1997, the couple separated for several months due to Jackson’s infidelities.
The two reconciled the following year, and wife Denise reflected on her relationship with Alan Jackson in her book, It’s All About Him: Finding the Love of My Life.
“His betrayal and our separation were what led to this new, passionate love relationship with God and also led to us being able to have the kind of marriage that we both always wanted but just didn’t know how to have,” Denise said in her 2007 interview with PEOPLE.
“Our marriage isn’t perfect,” she added. “Even now, every day is a work in progress. I feel like our relationship now is based on love and respect, and I think Alan sees me as an equal partner now versus the old relationship when it was based more on dependency.”
1. Keepin’ it Country Totally Paid Off for the Country Legend
The country singer-songwriter is one of the best-selling country artists of all time, having sold over 75 million records all over the world — $ 44 million in the United States alone.
Celebrity Net Worth estimates that the country star is worth $95 million. Sounds about right considering Jackson has over thirty number one hits. “Midnight in Montgomery,” “Good Time,” “Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning),” and “Here in the Real World are just some of the best Alan Jackson songs.
He has also won two Grammy Awards, 16 CMA Awards, 17 ACM Awards, and even more.
