God Bless Alan Jackson

 

Cue Alan Jackson's Livin' On Love as we build our house...

I’ll admit I found the gospel of Alan later in life. My first forays into country music canon were slightly more alternative. The outside lanes; the Western and Texas scenes of country music. Corb Lund. Turnpike Troubadours. What got played on the mainstream radio always seemed too much like pop, even in the so-called glory days of country music. It was impossible not to know who the greats of country radio were, and their songs rotated through my iPod playlists. George, Garth, Reba, etc. But it was not until my late twenties that I found my patron saint of country music. His name was Alan Jackson. 

One snowy day at work, I was hanging drywall and pondering my feelings for the lady who is now my fiance. Livin’ on Love came on the radio. Hearing Alan’s words about the endurance of a life-long love grabbed onto me. While I knew the song wasn’t about me and my love, it felt like it could be. The song spoke to me in the manner that I hear born-agains talk about the Lord. The tale of the song could be the tale of my life. Not very many songwriters can capture that feeling.

After that eye-opening experience, I dug deeper into Alan’s discography. Not only were there boot-scooting good times like Mercury Blues and Chattahoochee, but there were dozens more songs that told the tale of real people’s lives; tales that I could easily identify with in my own life. Learning to drive with my father in Drive. Walking down abandoned Main Street as everyone fled for the box stores in Little Man. Sitting in silence in a turmoil of emotion after 9/11 in “The Day the World Stopped Turning.” 

I found Small Town Southern Man, the Alan Jackson documentary, online. From it I gleaned that many of his songs are true stories about growing up as the younger brother to four sisters in a tiny house that his dad built. Seeing the hard honest work he put into his songwriting and performance is inspiring to a young musician. Seeing the strength of the family that he has maintained over the years, with his sisters, parents, wife, daughters, and friends is inspiring as a human being. 

Alan has always worn his faith on his sleeve. In the lyrics of his songs and in his interviews, you see a man who has a deep-seated, unvarnished faith in the goodness of people and the power of the Lord. It’s not the righteousness that we so often see in zealots out there screaming about perceived persecution, collapse of values and god given rights, but the patient faith that embodies love of all peoples, grace for the gifts we have been given, forgiveness for others’ mistakes, charity for the less fortunate. 

As a musician, I idolize Alan Jackson. His ability to say what I was thinking, his effortless vocal range, and his knack for catchy melodies and twanging guitar. But beyond music, in my everyday life, I strive to be like Alan Jackson. Friendly to new folks I meet. Loyal to the people who have been with me forever. Humility when being rewarded for hard work. Speaking up for the forgotten and less fortunate. Always conscious of my blessings and opportunities. These are lessons we all can live by, no matter our faith or religion. 

I remind myself most every day by scribbling God Bless Alan Jackson in the dirt on my tailgate because I am thankful that he is out there still making music. I have written it so many times that the outline appears even when the truck is washed clean. And every time a passerby notices and gives the thumbs up, I turn up the Alan Jackson and drive on.