By Jacques Wang
Alan Jackson: a name synonymous with country music royalty. With more than 75 million records sold, 35 number 1 hits, 2 Grammys, and an accumulated 31 CMA and ACM Awards combined, this Country Music Hall of Famer is undoubtedly one of the greatest country music singer-songwriters of all time. After a career spanning more than 35 years, this legend is currently embarking on what could be his very last tour as he is suffering from a degenerative neurological disorder: Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT).
This past Friday, I took advantage of Spring Break and travelled to Orlando, Florida, to see this country music icon, who is, perform live in Orlando, Florida. With just two shows and a festival left before he retires from the road, the following summary and review of the appropriately named Last Call: One More For The Road tour is my first and last opportunity to spotlight a live performance by one of my biggest idols on the Counterpoint page.
Opening acts: James Carothers, Zach Top
Just before 7:00 PM, James Carothers came out to open the sold-out show with a couple of songs. Admittedly, I was not familiar with James Carothers or his music, except for the fact that he is a small artist who often performs at Alan Jackson’s AJ Good Time Bar in Nashville. During the show, this neotraditional country singer was accompanied by a fiddler and an uptight bassist, while he himself had opted for the acoustic guitar. Since I’m unfamiliar with his music, there isn’t much I can comment on, although James did set the atmosphere for the show with his traditional and bluegrass-feeling music. After a brief intermission, Zach Top came on stage at 7:30, starting off with his song “Sound Like the Radio.” If you’ve read my article on the 10 best country albums of 2024, you know I have nothing but praise for this rising country music star. I can now add that Zach’s live performance certainly met the high expectations that I had set for him. Zach’s setlist includes the songs “That’s the Kinda Women I Like,” “Lonely for Long,” “Dirt Turns to Gold,” “There’s the Sun,” “Bad Luck,” Use Me,” “Just Jonesin’,” and “Cowboys Like Me Do.” The most memorable moment came when he played his most popular and viral song, “I Never Lie,” which got the crowd standing up and singing along to its catchy lyrics. After almost 40 minutes of playing, Zach Top closed his segment of the evening with “Cold Beer and Country Music.” Overall, owing heavily to the nostalgic, traditional 90s-feel of his music, Zach Top was more than able to get the crowd hyped for Alan Jackson, just like an opener should. The striking similarities between Alan Jackson and Zach Top in both look and sound coupled with the latter artist’s rising popularity, I couldn’t have asked for a better lineup, especially given the surprise bonus dimension of a recent resurgence of the hilariously far-fetched conspiracy that the two are biological father and son. Seeing the pair perform in the same show may have had me ready to believe that the rumors are true…
Alan Jackson Live – A Dream Come True
Half an hour later, the moment I’d been dreaming since I was a kid finally arrived. After a documentary-style introduction of his three-decade-long career, Alan Jackson trotted onto the stage to the tune of “Gone Country.” After slowly back and forth across the stage, greeting many of the starstruck concertgoers, and pointing at various groups within the crowd, Alan only sang the chorus of the song twice. He then followed with his ballad “I Don’t Even Know Your Name,” pausing only to throw t-shirts into the crowd while the band carried on the twangy melody.
Due to his medical condition, Alan had to use support to help him stand in front of his mic. Despite his reduced mobility, his energy was as lively and unencumbered as it had ever been, which became abundantly clear during his performances of “Livin’ On Love” and “Summertime Blues.” With his rendition of “The Blues Man,” Alan also proved that his voice is just as warm and strong as it was back when he first started.
On the subject of his humble beginnings, following the timeless “Who’s Cheatin’ Who,” Alan, his guitarists, and his fiddler sat down on some stools to tell the story of when he first moved to Nashville to launch his career in country music – a touching full circle moment, given the nature of this tour. At end of this reminiscence, he launched into a seated medley of his earliest number 1 hits, including “Here in the Real World,” “Wanted,” “I’d Love You All Over Again,” and “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” the last of which is my all-time favorite AJ song. The last song played sitting down was “The Older I Get,” the most recent song on the setlist reflecting Alan Jackson’s life.
Several of my favorite moments within the show came when one of the band members would be spotlighted during a transition sequence, each time prompting a solo that implicitly introduced the next track while the rest of the band finished prepping the stage. The first instance of this was the fiddler’s segue into the song “Little Bitty.”
Up next were fan favorites numbers “Country Boy” and “Good Time.” During the latter song, some fans at the front of the pit started holding up signs spelling out “Good Time.” Alan immediately noticed, was visibly amused, and made sure to acknowledge the fans who put together this cutesy stunt, demonstrating the fantastic relationship that this legend has built with his fanbase. Alan also got emotional at the end of his iconic song “Drive (For Daddy Gene)” as he paid homage to his late father. The crowning jewel of the show (my favorite moment) came at the start of Alan’s rendition of “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning),” when the crowd lit the arena up like a night sky devoid of light pollution by means of our phone flashlights. As an aside, the crowd chanted “USA” at the end of this song, which is about reeling after the events of 9/11.
Alan proved beyond a doubt that he is more than a match for CMT with his energetic performance of “Don’t Rock the Jukebox.” Alan wowed the arena and flaunted his powerful vocal range for “Remember When,” even holding the notoriously strenuous notes within its last lyrics. Alan Jackson saved “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” and “Chattahoochee,” two of his most iconic songs, for just before the end, choosing “Where I Come From” for the traditional false final track. For his encore, he came back on stage and signed t-shirts, posters, and hats for a few lucky fans at the front of the pit, having just played his very last song of the night: “Mercury Blue.”
Last Call: One More for the Road – Most memorable concert I’ve attended to date
If you know me, you know that Alan Jackson is second only to George Strait in my country singer favorites ranking. Finally seeing him perform songs that have been with me my whole life will be forever burned into my brain as one of my most memorable experiences. The fact that this may have been my very last chance to see him live makes this night even more special to me.
These were but infinitesimally minor inconveniences in the circumstances: seeing Alan Jackson perform everyone’s favorite songs suffices to cement this show as one of the best performances I’ve ever seen. I definitely got my money’s worth, and I know I would have deeply regretted it if I hadn’t taken this opportunity to see one of my biggest idols live in concert.
Like I said before, Alan Jackson is doing just two more shows (April 26 in Tampa and May 17 in Milwaukee) and one final festival (Two Step Inn Festival in Georgetown, TX, on April 5). If you are a country music fan who desperately needs to see this icon before he retires, I recommend that you grab those tickets and plan your once-in-a-lifetime trip while you still can!