Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Jon Pardi, and Lainey Wilson honored Alan Jackson, who received the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the end of the show.
Alan Jackson was honored with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 56th Annual Country Music Association Awards.
The country music legend, 64, was presented with the award at the ceremony held at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. on Wednesday night.
“Country songs have been beneficial to me and I was awestruck by it as an aspiring young man,” Jackson said as he accepted the award.
Alan Jackson was honored with the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 56th Annual Country Music Association Awards.
He went on to say, “I really love the instruments, especially the steel guitars, the fiddles, and all the other things to give it an individual character and made it my own. I also love the lyrics, the music and the artists as well as the melodies and harmonies.”
“It’s really an American music for me.”
Two-time Grammy Award winner recalled how he was inspired to pursue the field of Country music following a film about Hank Williams’ life. Hank Williams. Jackson admitted that he arrived in Nashville “with no money,” saying, “Carrie Underwood is talking about three chords, the truth and my story was like 3 chords with prayer. And God responded to that prayer, just a bit.”
The “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” hitmaker went to express his gratitude to his wife Denise for her support, saying “We began as teenagers , and we’ve been going on this rollercoaster journey with me for forty something years .”
“I’m likely not the most pleasant person to love however she’s been my corner and supported me through tough times. We share wonderful moments. The bad and the good as well as the happy and sad. We’ve made it through a lot. It’s my pleasure to say thank you because she’s kept me going through the years, and she’s been my most trusted friend.”
“I’ve certainly experienced”the American dreams,” he said. “And it’s still the honky tonk dreams.”
In advance of the award ceremony, Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Jon Pardi, and Lainey Wilson made a an ode to Jackson.
Underwood sang a few lines of his hit song “Remember when” prior to telling the crowd that her first concert she went to took place at one of the Jackson performances. “Seeing him perform has inspired me to follow my passions,” she said.
“It’s been stated the country genre is made up of three chords, but the truth is that there are three is that in all of Alan Jackson’s tracks, there’s truth,” Underwood continued. “For Alan Jackson’s powerful voice speaks to us about heartache and hope about joy and friendship about triumph and tragedy about life, and even perhaps a touch of love.”
Bentley, Pardi and Wilson performed a medley of Jackson’s best-known songs, including “Chattahoochee”, “Drive (For Daddy Gene)” and “Chasin The Neon Rainbow” before Jackson performed on stage to perform a lively performance of “Don’t play on the Jukebox.”
Established in 2012 in 2012, it was established in 2012, Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award is a tribute to artists who have earned the most prestigious respect in the field of country music and have significantly influenced in the development of the music genre.
Nelson, Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, Charley Pride and Loretta Lynn have all been honored with this honor.
Jackson has pushed the pop-oriented country genre’s influences in the 90s as he sold million of records and racking up scores of songs. The Georgia-born superstar was named CMA entertainment of the year 3 times, and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. In 2017 He was admitted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Jackson disclosed last year that the condition was Charcot-Marie Tooth, a degenerative nerve disorder which affects his motor capabilities. In the last month, he revealed that he would delay the two remaining dates of the Last Call tour until 2023 following a setback in his health.
The red carpet Bentley stated to Fox News Digital that he was elated to honor Jackson as well as stating that he was a big fan of the musician.
“This is among the most prestigious Hall of Fame members of the past in my opinion as a musician as well as a performer, as an ambassador, as a representative of the country music genre across the globe. He’s country, and he’s the essence of it. So I’m very happy to be a part this group tonight.”
Country music performer Jessie James Decker told Fox News Digital that she as well as Jackson came from Newnan, Ga. and attended at the same school. She also recalled singing the national anthem during the time Newnan was named as a highway in honor of Jackson.
“And the next thing we know, we’re paying tribute to the man today,” she said. “You are aware that it’s crazy how the world works. It’s a wonderful night to be participant in.”
