As the first artist signed to Arista Records' country division, Alan Jackson's first single, "Blue Blooded Woman," peaked at a dismal No. 45 on the country charts in 1989. Clearly, things improved substantially with the next single -- the title track from his debut album, Here in the Real World -- and the hits haven't stopped yet. Fifteen years into his career, the superstar has sold more than 40 million albums and scored more than 30 No. 1 singles -- 21 of which he either wrote or co-wrote.
Jackson was born Oct. 17, 1958, in Newnan, Ga., to a blue-collar family. Jackson's father was an automobile mechanic. Caring for a household of seven, his mother helped instill a sense of integrity and small town values. While in high school, Jackson met his future wife, Denise, at a Dairy Queen, and their lasting marriage has produced three daughters.
Playing in country bands in Georgia, Jackson worked as a mechanic, used car salesman and forklift operator to pay the bills while writing songs. He and Denise moved to Nashville in 1985, but his first impressions of Music City were a tiny basement apartment and a genre whose radio prerequisites had almost nothing to do with his own songwriting. That same year, Denise met Glen Campbell in an airport when she was working as a flight attendant. She told Campbell about her husband and gave him a tape. Campbell gave her his business card and suggested that Alan should call his publishing company.
Soon after, Jackson became a staff songwriter at Campbell's music publishing company.Already one of country's most respected songwriters, Jackson ascended to yet a higher level at the 2001 CMA Awards show when he debuted "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)." His song about the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City stunned the awards show audience and ultimately proved to be the most honest, heartfelt song written about the tragedy.
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