Why Alan Jackson Kept His Health Issues A Secret For Years?

August 05, 2024

Highlights

Alan Jackson, a country music legend, bravely revealed his battle with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease.
Despite his health struggles, Jackson continues to tour and make music.
Jackson's collaboration with the CMT Research Foundation shows his commitment to raising funds for research and treatment of CMT.

Alan Jackson's timeless appeal as a country music legend sets him apart from today's renowned country musicians, including Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, and Blake Shelton.

Jackson amassed an impressive $150 million net worth, attributed to his songwriting credits, 21-album discography, a successful duet with Jimmy Buffett on "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," and numerous successful tours. However, after hiding his health problems from the public for over a decade, Jackson revealed that he had been battling with Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disorder (CMT), a rare genetic disorder.

Alan Jackson Hid His Debilitating Health Condition To Protect His Privacy

Alan Jackson opened up about his long-term health struggles during an interview with TODAY in 2021. He revealed that he was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, a degenerative nerve condition. Jackson spoke about how the condition has affected his ability to walk, causing him to stumble around on stage and have trouble balancing.

A decade ago, Jackson received a diagnosis of CMT. He has been managing this condition for several years, but he decided to openly discuss his diagnosis due to its growing visible progression. Jackson shared that this genetic disorder affects not only him but also his sister, father, and grandmother.

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, CMT specifically affects the smaller muscles in the body's extremities. As a result, individuals may experience difficulties with balance, but this illness does not impact life expectancy, and it can be managed with supportive therapy.

Alan Jackson's Personal Information
Full Name	Alan Eugene Jackson
Birthdate	October 17, 1958
Birthplace	Newnan, Georgia
Parents	Eugene Jackson
Parents	Ruth Jackson
Siblings	Diane
	Cathy and Carol (twins)
	Connie
Wife	Denise Jackson (married - December 15, 1979)
Daughters	Mattie Denise (born - June 1990)
	Alexandra "Ali" Jane (born - August 1993)
	Dani Grace (born - August 1997)

As his health condition worsened, Jackson found support from his daughters and wife of 41 years, Denise Jackson. "When I'm down, he lifts me up. When he's down, I try to lift him up," Denise explained to TODAY. "The happy side of that is we've had a fairy-tale life."

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Jackson also mentioned that he has been reluctant to talk about his diagnosis publicly because he didn't want fans to think he was retiring. Jackson clarified that he plans to continue touring as long as his body allows him to.

In 2022, he did a 16-stop tour, "Last Call: One More For The Road," but had to reschedule one show because he tested positive for COVID-19.

Alan Jackson Supported Health Research For Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Disease

In March 2022, the CMT Research Foundation reported its collaboration with Alan Jackson’s "Last Call: One More for the Road Tour" to raise funds for discovering treatments for Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT).

The disease is estimated to affect about 150,000 people in the U.S. and almost 3 million worldwide, with no cure or approved therapies yet. The CEO of the CMT Research Foundation, Cleary Simpson expressed gratitude for the partnership and fundraising efforts of Jackson.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) Disease Information
Name Origin (1886)	Jean-Martin Charcot, MD
	Pierre Marie, MD
	Howard Henry Tooth, MD
Affected Areas	Peripheral Nervous System - brain and spinal nerves
Cause	Genetic mutation from one or both parents
Symptoms	Leg and foot muscle weakness
	Foot deformities
	Foot drop
	Numbness, tingling, burning sensations in hands and feet
Diagnostic Procedures	Blood test for gene defects
	Nerve conduction studies
	Electromyography
	Nerve biopsy
Complications	At risk for falls
	Muscle atrophy
	Unnoticed injuries and infections of the feet

Jackson announced on his official website that for each ticket sold, $1 was donated to the CMT Research Foundation, for its research and drug development, with a group of supporters and board members matching ticket buyers' donations.

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"It will take money, awareness, collaborative scientists, and state-of-the-art technology to advance drug discovery for this disease. At the CMT Research Foundation, our clinicians and scientific advisors are optimistic that we are closer than ever before to a therapeutic breakthrough for CMT," Pat Livney, co-founder and chairman stated in the report.

Alan Jackson Continued To Perform And Make Music Despite His Health Issues

Alan Jackson is recognized for keeping traditional country music alive, even though he was forced to fake one of his live performances at an awards show. Jackson reflected on his career and expressed satisfaction at reaching a point where he could exclusively create the type of music he desired.

"I've always believed that the music is the most important thing. The songs. And I guess that's what I'd like to (leave) if I had a legacy. I've had a wonderful, beautiful life. I've been so blessed. It's just good to put it out there in the open. In some ways, it's a relief," Jackson told TODAY.

Alan Jackson's Country Music Inductions:

Country Music Hall of Fame
Songwriters Hall of Fame
NSAI Songwriters Hall of Fame

In an interview on his daughter Mattie Jackson's podcast in February 2023, Jackson shared his intention to release new music because of his creative impulses. When his daughter asked about the possibility of another album, Jackson affirmed his continuous engagement with song ideas and melodies and teased the possibility of new music.

Alan Jackson's List of Awards from his official website:

19 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards
16 Country Music Association (CMA) Awards
2 Grammy Awards
58 American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP) Awards
12 Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Awards
2 American Music Awards
3 Billboard Awards
6 Music City News Songwriters Awards
1 Nashville Music Award
5 R&R Readers' Poll Awards
2 SRO Awards
29 TNN/CMT/Country Weekly Awards
1 ACA Hitmaker Award
1 Blockbuster Entertainment Award
2 Christian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards
1 Inspirational Country Music (ICM) Award
1 CMT Flameworthy Music Video Award
4 Country Weekly Fan Favorite Awards
1 Gospel Music Association Dove Award
1 Country Music Channel Australia (CMC) Award

Jackson stated during his acceptance of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award at the 56th Annual CMA Awards:

"Country music has been real good to me and I fell in love with it when I was a young man."

Despite grappling with health challenges, Jackson remained in good health. "I never wanted to do the big retirement tour, like people do, then take a year off and then come back," he explained. "I think that's kinda cheesy. And I'm not saying I won't be able to tour. I'll try to do as much as I can."

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Even with his successful career, Jackson revealed that he is still inspired by late country music legends like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, and Charlie Pride.

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