Alan Jackson was born on October 17, 1958, in Newnan, Georgia. While playing in various country bands in Georgia, Alan picked up odd jobs fixing cars, selling cars and operating a forklift in order to pay bills while writing songs. Jackson and his wife Denise picked up and moved to Nashville in 1985, but Alan seemed lost as a writer in a genre of music that wasn't going in the same direction he was. The same year they made the move, Denise met Glen Campbell, who would change their lives forever. She told Glen about her husband and Campbell suggested that Alan should call his publishing company. Not long after, Jackson was hired as a staff songwriter at Campbell's music publishing company.

Jackson was the first country artist signed to Arista Records and his first big hit was the title track from his debut album Here In The Real World. Fifteen years later the country music icon has sold over 40 million albums and has landed more than 30 number one singles.