Alan Jackson

Solo Artist

Photo: Angela George · CC BY-SA 3.0
Active 1989-present
Origin Newnan, Georgia
Albums 12
Tracks 139
Most frequent collaborator Keith Stegall · 138 tracks
Genres CountryNeotraditional Country
Songwriter
66%
Authorship

Holds writing credit on 92 of 139 tracks

Does Alan Jackson write his own songs?

Yes. He writes or co-writes most of his hits, which is unusual for a mainstream country star who could rely on Nashville's professional writers. Wikipedia describes him as an artist known for writing many of his own songs.

By the Numbers

12
Studio Albums
139
Tracks Credited
66%
Self-Written
75 million+
Records Sold
37
Years Active
97
Collaborators

Authorship Breakdown 92 / 139 self-written

Who wrote the songs?

Across all 139 tracks: how many Alan Jackson wrote alone, how many they co-wrote, and how many were written by others. The bracket marks every track they hold any writing credit on.

Alan Jackson has a writing credit66%
47%
19%
34%
Sole author65tracks47%
Co-written27tracks19%
Outside writers47tracks34%

Role Fingerprint how they contribute

Lyricist Performer Composer Producer
Alan Jackson's roles across the catalogue

Share of all 139 tracks where they are personally credited, by role.

Lyricist (words)66%
Composer (music)66%
Producer0%
Performer100%

Authorship Over Time writing credit per album

Alan Jackson's writing credit per album, in release order. Hover any bar for the album.

avg 66%
90%
90%
70%
54%
50%
50%
45%
77%
42%
100%
46%
70%
1990Here in the Real World
1991Don't Rock the Jukebox
1992A Lot About Livin' (and a Little 'bout Love)
1994Who I Am
1996Everything I Love
1998High Mileage
2000When Somebody Loves You
2002Drive
2004What I Do
2008Good Time
2012Thirty Miles West
2015Angels and Alcohol
Early · 74% written
Mid · 57% written
Late · 67% written

Authorship by Decade track-weighted

67%
1990s
Here in the Real World, Don't Rock the Jukebox +4 more
70%
2000s
When Somebody Loves You, Drive +2 more
57%
2010s
Thirty Miles West, Angels and Alcohol

Authorship Spectrum pure performer to complete author

Where Alan Jackson sits on the scale from a pure performer (0%, sings songs written by others) to a complete author (100%, writes everything). The bright marker is their catalogue authorship score, plotted against other artists on the site.

Alan Jackson
Other artists on the site

Reference artists spread across the scale, closest by genre and era.

Tim McGraw2%
George Strait11%
Kenny Chesney20%
Billy Ray Cyrus47%
Brad Paisley78%
Shania Twain89%
Lainey Wilson98%
66%Alan Jackson
Pure Performer0%
Songwriter~50%
Complete Author100%

