Everyone Thought His Story Was Over—Then This Country Icon Got the Kind of News You Never Forget. ML
When Alan Jackson steps onto the stage at Nashville’s Nissan Stadium on June 27, 2026, it won’t just be another concert — it will be a farewell, a thank-you, and a homecoming rolled into one.
For more than three decades, Jackson has been the steady heartbeat of traditional country music. His songs — about faith, love, loss, and small-town life — carried the sound of Nashville to every corner of America. But now, the 66-year-old legend is ready to trade tour buses for quiet nights at home.
And as fate would have it, his family is growing just in time for that next chapter.
Just days after announcing his final tour stop, Jackson’s eldest daughter, Mattie Jackson Smith, revealed on Instagram that she and her husband are expecting a baby girl in February 2026. “Our little wild angel is going to be a big brother,” she wrote, sharing a sweet family photo. The new arrival will be Alan and Denise Jackson’s third grandchild — another reason for the country icon to slow down and soak in the joy of family life.
The decision to retire wasn’t easy, but it was necessary. Jackson has been battling Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a hereditary nerve disorder that makes it increasingly difficult to walk and perform. Fans first learned of his diagnosis in 2021, and though he continued performing, he often admitted that the stage had become a challenge.
“I have a degenerative health condition that affects my legs and arms,” Jackson said. “It’s getting worse. I just want to step away before I can’t do the job the way I want to.”
Still, he’s determined to give fans one unforgettable night before hanging up his hat for good. The farewell concert — “Last Call: One More for the Road — The Finale” — will bring together some of country’s biggest stars, including Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Luke Combs, Keith Urban, and Carrie Underwood.
“We had to end it all where it began — in Nashville,” Jackson said. “That’s where my dream started, and that’s where I want it to end.”
For Jackson, the moment will be bittersweet — the culmination of a life lived on the road, and the start of a quieter one filled with grandkids, family dinners, and, perhaps, a few more songs written from home.
After all, for a man who built his career singing about real life, there’s no better encore than simply living it.
