alanjackson real world news the official newsletter of the Alan Jackson Platinum Fan Club spring 10

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1 alanjackson real world news the official newsletter of the Alan Jackson Platinum Fan Club spring 10

2 topnews spring 2010 Issue 81 Hard Hat & A Hammer 2 The latest single from Alan s brand new album FREIGHT TRAIN. Call your favorite country DJ and request it today! Alan Jackson Fan Club P.O. Box Nashville, TN (615) office (615) merchandise (615) fax ajfc@alanjackson.com Real World News is the official publication of the Alan Jackson Fan Club. Newsletters are mailed out in February, May, August and November. Platinum Fan Club Membership includes: Real World News Newsletter Merchandise Discounts Alan s Biography and Fact Sheet 8x10 Exclusive Color Photo Official Membership Card Preferred Concert Seating (subject to availability) annual dues: $20 USA $25 Canada $30 International Please check your address label for your expiration date. We do not send out renewal reminders. You will have a three month grace period in which to renew your membership. When writing to Alan or thefan Club, please remember to include a Self-Address Stamped Envelope (SASE) for a quick response. Cindy Hart president Abby Busick administrative assistant We reserve the right to refuse or deny privileges to anyone at our sole discretion Alan Jackson Materials may not be reproduced without written permission. NASHVILLE FLOOD UPDATES: Music City recently received some devastating floods the first part of May. But we are still here. The music is still playing. And we still want you to visit! Unfortunately the Gaylord Opryland complex is closed due to the flood. However, most hotels, attractions and restaurants are operating at full power and are open for business! To get updates regarding hotel availability and other tourist information, please log onto visitors/floodinformation We do have the official word that CMA Fest will go on as planned June 10-13! The Grand Ole Opry has moved the show downtown to the Ryman! Please keep in mind that the recovery and cleanup process will take some time. If you d like to volunteer while you re in town for the festival, sign up at Also if you can t be here but want to help, you can donate by texting REDCROSS to to make a $10 donation or log onto The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee at Visit nashvillest.com for a great list of other ways to help. Please keep the people of Middle and West Tennessee who have endured so much tragedy and heartache in your thoughts and prayers! 3

3 walk of fame On April 16, 2010, Alan was immortalized into entertainment history when the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce presented him with a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A record number crowd came out come out to experience this once in a lifetime honor with Alan, Denise and their girls. Alan s star is at 6801 Hollywood Boulevard, just steps from the famous Graumann s Chinese Theater, Madame Tussaud s Wax Museum and the Kodak Theater, the site for the Academy Awards. Be sure to visit Alan s star the next time you are in the area and send your picture in for the website and newsletter! star 4 5

4 1 Platinum Fan Club member Estelle Fowler took a few friends to the Birmingham show. Her youngest daughter got them tickets so they had a Girls Night Out. The only thing missing was not getting to close enough to say HI and shake Alan s hand. snapshots Thanks for all the great photographs! Remember, anytime we use one of your photos in a newsletter, we will send you a $10 gift certificate toward official AJ merchandise. If you d like your photo returned, please include a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope. 2 Introducing two of our newset AJ fans, Julia & Christina, Platinum member Billy Gore s new twin grandbabies! The two precious girls belong to his oldest son Major Steven Gore, who is currently deployed in the Middle East. THANK YOU Steven for your dedication and brave service to our country! 3 Rocker #310 belongs to Joyce Brenneman of Ohio! 4 Maybe Platinum member Barbara Moon s grandson, who is two, can show Julia and Christina the ropes! Sure looks like he s gonna be playing that guitar soon Mary from California joined our Facebook Fan of the Week contest. I ve had this sign on my garage for two weeks now and the one on my spare tire holder for the same amount of time. My husband keeps telling me to take it off his garage, but I told him I couldn t until March 30. Alan is awesome and I hope he comes to San Diego soon. 7 Cole Coffey from Indiana has got quite a collection started! His mom submitted this photo and says He has all of AJ s CDs and his room is cover with Alan Posters! Way too cool! 5 Platinum member Margie Lokey met Alan at the Cracker Barrell Pop Up Store on Broadway in Nashville last fall. 8 Gayle Sutter, our grand prize winner in the Facebook Fan of the Week contest, sports her custom Ladies Love Country Boys jacket. Smokin!