Who Really Wrote the Hits signature songs

Blue Blooded Woman
Here in the Real World
Written by Alan Jackson, Roger Murrah, Keith Stegall, Alan Eugene Jackson
Co-wrote
Here in the Real World
Here in the Real World
Written by Alan Jackson, Mark Irwin, Alan Eugene Jackson
Co-wrote
Wanted
Here in the Real World
Written by Alan Jackson, Charlie Craig, Alan Eugene Jackson
Co-wrote
Chasin' That Neon Rainbow
Here in the Real World
Written by Alan Jackson, Jim McBride, Alan Eugene Jackson
Co-wrote
I'd Love You All Over Again
Here in the Real World
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
Don't Rock the Jukebox
Don't Rock the Jukebox
Written by Alan Jackson, Roger Murrah, Keith Stegall, Alan Eugene Jackson, Robert Keith Stegall
Co-wrote
Someday
Don't Rock the Jukebox
Written by Alan Jackson, Jim McBride, Alan Eugene Jackson
Co-wrote
Dallas
Don't Rock the Jukebox
Written by Alan Jackson, Keith Stegall, Alan Eugene Jackson, Robert Keith Stegall
Co-wrote
Midnight in Montgomery
Don't Rock the Jukebox
Written by Alan Jackson, Don Sampson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Co-wrote
Love's Got a Hold on You
Don't Rock the Jukebox
Written by Carson Chamberlain, Keith Stegall, Robert Keith Stegall
Outside writers
She's Got the Rhythm (And I Got the Blues)
A Lot About Livin' (and a Little 'bout Love)
Written by Alan Jackson, Randy Travis, Alan Eugene Jackson
Co-wrote
Tonight I Climbed the Wall
A Lot About Livin' (and a Little 'bout Love)
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
Chattahoochee
A Lot About Livin' (and a Little 'bout Love)
Written by Alan Jackson, Jim McBride, Alan Eugene Jackson
Co-wrote
Mercury Blues
A Lot About Livin' (and a Little 'bout Love)
Written by K. C. Douglas, Bob Geddins
Outside writers
(Who Says) You Can't Have It All
A Lot About Livin' (and a Little 'bout Love)
Written by Alan Jackson, Jim McBride, Alan Eugene Jackson
Co-wrote
Summertime Blues
Who I Am
Written by Eddie Cochran, Jerry Capehart, Edward Raymond Cochran, Jerry Neal Capehart
Outside writers
Livin' on Love
Who I Am
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
Gone Country
Who I Am
Written by Bob McDill, Robert Lee McDill
Outside writers
Song for the Life
Who I Am
Written by Rodney Crowell
Outside writers
I Don't Even Know Your Name
Who I Am
Written by Alan Jackson, Ron Jackson, Andy Loftin, Alan Eugene Jackson
Co-wrote
Little Bitty
Everything I Love
Written by Tom T. Hall, Thomas Hall
Outside writers
Everything I Love
Everything I Love
Written by Harley Allen, Carson Chamberlain
Outside writers
Who's Cheatin' Who
Everything I Love
Written by Jerry Hayes
Outside writers
There Goes
Everything I Love
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
Between the Devil and Me
Everything I Love
Written by Harley Allen, Carson Chamberlain
Outside writers
A House with No Curtains
Everything I Love
Written by Alan Jackson, Jim McBride, Alan Eugene Jackson
Co-wrote
Right on the Money
High Mileage
Written by Charlie Black, Phil Vassar
Outside writers
I'll Go On Loving You
High Mileage
Written by Kieran Kane
Outside writers
Gone Crazy
High Mileage
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
Little Man
High Mileage
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
www.memory
When Somebody Loves You
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
When Somebody Loves You
When Somebody Loves You
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
Where I Come From
When Somebody Loves You
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
It's Alright to Be a Redneck
When Somebody Loves You
Written by Bill Kenner, Pat McLaughlin
Outside writers
Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)
Drive
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
Drive (For Daddy Gene)
Drive
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
Work in Progress
Drive
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
That'd Be Alright
Drive
Written by Tim Nichols, Mark D. Sanders, Tia Sillers
Outside writers
Too Much of a Good Thing
What I Do
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
Monday Morning Church
What I Do
Written by Brent Baxter, Erin Enderlin
Outside writers
The Talkin' Song Repair Blues
What I Do
Written by Dennis Linde
Outside writers
USA Today
What I Do
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
Small Town Southern Man
Good Time
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
Good Time
Good Time
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
Country Boy
Good Time
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
Sissy's Song
Good Time
Written by Alan Jackson, Alan Eugene Jackson
Wrote it
So You Don't Have to Love Me Anymore
Thirty Miles West
Written by Jay Knowles, Adam Wright
Outside writers
You Go Your Way
Thirty Miles West
Written by Troy Jones, David Lee, Tony Lane
Outside writers

Discography 12 albums

Covers a twelve-album core of Alan Jackson's studio catalog, from his 1990 debut Here in the Real World through Angels and Alcohol (2015), spanning his neotraditional peak and the self-written Good Time. Jackson has released roughly twenty studio albums; the remaining titles, including his gospel (Precious Memories), Christmas, covers (Under the Influence), bluegrass, and later records, are tracked in TODO.md under Incomplete Catalog.

