Alan Jackson received another award for his songwriting. After being the recipient of the ACM Poet’s Award at the recent ACM Honors, Jackson was honored again for his abilities to pen a song, this time with the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award, given to him from the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) at the annual Nashville Songwriter Awards.
“When I walk out onstage every night to sing, I tell people I’m going to sing real country music – songs about life and love and heartache and drinking and dancing and crying and Mama and having a good time,” Jackson said when accepting his award. “That’s what it’s always been about for me.”
Only six other people have been given the prestigious honor, which recognizes a “lifetime of songwriting achievement” by “an individual whose works have made a significant contribution to the American songbook and who has inspired the careers of others,” per a press release.
“Everybody’s a fan and an admirer of his,” Jackson said of Kristofferson and his influence on country music.
To be honored for his songwriting, with such a distinguished award, was a lot for the humble tunesmith to accept.
“I’m a little overwhelmed,” Jackson acknowledged. “I’ve been very fortunate. I didn’t know anything about the music business or songwriting … I’ve been so blessed, as my Mama used to say, every day.”
When accepting the Poet’s Award, the 65-year-old shared his gratitude that his songwriting has been so well received for the past few decades.
“I realized a long time ago that life gives you a lot of ingredients for songwriting, and that typically makes the best songs,” Jackson explained. “I’ve been fortunate enough to pull a lot of stuff out of my life and turned it into music over the years. That’s been my biggest pride as an artist is to write a song and have people enjoy it and be touched by it or moved by it, or help them through a hard time, or enjoy a good time. I’m so proud of the songwriting part of this.
“I appreciate the opportunity to share all my music with all of y’all for so many years,” he added. “And there’s one more thing: I would like to dedicate this to my Daddy Gene and that old radio he won a long time ago. I’ve definitely lived that honky tonk dream.”
Jackson is currently on his Last Call: One More For The Road Tour, which will be his final tour, due to his ongoing struggle with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease.
“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 said when announcing his last tour. “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.”
Find tour dates and all of Jackson’s music at AlanJackson.com.
Photo Credit: Jason Davis for NSAI