Alan Jackson has largely stepped away from the spotlight since announcing his Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease diagnosis in 2021. But he recently admitted that his legendary country music career isn’t over yet.
The 64-year-old revealed his diagnosis while speaking on the Today Show in September 2021. The degenerative disorder, which he inherited from his father, affects his ability to walk, play guitar, and more.
Try Paramount+ FREE for a week. Subscribe here to watch your favorite shows.
While fans only learned of his health issue that day, Jackson had been dealing with it for a decade. However, it slowly progressed over the years. And unfortunately, there is no cure.
“It’s getting more and more obvious,” he shared. “I know I’m stumbling around on stage. And now I’m having a little trouble balancing, even in front of the microphone.”
He said during that interview that he had no intention of retiring, but he hasn’t dropped new music since May of that year. However, while chatting with his daughter on her podcast In Joy Life with Mattie Jackson, he revealed that he likely has more hit singles on the horizon.
“Well, yes. I would hope so,” he said when Mattie asked him about the prospect. “I mean, I may not have toured much, but like I said, the creative part jumps out every now and then. I’m always scribbling down ideas and thinking about melodies, and I feel like there’ll be some more music to come, yes.”
Alan Jackson ‘Would’ve Gotten Bored Just Singing a Long Time Ago’
Alan Jackson hit the road for his Last Call tour in 2022 and struggled to get through his dates due to his disorder. The singer never said the tour was his last, but fans have speculated that he is done with live performances. And the event name also suggests as much.
Though Jackson has always loved a live crowd, he admitted to Maddie that songwriting has always been closest to his heart. So, he sounded content with retiring to the studio where he can let his creative juices flow.
“It’s like, you can be a singer and go out and tour,” he continued. “But it’s kind of like you’re just doing the same thing over and over. When you make an album, or especially when you write a lot of the songs, that’s creating something. It’s a challenge, so it keeps you interested a little more. If I didn’t write, I think I would’ve gotten bored just singing a long time ago.”
