Alan Jackson will go down in country music history as one of the greats. Releasing 21 studio albums across four decades, the Georgia native has produced several multi-platinum records and 35 No. 1 singles, including “Chattahoochee,” “Gone Country,” and “Remember When.” With his 67th birthday approaching on Oct. 17, the two-time Grammy Award winner is hanging up his cowboy hat for good—but not before he puts on one hell of a farewell show. In light of Alan Jackson’s epic announcement, Gretchen Wilson realized she owes the “Good Time” crooner a long-overdue apology.
Videos by American Songwriter
How Alan Jackson Supported Gretchen Wilson Through Her CMA Awards Debut
Gretchen Wilson arrived on the national scene in 2004 with her unabashed debut single “Redneck Woman.” Reaching the top of Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, “Redneck Woman” made Wilson a household name practically overnight. The Illinois native was still reeling from her sudden success when she made her debut at the Country Music Association Awards that same year.
“I was petrified,” Wilson, 52, recalled during a recent conversation with Taste of Country Nights’ Evan Paul. “I remember everything feeling wrong, like, ‘I’m not supposed to be here, this wasn’t meant for me, this is some kind of mistake.’”
[RELATED: Carrie Underwood Tips Her Hat to Alan Jackson Ahead of His Last Ride]
Fearing she might faint while performing her Top 10 hit “When I Think About Cheatin’,” Wilson said, “the only thing that went through my head when I stepped on stage was, ‘Find a friendly face and lock in on it.’”
That “friendly face” belonged to Alan Jackson. “I’m gonna tell you something, for about two years I thought to myself, ‘That man probably thinks I’m psychotic,’ because I stared at him intensely when I sang ‘When I Think About Cheatin’,” the former Female Vocalist of the Year said.
She continued, “He was just the friendly face that I locked on. And so, ya know, if you can hear me, Alan, thank you for that. I really appreciate you getting me through my first CMA performance.”
Last Call for Alan Jackson
Now that Gretchen Wilson has cleared the air with Alan Jackson, the 16-time CMA Award winner can officially put his career to bed. On June 27, 2026, Jackson will take the stage one last time for the Last Call: One More for the Road – The Finale at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium.
The night’s star-studded lineup will also include Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Luke Combs, Riley Green, Cody Johnson, Miranda Lambert, Jon Pardi, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, and Lee Ann Womack.
“We just felt like we had to end it all where it all started, and that’s in Nashville, Tennessee – Music City – where country music lives,” Jackson said. “I gotta do the last one there.”
Featured image by James Gilbert/Getty Images
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.