5 Still going country: Alan Jackson solid in delivering classics at Germain sold-out show By TOM HANSON - Naples Daily News [Originally pu b l i s h e d on Ap r i l 9, 2010] The conductor saying all aboard wasn t needed. Alan Jackson s new album and tour might be labeled the Freight Train but this hit machine has been rolling along for over two decades. He emphasized it with his performance on Thursday night at Germain Arena. His career, which started in the mailroom and will soon be cemented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, is a powerful locomotive that doesn t appear to be losing any steam. Kicking off his Freight Train Tour, the 51-year-old banked on his countless, and timeless, classics and didn t make the sold-out crowd suffer through a plethora of new releases just to sell albums. Instead, Jackson played a 21-plus song set, with only one song ( It s Just That Way ) coming from the new release, in the two-hour show. The show wasn t flashy. It wasn t theatrical. Jackson didn t dance around or get wild. It was simple as the white cowboy hat on his head and as strong as a steel guitar in the background. It was simply classic Alan Jackson. He started the show with Gone Country, followed by Summertime Blues as the 8,000 person singalong started dancing even in the cheap seats. Jackson showed his sentimental side displaying photos of his parents on the big screen TVs during Livin on Love. With his guitar in hand, Jackson masterfully transitioned from soft tear-producers such as A Woman s Love and his 9/11 tribute Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning) to the hip shaking, two-stepping signature tunes of Little Bitty, Who s Cheatin Who and Don t Rock the Jukebox. Jackson even found a solution to the enviable dilemma of having 25 No. 1 songs and over 50 albums. In the middle of the set, Jackson and the band got cozy and took a seat to pump out an abbreviated medley of hits with history lessons behind them. He told about touring with Randy Travis in the early 1990s and the two co-wrote some songs, one of which She s Got the Rhythm went to No. 1. (By the way, Travis netted three No.1s from the Jackson collaborations). Jackson explained Neon Rainbow was about the first radio his father bought, which now sits in the Country Music Hall of Fame. And he said he wrote Wanted (a good-hearted woman) on a rainy day in a hotel room in Pine Bluff, Ark. He ended the 11-song medley with the 2001 hit Drive, which was written as a tribute to his dying father. But just when you thought he might take a break the lanky and ageless looking Jackson cranked it up again with Good Time, Country Boy, It s Five O clock Somewhere and Chattahoochee. The only time Jackson got the least bit derailed was when he welcomed the crowd and stumbled on the Freight Train tour. One of the only disappointments, other than he didn t sing my personal favorite I Still Like Bologna and the show had to come to an end, was that the video montage behind Jackson s finale Where I Come from showed mainly pictures of Bonita Springs and didn t capture the true essence of Southwest Florida. Also, Jackson only came out for a one-song encore, the Jerry Lee Lewis classic Great Balls Fire. But who could blame him as he covered almost ever hit song in two hours. Jackson appears ready to get rolling on tour, especially after a week of fishing and sun in Florida, he said. Actually, Southwest Florida country fans got their money s worth. Up-and-comer Chris Young started the show and, while brief, he didn t disappoint with his hit-song Getting You Home (Black Dress). Josh Turner followed with a performance worthy of a headliner. With his versatile range and especially some of those money maker bass notes, the 32-year-old showed why he might not be long for being a warm-up act. With hits Why Don t We Just Dance (My personal favorite right now), Your Man and Would You Go With Me, Turner set the tone for the conductor, Alan Jackson. The three were a perfect complement to each other, transcending a traditional country sound and performance to match. They were simple. They had a classic sound and they were right on the money especially considering the highest priced ticket was under $100. 9

6 Have You Seen Alan in Your City? meet & greet photos The Freight Train Tour is rolling into a city near you! Let us know where you ve spotted Alan! us your picture, and a brief story about where you saw his tour truck to AJFC2@AlanJackson.com Then log onto the website to see all the AJ sightings! 10 11

