Alan Jackson’s Tribute Speech (Refined and Extended)
Well… thank you. Thank you so much. I appreciate y’all singing along — that was real nice. Means a lot to me.
You know, country music’s been real good to me. I fell in love with it back when I was just a young man. There was something about those steel guitars, those fiddles… that sound — it had a soul all its own. It wasn’t polished, it wasn’t perfect — but it was real. And it spoke to me.
I loved the lyrics. The stories they told. The melodies. The harmonies. The heart in every note. It always felt like home — like front porches and faded denim and the truth, plainspoken. Country music, to me, has always been real American music. The kind that tells the truth and wraps its arms around you when you need it most.
One night, a long time ago, I was just sitting there watching television. Some old movie came on… and something about it — I don’t know, it just lit a fire in me. I felt it deep down. Like maybe this thing, this dream, might just be worth chasing.
And so I came to Nashville.
I didn’t come with a lot. Carrie was talking earlier about “three chords and the truth”… for me, it was more like three chords and a prayer. And somehow, some way, that prayer got answered.
I’ve been blessed — man, I really have. I’ve had some incredible people around me my whole career. Folks who believed in the same kind of country music I believed in. Songwriters, musicians, producers, friends. We just tried to keep that tradition alive, to honor the roots while telling our own stories.
And I can’t possibly name everyone who helped me get here tonight, but I need to say this: thank you. From the bottom of my heart.
And I have to talk about Denise — my wife. [applause] Somewhere out there in the crowd. We started out as kids, really — teenagers just trying to figure life out. She’s been on this ride with me for over forty years now. And it ain’t always been easy. I’m probably not the simplest guy to love. But she stuck with me — through the hard times, through the good ones, through it all.
Denise, you’ve held me up more times than I can count. You’ve been my partner, my rock, my best friend. You gave me a beautiful family, and you gave me grace when I didn’t even know I needed it. I love you. And I thank you for every mile of this journey we’ve shared.
To the CMA, to all the wonderful fans across this country and around the world — thank you. Y’all have stood by me, sang with me, and welcomed these songs into your lives. That means more than I could ever say.
Thank you to country radio, to the folks behind the scenes, and to every part of this industry that’s embraced me and my music over the years.
I’ve lived the American dream. And somehow… I’m still living it.
And if it’s all right with y’all… I think I’ll just hang on a little longer to this honky-tonk life.
Thank you. God bless you. And God bless country music.