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The honkytonk hunk who coordinates country cool with mainstream music, American singer and songwriter Alan Jackson, has been and always will be an icon. With 17 ACMAs, 35 no. 1 hits and 14 top charting albums, it really is no surprise walking musical genius Alan Jackson has his name preceding him. Balancing his undying desire to display his talent, keeping a family-first rule of thumb he was brought up on, and all while remaining true to himself has proven to be quite a struggle for the American singer and songwriter. Perhaps that is why his middle child, Ali, decided it was time to say her piece and let the whole world know who the real man behind the guitar and flapping cowboy hat is.
The man who often prides himself on putting his family first and foremost was taken aback by his middle child Ali, who went on social media to tell the truth about her father.
Family Man - Or Is He? But what could she possibly reveal that the public doesn't know? The family has faced many trials and tribulations, and she's decided to come clean.
With 17 American Country Music awards, 35 number one singles, and 14 albums that topped charts outstandingly, it is no surprise that Alan Jackson has been named one of the most popular country music stars of his generation.
Worldwide Sensation But there is more to the Georgia native than selling over 80 million records worldwide - and no, we are not talking about his rather peculiar choice of favorite sandwich, which includes pineapple and mayonnaise. We are talking about what happens the minute Jackson walks off stage.
Born in Newnan, Georgia, Jackson was the only boy among five children in total. Growing up with four sisters taught the man plenty about respecting women and how to act around them, as well as how one should stand their ground when living in a crowded household.
Biggest Influence Alan also attended church from a very young age, since his parents were devoted Christians who wanted their child to be brought up in an environment that nurtures faith and is God-abiding.
Going to church every Sunday not only caused Alan to be a man of faith, but also granted him the opportunity to sing, something he enjoyed doing but never gave too much thought to.
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However, belting out songs was not something Alan considered to be a long-term affair, and did not see himself heading down the path of becoming a professional musician. His childhood home was built around his grandpa's old tool shed, where he was taught to live life simply and had a down-to-earth upbringing.
Only when his close friend started playing him country music including some of the biggest names in the industry did Alan realize there was something to this genre, something he could not quite put his finger on.
While listening to Gene Watson and Hank Williams Jr., Alan became inspired to put together a band. Despite the growing obsession, Alan postponed making a bold move and kicking off his musical career until he was 27 years of age, when he and his wife decided to move to Nashville.
If you were to ever ask Alan about the first time he had laid eyes on Denise, you would be guaranteed a story that would cause you to smile. One day, as he was sitting down for a meal at a Dairy Queen restaurant, Alan spotted Denise sitting at a table close by.
A Coin Toss He could not make up his mind as to how to grab her attention, so he did the first thing he could think of - he tossed a coin her way.
The coin toss stunt must have had a positive effect on Denise since after she left the restaurant, Alan followed her home, asked her out, and she was quick to agree. After that incident, the rest of history.
The lovebirds enjoyed each other's company to a great extent, driving around town in Alan's beloved 1955 Thunderbird convertible. Come 1979, the two walked down the aisle, and said "I do," excited to spend the rest of their lives together as husband and wife.
After the two tied the knot and moved to the country music capital of the world, Alan was juggling different jobs trying to make ends meet.
He Needed Help He was working at the Nashville Network's mailroom when suddenly, his wife came home from work with exciting news: as a flight attendant, she often met people from all over the world, and she experienced a chance encounter with Glen Campbell. The Rhinestone Cowboy heard about Alan and offered his help immediately.
Campbell wanted to help Alan to get on the right track, by which he meant to sign a deal with Arista Records. It was this very same label that released his first single, "Blue Blooded Woman," which came out in 1989.
His Big Break One short year later, Alan had a parent album released, , which consisted of his first chart-topping single, "I'd Love You All Over Again." However, despite his rise toward fame, Alan's life was far from perfect.
Alan Jackson produced four more number one hits, which were then followed by his first album that topped country charts titled . He continued to rule the country music scene all throughout the 1990's, singing singles that gained worldwide recognition like "Chattahoochee."
On The Rise It was this very same single that had won both Song and Single Of The Year at the CMAs in 1994. The next year was a highly significant one for Alan, who gained membership into the prestigious Grand Ole Opry and booked a 100-date U.S. tour.
While his tour profited him a cool $40 million, Alan was never one to be blown away by cold hard cash. In spite of this, the life he led of fame and fortune confused the man who used to stand behind his word and put everything he held dear to his heart at jeopardy because of a foolish mistake.
Foolish Mistake This decade brought him his three cherished daughters who he values more than anything, but it also nearly tore his entire family apart.
Mattie Denise, the oldest, was born in 1990. Alexandra Jane "Ali" came into the family three years later, and Dani Grace was the last child to join the Jackson crew in 1997.
Seemingly Perfect For a while, it seemed as though life does not get any sweeter than this - Alan Jackson was a successful musician in his field who has made an international name for himself, his wife, Denise, was supportive of her husband despite him often being away, and their three girls were healthy and chipper.
After almost two decades of being married to the woman who stole his heart that eventful day in Dairy Queen, Jackson had a slip. The man had a fling, one that was short-lived, but caused long-term damage, nonetheless.
Nearly Tore The Family Apart When news of his adultery hit the fan, Jackson admitted his work commitments pressured him greatly and caused him to seek comfort in other places. Devastated by the news, Denise had enough and the two separated in 1998. But then, something unexpected happened.
After several months, Denise and Alan met up in private and had a serious talk. Coming to terms with the fact they still love each other immensely, the pair decided to try and patch things up.
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Gluing The Pieces Back Together Eventually, they reconciled, which Denis later elaborated about her 2007 memoir, . Denise shared how difficult it was putting everything in the past and looking forward into the future, which helped her move past the events that nearly tore up her marriage.
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Alan’s wife, Denise, revealed everything about their marriage and family life in the tell-all book .
Denise Revealed Everything Despite the fact that she’s intelligent and successful in her own right, the book’s title implies that Denise has chosen to reduce herself to her relationship with her famous husband. However, fans didn’t seem to mind as Denise’s writing received largely positive reviews and it revealed quite a lot…
In her book, Denise revealed the effects that sudden fame had on her marriage and self-esteem.
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The Tell-All Book She said, “Alan has such a strong personality, and the more his career grew, the more insecure I felt, and the more I absorbed myself into his world. My dreams became his dreams, and it was all about him and his goals, and I kind of lost myself.” We hope that this book, despite its Alan-centered title, gave Denise the self-care she needed.
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The affair was not the only event that affected Alan Jackson's life considerably. Following the events of the 9/11 attack, Jackson released a song titled "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," which achieved him mainstream recognition and success.
9/11 Tribute The song was an emotional tribute to the victims of the terror attack and dedicated to their torn up loved ones who had to deal with the endless voids that formed in their hearts. The song was later voted Best Country Song at the Grammy Awards.
Ali was not the only Jackson member who was in the spotlight for unfortunate reasons. Sadly, his wife Denise was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, which caused the Jackson family to undergo yet another difficult time.
Diagnosed With Cancer After two long, hard years of battling the horrible disease, Denise was given the best news she could imagine - her cancer was finally gone. Her appreciative husband later chronicled her battle with the disease as "the hardest thing [he’s] ever been through" and applauded her as "the toughest person [he] know[s]."
