Fans Were Left Stunned When Alan Jackson Admitted He Faked This Performance — But His Reason Changes Everything. ML

Summary

• Alan Jackson has a history of taking a stand for what he believes is right, even if it means going against the rules at awards shows.
• During the 1994 American Country Music Awards, Alan was asked to fake his performance, but he may have protested by singing live while his band played along to a backing track.
• Despite causing controversy at awards shows, Alan Jackson is still celebrated by fans and was honored at the 2022 CMAs without any protest.

Fortunately for the country singer, fans always backed him up, even when he stormed out of an awards show, changed up his song mid-show, or faked a performance.

Alan Wound Up Faking A Performance After Behind-The-Scenes Issues

These days, Alan Jackson may no longer be as in, and he sure isn’t considered an A-lister, at least not compared to more modern country acts. But in the 1990s, Alan Jackson was in high demand, even if he didn’t always get his way.

Before the 1994 American Country Music Awards show, Alan was asked to perform, which he apparently agreed to easily. Issues cropped up when producers reportedly asked Alan to basically fake his song “Gone Country,” complete with backing music instead of a live band.

It’s not clear whether Alan was asked to solely lip sync, or whether the music was meant to be pre-recorded, while his vocals would be live. Either way, it’s said that Alan became upset with the producers over the issue.

The details are a bit fuzzy, as it’s unclear whether Alan had to go through with the performance regardless, due to contractual obligations, or whether he decided to ‘stick it’ to producers by taking the stage and doing what he wanted.

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During the performance, Bruce Rutherford, Alan’s drummer, enthusiastically jammed out to the song as if he were playing, just with no drumsticks in his hands. Hilariously, Alan looks at the band a few times during the performance, and Bruce’s lack of drumsticks is visible behind him the entire time (and from other angles).

Alan also smiled to himself, as did other members of the band, when the camera zoomed in on them, but odds are, none of them were actually playing.

Alan himself was also holding his guitar during the performance, and again appeared to be playing—but realistically, he couldn’t have been if the music was a backing track played through the speakers.

At the end of the song, Alan even cut off somewhat abruptly, calling out “Yeah we gone,” and walking off the stage as the music similarly cut off before the actual end of the song.

The moment was met with praise—and acts like Garth Brooks have been called out for lip-syncing during the CMAs and other shows.

Alan Jackson Has Never Been A Good Guest At Awards Shows

During the 1999 Country Music Awards a few years later, Alan had another moment of protest after George Jones’ performance was canceled. George was set to perform his song “Choices,” but it was apparently cut due to commercial timing.

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Jones refused to attend the CMAs, but Alan Jackson took to the stage for his planned performance. He started with “Pop a Top,” but later segued into “Choices,” playing George’s song on his behalf to protest what went down.

Alan received a standing ovation for that move, then walked off the stage without comment as the song ended.

Alan was still making statements in 2016 when he walked out of the CMAs apparently due to Beyoncé performing with the Dixie Chicks. Jackson was reportedly against adding pop stars to the country music awards shows, so got up and walked out mid-show.

That move didn’t keep him from being invited back, though.

Did Alan Jackson Get Banned From Awards Shows?

Back in the 1990s not much was heard about Alan Jackson’s epic non-performance and his tribute to George Jones, but today, fans love it. Commenters on YouTube praised the former and its “magical drumsticks” and appreciated that Alan was, more or less, protesting ‘silently.’

In the end, Alan didn’t get the boot from any awards shows; even after his 2016 moment of leaving mid-Bey/Dixie Chicks, he was slated to be honored at the 2022 CMAs, and that went off without a protest or a hitch.

Artists like Dierks Bentley, Carrie Underwood (who once turned down crossover group Florida-Georiga Line—but also collaborated with Ludacris), Lainey Wilson, and Jon Pardi performed a lineup of Alan’s music, then the singer himself graced the stage.

This time, Alan stayed for the standing ovation—well ovations—both before and after his performance.