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Alan Jackson<\/a> recently announced his final full concert performance<\/a> will take place in Nashville on June 27, 2026, and moments after that announcement was made, Gretchen Wilson<\/a> explained why she felt the need to both apologize to and thank the country icon.<\/p>\n The “Redneck Woman” singer says, “My first CMA Awards, I was petrified. I remember everything feeling wrong, like, ‘I’m not supposed to be here, this wasn’t meant for me, this is some kind of mistake.'”<\/p>\n Wilson stopped by the Taste of Country Nights<\/em><\/a> studio to chat it up with Evan Paul, and as we revealed the news of Jackson’s impending retirement<\/a>, she laughed and told an epic story that ended with the apology and a thank you.<\/p>\n She relates, “I thought I was gonna pass out, and the only thing that went through my head when I stepped on stage was, ‘Find a friendly face and lock in on it.'”<\/p>\n The Season 13 winner of The Masked Singer<\/em> winner continues, “I’m gonna tell you something, for about two years I thought to myself, ‘That man probably thinks I’m psychotic,’ because I stared at him intensely when I sang ‘When I Think About Cheatin’.'”<\/p>\n Wilson jokes that Jackson’s wife probably had some questions for Jackson after that moment, between the stare down and the song choice\u00a0\u2014 thus the light-hearted apology decades later.<\/p>\n “He was just the friendly face that I locked on and so, ya know, if you can hear me Alan, thank you for that,” Wilson says. “I really appreciate you getting me through my first CMA performance.”<\/p>\n Gretchen Wilson’s first CMA performance was at the 2004 CMA Awards.<\/p>\n The country music icon is only 66 years old. He was born on\u00a0Oct. 17, 1958.<\/p>\n Alan Jackson has been dealing with a chronic health challenge for more than a decade, and it’s only going to get worse.<\/p>\n The Country Music Hall of Famer\u00a0shared in 2021<\/a>\u00a0that he had been living with a degenerative nerve condition called Charcot-Marie-Tooth\u00a0disease, which causes nerve damage, focused in the arms and legs.<\/p>\n As the Mayo Clinic<\/a>\u00a0reports, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease can cause muscle contractions and a loss of sensation, making walking difficult.<\/p>\n The country legend’s three daughters are all adults now, and he and his wife, Denise, have two grandchildren, which also played into his decision.<\/p>\n Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is not fatal, and it will not shorten Jackson’s life. But there is no known cure for the illness, which is inherited.<\/p>\n Over his three-decade-plus career, Alan Jackson has released some of the most essential country music songs ever<\/em>. His catalog includes classic barnburners like “Chattahoochee,” tender ballads like “Remember When” and everything in between. <\/p>\n No matter which songs are your favorite, it’s hard to dispute that Jackson’s music changed the country music genre forever.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n After selling their spectacular Southern manor home in 2010, Alan Jackson and his wife moved to to what might be an even more impressive mansion, if that’s even possible. Their 5-bedroom, 8-bathroom, 22,012-square-foot estate in the same Nashville suburb of Franklin features bedrooms that are all well-appointed suites, while the formal dining and living areas are finished off with splendid arched doorways, oversized windows and elaborate woodwork. The residence also includes a bar, a media room and multiple indoor and outdoor fireplaces. It sold for $19 million in March of 2021.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Sterling Whitaker<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhy Is Gretchen Wilson Apologizing to Alan Jackson?<\/h3>\n
What Year Was Gretchen Wilson’s First CMA Performance?<\/h3>\n
How Old Is Alan Jackson?<\/h3>\n
Why Is Alan Jackson Retiring?<\/h3>\n
Is Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease Fatal?<\/h3>\n
The 30 Best Alan Jackson Songs of All Time<\/h2>\n
PICTURES: See Inside Alan Jackson’s Spectacular Hilltop Estate<\/h2>\n