Collaborator Network who they worked with most

Alan Jackson139 tracks
KS138Keith Stegall, 138 tracks BM40Brent Mason, 40 tracks PF35Paul Franklin, 35 tracks 34Eddie Bayers, 34 tracks 30Glenn Worf, 30 tracks SH21Scott Hendricks, 21 tracks GP21Gary Prim, 21 tracks JM14Jim McBride, 14 tracks SD12Stuart Duncan, 12 tracks JL10Jimmie Lee Sloas, 10 tracks TH10Tommy Harden, 10 tracks HA8Harley Allen, 8 tracks CC6Carson Chamberlain, 6 tracks CC5Charlie Craig, 5 tracks AW5Adam Wright, 5 tracks DS4Don Sampson, 4 tracks RH4Roy Huskey Jr., 4 tracks JH4John Hughey, 4 tracks HR4Hargus Robbins, 4 tracks RK3Robert Keith Stegall, 3 tracks LF3Larry Franklin, 3 tracks MI2Mark Irwin, 2 tracks RM2Roger Murrah, 2 tracks RT2Randy Travis, 2 tracks TN2Tim Nichols, 2 tracks MB2Mel Besher, 2 tracks MW2Michael White, 2 tracks SW2Shannon Wright, 2 tracks SC2Shawn Camp, 2 tracks CS2Chris Stapleton, 2 tracks TJ2Troy Jones, 2 tracks JK2Jay Knowles, 2 tracks RM1Ron Moore, 1 track LW1Lonnie Wilson, 1 track GO1Gary Overton, 1 track RB1Randy Bruce Traywick, 1 track TD1Toni Dae, 1 track JS1Joy Swinea, 1 track ZT1Zack Turner, 1 track KC1K. C. Douglas, 1 track BG1Bob Geddins, 1 track EC1Eddie Cochran, 1 track JC1Jerry Capehart, 1 track ER1Edward Raymond Cochran, 1 track JN1Jerry Neal Capehart, 1 track BM1Bob McDill, 1 track RL1Robert Lee McDill, 1 track RJ1Ron Jackson, 1 track AL1Andy Loftin, 1 track RC1Rodney Crowell, 1 track MD1Max D. Barnes, 1 track RJ1Robert John Jones, 1 track TT1Tom T. Hall, 1 track TH1Thomas Hall, 1 track JH1Jerry Hayes, 1 track JE1John E. Swaim, 1 track CB1Charlie Black, 1 track PV1Phil Vassar, 1 track KK1Kieran Kane, 1 track BT1Brian Tabor, 1 track JP1John Pennell, 1 track AL1Anna Lisa Graham, 1 track DH1Dana Hunt, 1 track GC1Gary Cotton, 1 track BK1Bill Kenner, 1 track PM1Pat McLaughlin, 1 track RL1Robert Lee Castleman, 1 track MC1Melanie Castleman, 1 track IK1Irene Kelley, 1 track GS1George Strait, 1 track MD1Mark D. Sanders, 1 track TS1Tia Sillers, 1 track JW1John Wiggins, 1 track VG1Vince Gill, 1 track on Eagles's page TW1The Wrights, 1 track DH1Dan Hill, 1 track DL1Dennis Linde, 1 track BB1Brent Baxter, 1 track EE1Erin Enderlin, 1 track PL1Patty Loveless, 1 track BB1Billy Burnette, 1 track TJ1Tim Johnson, 1 track MM1Martina McBride, 1 track TM1Terry McBride, 1 track DL1David Lee, 1 track TL1Tony Lane, 1 track GC1Guy Clark, 1 track MH1Morgane Hayes, 1 track ZB1Zac Brown, 1 track on Zac Brown Band's page CD1Clint Daniels, 1 track JH1Jeff Hyde, 1 track KS1Kylie Sackley, 1 track AA1Al Anderson, 1 track MP1Michael P. Heeney, 1 track JV1Jim Vest, 1 track BT1Bobby Terry, 1 track GB1Greg Becker, 1 track

Bubble size = tracks worked on together. KS Keith Stegall · BM Brent Mason · PF Paul Franklin · SH Scott Hendricks

Photo credits

Portraits in the web and the rail come from Wikimedia Commons. The artist's own photo carries its credit under the picture.

