Alan Jackson is without doubt one of the greatest names in nation music and his spouse, Denise Jackson, has been alongside for the trip since day one.
The couple met of their hometown of Newnan, Georgia, as youngsters. After tying the knot in 1979, the highschool sweethearts made their solution to Nashville within the ‘80s.
After almost 5 a long time of marriage — which included well being points for each Alan and Denise and a quick separation within the 90s — the pair proceed to lean on one another.
“We stand up within the morning and drink espresso collectively and speak, and I can’t go to mattress at evening if she’s downstairs watching tv. We go to mattress collectively, except I’m out of city,” Alan advised The Boot in December 2022. “It’s simply little issues I feel which have helped us greater than something. If you happen to can final till you’re 40 years previous, hopefully, you’ll be mature sufficient to determine the remainder of the years.”
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Whereas accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award on the 2025 ACM Awards, Alan praised Denise as his “finest buddy,” saying, “I wouldn’t be right here with out her. So there’s not a lot else I can say that’s higher than that.”
Scroll all the way down to see Alan and Denise’s love story from the start:
1976
The duo met whereas attending Newnan Excessive College in Georgia. They started relationship when Alan was 18 and Denise was 16, in line with In the present day.
December 1979
After highschool, the couple wed in December 1979, the place Alan sang to his bride.
1985
Whereas working as a flight attendant, Denise met singer Glen Campbell within the early Eighties and talked to him about Alan, who was the lead singer of the band Dixie Metal in Georgia.
“He mentioned, ‘Simply put collectively a demo tape and go see Marty [Gamblin] at my workplace and see if he can assist him,’” Denise recalled of the dialog in 2018’s Alan Jackson: Small City Southern Man TV film. “That was our first connection.”
After recording his demo, Alan acquired a songwriting contract with Campbell’s firm and the couple relocated to Nashville in 1985.
1989
It wasn’t till 4 years later that Alan signed his first report take care of Arista Information.
June 1990
Alan launched his debut album, Right here within the Actual World, in February 1990. That very same 12 months, he and Denise welcomed their first daughter, Mattie, born in June.
August 1993
The couple expanded their household with the delivery of their daughter, Alexandra “Ali.”
August 1997
Alan and Denise’s youngest daughter, Dani, was born in August 1997.
April 1998
After Christmas in 1997, the pair separated for 4 months earlier than giving their marriage one other shot in 1998.
“I feel Alan acquired to some extent after 18 years the place he thought, ‘We each deserve a lot greater than this, and we haven’t been in a position to repair it but, and I don’t assume it’s fixable,’” Denise recalled to the Christian Broadcasting Community. “In order that was actually the turning level the place he mentioned, ‘Sufficient is sufficient. I’m leaving.’”
Throughout their time aside, Denise realized about Alan’s infidelity, however they selected to work by it collectively. “There’s no one-size-fits-all sort of reply for forgiveness,” she mentioned through the TV look. “For every of us, the wrestle might be particular person. However what I discovered in the long term, was that forgiveness was the important thing to actual freedom in my life.”
October 2003
Alan wrote “Keep in mind When” about his and Denise’s love story, which he launched in October 2023. “Keep in mind when / Thirty appeared so previous / Now trying again, it’s only a stepping stone,” Alan sings in a single verse. “To the place we’re, the place we’ve been / Mentioned we’d do all of it once more / Keep in mind when.”
The observe has since turn into one among Alan’s most iconic and beloved songs. It hit No. 1 on Billboard’s US Scorching Nation Songs chart and went four-times platinum. Denise and Alan have been featured sluggish dancing within the corresponding music video.
July 2007
Denise recalled among the more durable instances in her marriage in her 2007’s e book, It’s All About Him: Discovering the Love of My Life, by which the “him” refers to God and letting the lord take the wheel.
“Alan has such a powerful persona, and the extra his profession grew, the extra insecure I felt, and the extra I absorbed myself into his world,” Denise advised Today in July 2007, reflecting on their relationship highs and lows. “My goals turned his goals, and it was all about him and his targets, and I sort of misplaced myself.”
Denise wrote in her e book that she needed to cease making an attempt to win Alan again (throughout their transient separation) and as a substitute depart it as much as God. She additionally realized to forgive. Alan, for his half, wrote the ahead for the e book.
April 2010
Denise was identified with colorectal most cancers in 2010 and underwent radiation and chemotherapy. She was declared cancer-free after two months of remedy.
Alan later advised Coping journal that his spouse’s well being scare reminded him “how vital it’s to have somebody there to stroll with you thru one thing like this. It was the primary time I felt like I used to be dwelling out the phrase in our wedding ceremony vows ‘for higher or for worse.’”
That very same spring, Denise was available to see Alan obtain his star on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame.
August 2014
Denise was by Alan’s aspect — and so have been their three daughters — to witness the opening of the Alan Jackson exhibit on the Nation Music Corridor of Fame and Museum in August 2014.
October 2017
The Jacksons acquired all dressed as much as have a good time Alan being inducted into the Nation Music Corridor of Fame.
September 2021
The nation singer revealed in fall 2021 that he’d been affected by a degenerative nerve situation known as Charcot-Marie-Tooth illness for the previous 10 years, which affected his skill to stroll and carry out on stage.
“I’ve been reluctant to speak about this publicly and to my followers, nevertheless it’s been some time, and it’s beginning to have an effect on my efficiency on stage a little bit bit the place I don’t really feel comfy,” Alan mentioned on the In the present day present on the time. “I simply wished the followers and the general public to know in the event that they’ve come to see me in the previous couple of years or if they arrive to see me sooner or later if I play anymore, what’s happening.”
He famous that the situation was handed down from his father and wasn’t deadly however would “disable” him because it progressed. “I’ve had a beautiful, stunning life, and I’ve been so blessed. I can’t even think about what different individuals undergo,” Alan added. “This isn’t a situation that I’d be complaining about sometimes, however it’ll have an effect on me performance-wise on stage, and I don’t know the way a lot I’ll proceed to tour.”
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November 2022
Alan devoted his Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award on the 2022 CMA Awards to his longtime companion.
“I’m in all probability not all the time the simplest individual to like, however she’s been there and helped me by onerous instances,” he mentioned, directing his consideration to Denise. “And we’ve shared nice instances. The great, the dangerous, the completely satisfied, and the unhappy, we’ve survived lots. I simply need to thank her, as a result of she’s held me up all these years and she or he’s my finest buddy. And she or he gave me a beautiful household.”
December 2022
“Denise and I are celebrating our forty third wedding ceremony anniversary with our new grandson Jackson Alvie Bradshaw,” Alan shared via Instagram. Jack is the primary grandchild for the couple, and the primary child for his or her daughter Ali.
June 2024
“Denise and I are so completely satisfied to announce the arrival of our grandson Wesley Alan Smith,” Alan introduced through Instagram, revealing the couple’s eldest daughter gave delivery to her first child.
April 2025
Alan requested his spouse to affix him on stage throughout one of many ultimate few exhibits on his farewell tour, for his efficiency of “Keep in mind When.” Because the music performed, the pair danced on stage collectively.
Could 2025
Alan made a uncommon look amid his well being battle to carry out “Keep in mind When” on the ACM Awards. After the efficiency, he was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award that has been named in his honor.
“I do need to particularly thank one one that’s been my finest buddy since I used to be 17 years previous. That’s my spouse, Denise, on the market,” he mentioned throughout his speech. “She’s beloved me by the great and the dangerous and the completely satisfied and the unhappy and influenced me, given me three stunning daughters, helped me maintain my toes on the bottom all these years.”