This Emotional Alan Jackson Performance Honoring His Late Dad Proves “My Parents Raised Me on the Best Country Era”

During a show on his Last Call: One More for the Road Tour, Alan Jackson gave a performance of his song “Drive (For Daddy Gene)” that had everyone emotional. On social media, fans reacted to the performance and recounted their own memories of discovering Jackson’s music. 

“My parents raised me on the best country era.”

“He is a piece of my childhood.”

“Still remember my dad playing this on his cd in the car on the way to my grandpa and grandmas house. Brings me to tears.”

It doesn’t help that the context behind “Drive (For Daddy Gene)” already makes the song cut pretty deep. In 2000, Jackson’s father, Joseph Eugene Jackson, passed away from an aortic aneurysm. Jackson wanted to write something about his dad that wasn’t “a sad dying song,” so he came up with this.

“Drive(For Daddy Gene)” ended up being a No. 1 hit on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart, and served as the second single for Jackson’s album Drive.

“…It just came out,” he told Billboard of the tune in 2001. “I think it was a gift, and I’m just a messenger for it. It’s a very special song.”

If fans are already feeling nostalgic over this performance, they’re definitely going to be in for a treat when he plays his last show on Saturday, June 27 at Nissan Stadium.

What To Know About Alan Jackson’s Last Show

It’s going to be a sobfest when Jackson performs the finale show of his Last Call: One More for the Road Tour. This performance is set to be Jackson’s last big show ever, and is to feature a whole lineup of artists. This includes but is not limited to performances from artists like George Strait, Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, and more. 

In an interview with Saving Country Music, Jackson’s nephew, Brian Wright, talked about his uncle. Wright is one of the guests featured on the lineup for Jackson’s final show.

“It was really incredible watching a normal guy with a naturally good, untrained voice, a few good songs and a dream actually make it happen,” Wright shared. “It’s kinda weird. My uncle is my uncle, but he’s really also one of my heroes in country music. He’s proved that traditional country music will always have fans and that an artist can have a lifelong career by (as George Jones said) ‘Keeping it Country.’”

In an Instagram post earlier this month, Jackson revealed that fans everywhere would be able to stream the sold-out show on Peacock the next day. The show will also be available to watch on NBC later in the year.

Fans in Nashville will also have opportunities to watch the event via livestream. This includes in person events on Broadway, at Belmont University’s Fisher Center, and the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Photo by: Frank Micelotta/Getty Images for CMT

The post This Emotional Alan Jackson Performance Honoring His Late Dad Proves “My Parents Raised Me on the Best Country Era” appeared first on American Songwriter.