The Authorship Story

Data Insight

Alan Jackson is the rare country superstar who is also his own songwriter, and the credits bear it out: his name sits in the writing column across the catalog, usually under his legal name Alan Eugene Jackson in the composer field. He works both alone and with a small circle of Nashville co-writers, most often Jim McBride, with whom he wrote 'Chattahoochee,' and his producer Keith Stegall. His most personal songs are solo writes: 'Drive (For Daddy Gene)' about his father and 'Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)' after September 11, and the 2008 album Good Time is written top to bottom by Jackson alone. Where he does record outside songs, the authorship is clear in the credits, from Tom T. Hall's 'Little Bitty' to Bob McDill's 'Gone Country' and the Eddie Cochran cover 'Summertime Blues.' The through-line is a neotraditionalist who supplies both the voice and, most of the time, the song.

Quick Facts

  • Country Music Hall of FameInducted in 2017.
  • Nashville Songwriters Hall of FameInducted in 2018 for writing his own catalog.
  • Records SoldOver 75 million worldwide, about 44 million in the United States.
  • Chart-Toppers35 of his 66 Hot Country Songs entries reached number one.
  • Self-Authored HitsHe wrote or co-wrote most of the hits that made his career.
  • Entertainer of the YearWon CMA Entertainer of the Year in 1995, 2002, and 2003, plus ACM Entertainer honors in 2002 and 2003.

Creative Fingerprint

Alan Jackson is a rare country self-author who writes or co-writes most of his own hits, a neotraditionalist who supplies his own songs rather than cutting other writers' material.

The Story

Alan Jackson, born Alan Eugene Jackson on October 17, 1958 in Newnan, Georgia, is one of the most successful country artists of all time and a leader of the neotraditional movement that reshaped the genre in the 1990s. Signed to Arista Nashville, he broke through with his 1990 debut Here in the Real World and strung together a long run of platinum albums and number-one hits, most produced by Keith Stegall. Unusually for a country star of his stature, Jackson is a genuine self-author who writes or co-writes the majority of his material, from the co-written 'Chattahoochee' to the solo-penned 'Drive (For Daddy Gene)' and the post-9/11 'Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).' His 2008 album Good Time was written entirely by him. He has sold more than 75 million records and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2017 and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.

Awards & Recognition

Country Music Hall of Fame, inducted 2017
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, inducted 2018
16 CMA Awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 1995, 2002, and 2003
17 ACM Awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 2002 and 2003 and Top Male Vocalist in 1994, 1995, and 2001
2 Grammy Awards

Frequently Asked Questions Alan Jackson

Does Alan Jackson write his own songs?
Yes. He writes or co-writes most of his hits, which is unusual for a mainstream country star who could rely on Nashville's professional writers. Wikipedia describes him as an artist known for writing many of his own songs.
Who wrote 'Chattahoochee'?
Alan Jackson wrote it with Jim McBride. The song topped the country chart in 1993 and became one of his signature hits.
Who wrote 'Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)'?
Alan Jackson wrote it alone. He woke around 4 a.m. on October 28, 2001 with the melody, opening lines, and chorus in his head, then finished the lyrics that morning. The song responds to the September 11 attacks in the form of questions.
Did Alan Jackson write 'Drive (For Daddy Gene)'?
Yes, he wrote it by himself. The song is dedicated to his father, Eugene Jackson, who died on January 31, 2000, and it recalls learning to drive boats and trucks with him.
What is Alan Jackson's real name?
His full name is Alan Eugene Jackson. He was born October 17, 1958 in Newnan, Georgia.
Is Alan Jackson in the Songwriters Hall of Fame?
Yes. He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018, recognition of the songs he wrote himself rather than only the ones he recorded.
Is there an Alan Jackson album he wrote entirely by himself?
Yes. His 2008 album Good Time was the first of his career on which he wrote all of the material by himself, with no outside co-writers.
Is Alan Jackson in the Country Music Hall of Fame?
Yes, he was inducted in 2017. The honor came on top of 16 CMA Awards and 17 ACM Awards across his career.
How many number-one country hits does Alan Jackson have?
He placed 35 songs at number one on the Billboard country chart out of 66 that charted, and he wrote or co-wrote a large share of them.

Sources

Alan Jackson - Wikipedia Alan Jackson discography - Wikipedia Alan Jackson - Wikipedia Alan Jackson albums discography - Wikipedia Good Time (Alan Jackson album) - Wikipedia Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) - Wikipedia Drive (For Daddy Gene) - Wikipedia