7 12 fanreview Sherry nestleroad Orlando, FL April 9, 2010 Second night of the Freight Train tour, Orlando, Florida! We were ready for Alan! Alan came strolling out on the stage in his beautiful green shirt and buttoned-legged jeans with the signature tear in the knee and the house went crazy. He launched into Gone Country, along with a stadium filled to the brim, singing along with him. Alan s talents know no age boundaries. Our second row (thanks to Fan Club Seating), encompassed age 7 to at least 70, as did the entire stadium. When Alan sang Where Were You, it was met with screaming, whistling enthusiasm but when he sang the line:...did you burst out with pride for the red, white and blue it brought the house down and a big ol Alan Smile. One of the things I loved about this concert was that Alan and three of his band members came up and sat at the edge of the stage on bar stools. Alan talked about each song before he sang it, giving a history of why and when he wrote it. It was as though we were sitting in his living room, having a conversation. He talked about his Mother and Daddy Gene. It was especially endearing when he told us about the lean times when he and Denise were just a struggling couple and then he released Here in the Real World, wondering just what it was going to do. Every time he finished a song the crowd went wild with applause and standing ovations. He talked of his fondness for Florida and, of course, his Georgia, the only place that will really ever be home to him. Alan stood there with that awwww-shucks smile and you could tell he was thinking, all of this is for ME? He is so humble and I think, besides his incredible talent, that is what draws you to him like no other country star. Alan sang Sissy s Song and a hush fell over the stadium as we all felt his loss. Old standards like Don t Rock the Jukebox and Chattahoochee were met with singing and dancing all over the stadium but the real get- em-out-of-their-seats song was Good Time. It s Just that Way had the audience swaying to the tune. Alan gave us nearly two hours of memories that spanned two decades, both personal and through his music. You can t ask for more from an entertainer. He left the stage to chants of Alan! Alan! Alan! Then back he came with Great Balls of Fire and Where I Come From along with his video of all the places that mean so much to Orlandoans and him as well. I ve been to many Alan Jackson concerts but this was the best by far and, as always, he graciously signed autographs and I was lucky enough to get one, AND one of the guitar picks that he generously throws to the audience. I can t wait to go again. I just might have to do some travelling this year! Remember to send your concert reviews into the Fan Club for a chance to win tickets to the next AJ show in your area. See your membership packet for complete details. meet & greetwinners Marcella Viner Cater Burkes Zoe Orn Sonya Andrew Barbara Sandord Dodie Curtis Joseph Petry Tori Wilkinson Alex Jones Jackie Villani Yvonne Givens Tammy Cox Amanda Blakely Colleen Rivera LouAnn Swartz Sharon Wampler front rowwinners Amber Lawless Kathy Bender Dana Brill Heather Adrian Benjamin Shoemake Maria Checkley Erika Pisik Tracey Fearrington autographed itemwinners Kathy Lewinski, Wisconsin Brenda Whitlock, Virginia Deborah Kidd, Ohio Jerry Lance, Florida Sandy Daigle, Vermont Jduy Knou Marilyn Jennings Steven Radmer Vicki Verheyen Elizabeth Schultz Dustin Ash Juantia Blanchard Yolanda Hardy Dyan McArdle Debbie Miller Sarah Mitts Pete Best Cathy Bower Emily Downham Julia Mercer Kristin Ricker Brittany Lee Kim Boey Amanda Tempel Mark Lester Besty Honea Karri Barrera Chris Barkes Garna Bradley Jan Lockwood, British Columbia, Canada Linda Batsford, New York Darlene Rider, Arizona Linda Davis, Louisana Kirk Kvidahl, California 13

8 heyy all a note from the fan club Hey y all! So I just got back from the Freight Train tour stop in Champaign, IL. One of my best friends lives here so I came up for a visit and we went to the show tonight! WOW! The show was amazing! Everything about it was perfect! The set looked great! The video was AWESOME and pretty much all new! And the best part of all? ALAN! He sounded better than ever! I don t want to give away too much because I want you to be as excited and surprised as I was. I guarantee no matter how many times you ve seen Alan, this will probably be your favorite too! If you don t get to make it to one of the stops this spring, we ll be announcing more stops for late summer / fall in the next few months! Another thing I ve been so proud of is getting to go to Hollywood to see Alan accept this Hollywood Walk of Fame star. When I first heard that he was in the running last year, I didn t really realize what a big deal it was. But once the date got closer and closer I started to realize what a huge honor was being bestowed to Alan. Alan became the 2,405 celebrity to receive a star which is located in a prime spot on Hollywood Blvd in front of Hard Rock Cafe. If you go to the see the star, be sure to send us your pictures so we can put them on the website! Hope you love this picture of me and Abby (and I think you know the tall guy in the middle!) Be sure to check out the May/June 2010 issue of Paula Deen magazine. Mattie Jackson was asked to write an article about her daddy for their Father s Day issue. I think subscribers are getting their issues right now. But it should be newsstands soon! We are sooooo proud of Mattie! Well its about 1 a.m. so I m gonna get to bed so I can go exploring in Champaign tomorrow! Talk to you soon! P.S. The weekend after I came back from Champaign, Nashville received a record amount of rain in 2 days, which devastated parts of Middle and West Tennessee. It s very sad to see the devastation, but it s been amazing to see how perfect strangers have come out to help their neighbors! We listed some ways you can help on page 3. But most of all, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. tourschedule date city, state / venue ticket info may 5/13 Manchester, NH / Verizon Wireless Arena 5/14 Uncasville, CT / Mohegan Sun 5/15 Rochester, NY / