Alan Jackson’s farewell tour has been filled with memorable moments, but none have been quite as emotional as his March 2025 show in Orlando, Florida. While performing “Drive,” Jackson found himself overcome with emotion, visibly choking up as he sang the words to the 2002 song he wrote when his “daddy passed away.”
In 2021, the now 66-year-old Alan Jackson spoke with Today’s Jenna Bush Hager and opened up about his health struggles with Charcot-Marie Tooth disease (CMT).
“I have this neuropathy and neurological disease. It’s genetic that I inherited from my daddy…There’s no cure for it, but it’s been affecting me for years.” Jackson shared about the illness he’s been battling 10 years.
“I’ve been reluctant to talk about this publicly and to my fans…It’s called CMT, ironically enough, because CMT was a big part of my career,” the singer added.
John Hopkins Medicine describes CMT as “an inherited disorder that affects the nerves supplying the feet, legs, hands, and arms. It is caused by gene defects that are nearly always inherited from a person’s parents.”
The singer of “Chattahoochie” explains that both his grandmother, and older sister also have CMT.
“It’s getting more and more obvious. And I know I’m stumbling around on stage,” said the Georgia born singer, who’s often seen on stage propped up against a stool or pole. “And now I’m having a little trouble balancing, even in front of the microphone, and so I just feel very uncomfortable.”
‘One More for the Road’
The next year, Jackson embarked on a 16-show tour, Last Call: One More for the Road Tour, emphasizing it was not a “farewell tour.”
“I’m not saying I won’t be able to tour. I’ll try to do as much as I can. I don’t want people to be sad for me, it’s just part of life,” said the singer whose physical decline is affecting his ability to perform.
But after taking some time off, the Country Music Hall of Fame member realized he wasn’t quite ready to step away from performing.
In May 2024, he extended his tour, each show “marking the last time he’ll ever perform his more-than-30 years of hits,” according to his website.
“Some of the best times are had right at last call, and this is one last call that you don’t want to miss!” he said.
Raw emotion
Nearing the end of his tour – May 17, 2025, in Milwaukee – emotions are running high.
One particularly poignant moment came during his March 2025 performance in Orlando, Florida, at the Kia Center.
Leaning up against a stool that offered his weak body some stability, Jackson stood under the glow of the stage lights, and his voice started trembling with raw emotion as he poured his soul into “Drive,” the song written in 2002 for his father Eugene, who died in 2000.
Overcome with emotion, the singer shared with the audience that the hit song recounts childhood memories of learning to drive and the special bond he shared with his dad.
“This is a song I wrote quite a few years ago when my daddy passed away. I wanted to write a song for him; I didn’t want to write some old crying-dying typical kind of thing, you know?” Jackson said of the song, a final conversation with the father who shaped him.
He added, “When I started thinking about growing up, all I ever wanted to do was drive something. He taught me all about that. That’s what this song is about.”
And as he reached the final chorus, Jackson turned away from the microphone, visibly choked up. The crowd, moved by the raw emotion, erupted into thunderous applause, lifting him up in a moment that will be remembered long after the tour ends.
Though this may be Alan Jackson’s last tour, his legacy is far from over. His music will continue to be a staple in country music history, and his influence will live on through the countless artists he has inspired.
What are your favorite memories of Alan Jackson? Please let us know what you think in the comments below and then share this story so we can spread a lot of love for this legend!
READ MORE
- Alan Jackson’s battle with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease: ‘It’s getting more and more obvious’
- Country music legend Alan Jackson shares major life update – ‘blessings overflowing’
