Highlights
- Alan Jackson revealed his battle with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a genetic health condition that affects his ability to perform on stage.
- Despite his health condition, Alan Jackson embarked on a final tour in 2022 to meet his fans and raise awareness for CMT.
- Alan Jackson and his family are committed to supporting CMT research, donating proceeds from his tour to the CMT Research Foundation in hopes of finding a cure for the rare disease.
Two-time Grammy Award winner and country music legend Alan Jackson has been in the music scene for over three decades. He has released iconic chart-topping songs like “Chattahoochee,” “I’ll Go on Loving You,” “Small Southern Man,” “Living on Love,” “Remember When,” and “Gone Country,” among others. He has equally delighted fans with unforgettable live performances, keeping the heart of country music going.
However, Alan Jackson had to rein in his music activities due to his health. In an exclusive interview in 2021, Alan Jackson revealed the health condition he had kept for so long. The illness was a massive hit for the country singer, but he did not let it stop him from performing. But it seems since his last concert tour, Alan Jackson has kept a low profile.
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Alan Jackson Has Been Quiet About His Health After His Last Tour
Alan Jackson’s health problems led to one final tour
Two-time Grammy winner Alan Jackson didn’t want his health to slow him down, even if he had Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT for short) disease. As his symptoms were becoming irrepressible, the country singer decided to give one last tour to his fans.
Alan Jackson’s Last Call: One More for the Road tour was the country singer’s way of meeting his fans. However, he didn’t want to call it a farewell tour.
“I’ve always admired my heroes like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, and Charley Pride, who just played as much as they wanted to, as long as they could,” Jackson says. “I’ve always thought I’d like to do that, and I’d like to as long as my health will allow. I’ll try to do as much as I can, but if I’m comin’ your way, come see me…”
The concert was held from the summer of 2022 until the end of October. Jackson toured more than four states and gave a performance that would be remembered forever. But the singer — and his fans — are still hoping to tour. No new dates have been scheduled as of 2023.
However, after the tour, not much was heard of Alan White. In November 2022, Alan Jackson received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2022 Country Music Awards, a place Alan Jackson once faked a performance on the CMA stage.
It was an emotional time for the singer, seeing how he was battling his disease, especially with several unconfirmed sources reporting that Jackson was hospitalized in 2022.
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Alan Jackson Suffers From A Genetic Health Condition
Alan Jackson has been dealing with his health issues in private
Knowing he could not hide the signs anymore, Alan Jackson revealed in September 2021 what was wrong with his health. He had Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, which is also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy.
The illness occurs when nutated genes affect the peripheral nerves that control the limbs — arms, hands, legs, and feet — which is a shame because the iconic country singer would find it difficult to perform on stage due to weakened muscles.
It was heartbreaking when Alan Jackson revealed to TODAY how his health condition would deteriorate.
“I have this neuropathy and neurological disease,” Jackson said. “It’s genetic that I inherited from my daddy…There’s no cure for it, but it’s been affecting me for years. And it’s getting more and more obvious. And I know I’m stumbling around on stage. And now I’m having a little trouble balancing, even in front of the microphone, and so I just feel very uncomfortable.”
The country singer knew his time on stage was limited after being diagnosed with the illness a decade long before his reveal.
However, the Country Music Hall of Fame member didn’t let the disease slow his music aspirations. He continued with a tour in 2022, and even though he canceled two dates from his schedule due to COVID-19, he assured his fans that he was all right.
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One of the things Alan Jackson can count on is the support of his family. During his acceptance speech for his CMA Lifetime Achievement Award, Jackson thanked his wife for staying with him in the toughest times.
“We started out as teenagers, and she’s hung in there and rode this roller-coaster ride with me for 40-something years now,” the “Living on Love” singer said. “I’m probably not always the easiest person to love, but she’s hung in there and helped me through hard times, and we’ve shared great times. The good and the bad, the happy and the sad. We’ve survived a lot.”
With his family, Alan Jackson helps to create awareness for CMT, donating and sharing experiences about it.
Alan Jackson Raises Awareness For Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
After keeping his life private, Alan Jackson decided to go public
Alan Jackson originally hid his health condition to protect his privacy. He had been managing his disease for more than a decade before he finally revealed what his health issue was and how it would affect his life.
His wife and daughter have been supporting him, but he found more support trying to get CMT more publicity because it is a rare disease. The Last Call Tour was also a reason for this.
The CMT Research Foundation announced a collaboration with Alan Jackson. $1 from every ticket sold for the Last Call: One More for the Road Tour was donated to the CMT Research Foundation, an organization that funds research for drug development. Additionally, a group of supporters and board members matched dollar-for-dollar ticket buyers’ donations.
“This support is certain to shine a light on this inherited disease and help accelerate the rate at which we can fund the research that will result in an end to CMT,” Cleary Simpson, CEO of the CMT Research Foundation said.
According to the CMT Research Foundation, CMT is estimated to affect about 150,000 people in the U.S., and almost three million people worldwide. There is yet to be a cure or any approved therapies for the disease.
While so much is yet to be made known concerning Alan Jackson’s health condition, the country music icon has made it a note to do his best, whether helping with research or continuing with his music. When (or if) he can make a full recovery is yet to be known, but we wish the icon a swift recovery.
Source: NewsFinale
