Alan Jackson is having a good time on his farewell tour — so he’s decided to stay on the road a little while longer.
The country star, 65, announced on Thursday, May 30, that he would be adding dates to his Last Call Tour amid his ongoing health problems.
“I’ve been touring for over 30 years — my daughters are all grown, we have one grandchild and one on the way,” Jackson said in a Thursday statement about the extension plans. “I’m enjoying spending more time at home. But my fans always show up to have a good time, and I’m going to give them the best show I can for this Last Call.”
Jackson — who shares three daughters with his wife, Denise — kicked off the tour in 2022, playing to standing-room-only crowds in sold-out arenas coast-to-coast. The 2024-2025 leg, meanwhile, will consist of 10 arenas across the United States, with each show marking the last time he’ll ever perform in that city and surrounding areas. Tickets will go on sale June 7, with a ticket presale available to members of Jackson’s fan club via his website.
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“Fans know when they come to my shows, they’re going to hear the songs that made me who I am,” he said of his tour announcement, “the ones they love.”
The Grammy winner released his debut album, Here in the Real World, in 1990, He has since become one of the most successful country stars of all time, selling more than 40 million albums worldwide and earning the title of Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year three times.
In September 2021, Jackson revealed that he had been diagnosed with Charcot-Marie Tooth disease, a hereditary disorder that affects the nervous system, causing progressive loss of muscle tissue and loss of sensation in the arms and legs. Patients may also experience trouble balancing and difficulty walking.
“I have this neuropathy and neurological disease,” Jackson explained during a Today show interview at the time.“It’s genetic that I inherited from my daddy. … There’s no cure for it, but it’s been affecting me for years. And it’s getting more and more obvious.”
Jackson noted that the disease doesn’t shorten life expectancy, but it can make movement difficult — especially for someone who is used to performing on stage every night.
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“I’ve been reluctant to talk about this publicly and to my fans,” he explained while discussing the disorder, which also affected his grandmother and sister. “It’s called CMT, ironically enough, because CMT was a big part of my career.”
Despite his struggles, Jackson continued to play on the road, announcing his Last Call Tour in 2022.
“I’ve always admired my heroes like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn and Charley Pride, who just played as much as they wanted to, as long as they could,” he said in a statement after the tour announcement. “I’ve always thought I’d like to do that, and I’d like to as long as my health will allow. I’ll try to do as much as I can, but if I’m comin’ your way, come see me.”
