Tonight (March 19), the Grand Ole Opry celebrates 100 years with a night of performances from some of the biggest names in country music. It would be nearly impossible to celebrate the last few decades of the genre without highlighting the contributions of Alan Jackson. With that in mind, he took the stage tonight to perform one of his best-known songs and the crown jewel of ’90s country nostalgia, “Chattahoochee.”
Jackson wrote “Chattahoochee” with Jim McBride and released it as the third single from his album A Lot About Livin’ (And a Little ‘bout Love) in 1993. The song became a massive hit for Jackson, topping the Hot Country Songs chart and peaking at No. 46 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100 chart. It went on to be the publication’s No. 1 country song of the year and won both Single and Song of the Year at the CMA Awards. More than 30 years later, it remains Jackson’s signature song.
Jackson has helped shape country music since he made his debut with Here in the Real World. His honky tonk style and sharp songwriting have influenced countless artists. However, he remains humble. In an interview, he told the Opry about his aspirations. “If I was gonna say somebody I wanted to be like, the two singer/songwriters in country music that stick out to me are Hank Williams and Merle Haggard,” he said. “I don’t know that there’s tow any better that have written songs. I just don’t put myself in that category,” he added.
Alan Jackson’s History with the Grand Ole Opry
Alan Jackson’s history with the Grand Ole Opry is almost as long as his career. He released his major label debut album Here in the Real World in February 1990. Then, a month later, he made his Opry debut in March 1990. A little more than a year later, Roy Acuff and Randy Travis inducted him into the Opry on June 7.
Jackson continues to keep the flame of traditional country music alive. As a result, he was a perfect addition to Opry 100: A Live Celebration.