Alan Jackson is gearing up for his farewell tour, and the country music legend recently opened up about the reasons behind his decision to retire.
A significant factor is his desire to spend more time with his family. This news comes on the heels of a heartwarming announcement: Jackson welcomed a new grandchild last week.
Jackson had shared back in February that he was expecting another grandchild, and the much-anticipated baby — a grandson named Wesley Alan Smith — has now arrived.
“One week ago my life was forever changed,” Jackson’s daughter, Mattie Jackson, wrote on Instagram Thursday.
“Wesley Alan Smith joined our little family on June 20th, the absolute best birthday gift I could have ever imagined,” she continued. “There is no greater honor in life than being chosen by God to be your mom. And no sweeter joy than watching your daddy adore you and protect you already. Even Ryman has reluctantly warmed up to her new little brother.”
“You have all my heart and my prayers, baby boy,” she added. “If you’re anything like both your namesakes (Connor’s grandad and @officialalanjackson), you’ve got quite a life ahead of you (prayer emojis).”
In February, Jackson had expressed his excitement about the growing family on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“Blessings overflowing in our growing family!” he wrote. “Denise and I are thrilled for our second grandson to arrive in June! We’re so happy for proud parents Mattie and Connor Smith and can’t wait to meet the next addition to our family.”
Earlier this month, Jackson discussed his decision to retire after his upcoming tour. The 65-year-old reflected on his extensive career and the changes in his life that have led him to this point.
“I’ve been touring for over 30 years, you know, played everywhere in the country and parts of the world,” Jackson said in a video shared on X. “Have had a wonderful career, and getting into my twilight years, and all my daughters are grown, and I got one grandchild and one on the way. Enjoy spending more time at home, and don’t want to be away like I had to be in my younger days, and I don’t tour as much now as I did 10 years ago. But I think it’s getting time to start thinking about hanging it up full-time.”
The tour, titled “Last Call: One More for the Road,” is set to kick off on August 2 and currently includes 10 dates, running through May 17, 2025.
In 2021, Jackson revealed that he has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a chronic neuropathy condition that affects balance and mobility. He addressed this in the video, explaining how it has influenced his decision to retire.
“Most of my fans know I have a degenerative health condition that affects my legs and arms and my mobility that I got from my daddy and it’s getting worse,” he said. “So, it makes me more uncomfortable on stage, and I just have a hard time, and I just want to think about maybe calling it quits before I’m unable to do the job like I want to.”
With his farewell tour on the horizon and a new grandson to cherish, Alan Jackson is ready to embrace a new chapter in his life, focusing on family and health.