Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 22, 1994 TAG: 9409240005
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK MORRISON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Sure, his most recent hit, a remake of the Eddie Cochran rock standard "Summertime Blues," was Jackson's 14th No. 1 country hit, but so what? The only reason it was hit for him rather than some other country artist is that he recorded it first. (OK, actually Buck Owens did it first.)
Either way, Jackson's honky-tonk rendition, polished as it may be, still lacks the teen-rebel spirit of the original. And beyond "Summertime Blues," his most recent album, "Who I Am," lacks his undeniable trademark catchiness. Nowhere is there a "Don't Rock the Jukebox" or a "Chattahoochee."
So the question remains: Has Alan Jackson, who will perform in a sold-out concert tonight at the Salem Civic Center, finally hit a rough spot in his seemingly effortless career?
Some critics say Jackson's latest, "Who I Am," is really a stronger work than his three previous albums, reflecting more personal and introspective songwriting that marks a new artistic maturity.
Jackson himself has said the album's title is no accident. "I felt we really did a good job at getting right down to the kind of music I want to make. ... I had a better handle on what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it."
Maybe so, but there is still no denying that "Who I Am" lacks a monster hit. And other critics charge the album with its 13 songs - instead of the standard 10 - is "too much of a bland thing" and "check-your-pulse" tedious and lacks his usual flair for clever hook lines.
Proof one way or another may come next month when the annual Country Music Association awards are handed out in Nashville. Jackson, 35, is nominated for four awards, including the top prize, Entertainer of the Year.
Some music industry insiders say this could be his year. His competition for the trophy is Garth Brooks, Vince Gill, Reba McEntire and Brooks & Dunn. Garth Brooks, Gill and McEntire have all won before, however, and Brooks & Dunn haven't paid the proper dues yet.
Jackson, on the other hand, has been steadily gaining on the country pack since he released his first album, "Here in the Real World," in 1990. It came after years of struggling as a songwriter and performer, taking odd jobs to support himself along the way.
Most notable was working in the mailroom of the Nashville Network. He also drove a forklift on the night shift at a K mart warehouse. "It was like being in prison every day," he said recently. "I hated punching that clock."
His big break came when his wife, Denise, a flight attendant, cornered country singer Glen Campbell at an airport, and Jackson was signed as a writer for Campbell's publishing company in 1985.
His smooth, unhurried twang and clever lyrics led to a string of country hits: "Here in the Real World," "Wanted," "Chasin' That Neon Rainbow," "Don't Rock the Jukebox," "Someday," "Dallas," "Midnight in Montgomery," "Love's Got a Hold On You" and "Chattahoochee." He also co-wrote a hit for Randy Travis, "Better Class of Losers."
Raised in Newnan, Ga., outside Atlanta, Jackson now lives on a farm near Nashville with his wife and two daughters.
He has said he doesn't worry about slipping.
If his popularity wanes, he said, then he would be content to stay home more with the family, work on his hobby, tinkering with old cars, and go on writing songs. Musically, he doesn't ever see himself changing much. "I don't think I'll ever venture too far from what I've always done. It's just what I do."
Alan Jackson (SOLD OUT): With Faith Hill, tonight, 7:30, Salem Civic Center. 375-3004.
Keywords:
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by CNB