Alan Jackson, widely recognized as one of the greatest living country music singer-songwriters, took home his latest award to that effect at the Academy of Country Music’s annual ACM Honors event. At the ceremony, held last Wednesday, Aug. 22 at Nashville’s famed Ryman Auditorium, Jackson accepted the Poet’s Award, referring to it as a “high honor.” It was the 21st ACM Award of Jackson’s career.
Since its inception in 2007, the Poet’s Award has been given out most years, but not annually. Some previous honorees include Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Buck Owens, Hank Williams, and Kris Kristofferson. The academy grants the honor to country songwriters with “outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their career, with special consideration given to…impact on the culture of country music.” That designation certainly applies to Jackson, who helped to popularize the neotraditional country movement and racked up 26 country No. 1 hits including “Don’t Rock The Jukebox” and “Chattahoochee.” The Georgia native’s many previous honors include induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.
“I realized a long time ago life gives you a lot of ingredients for songwriting,” Jackson said from the Ryman stage while accepting the Poet’s Award. “It typically makes the best songs. And I’ve been fortunate to pull a lot of stuff out of my life and turn it into music over the years.” He continued, “My biggest pride as an artist is to write a song, have people enjoy it and be touched by it or moved by it…[to] help them through a hard time or [to] enjoy a good time.” He finished by telling the crowd, “I just appreciate the opportunity to share my music.”
Eric Church was on hand Wednesday to present the Poet’s Award to Jackson after covering Jackson’s “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” a performance that moved Jackson to tears. “Alan Jackson is an institution,” Church said from the stage. To sum up Jackson’s impact as a songwriter, Church quoted the Pulitzer-winning poet Robert Frost: “He said, ‘Poetry is when emotion finds its thought…and then that thought finds its words.’ Alan Jackson has always found my words.”
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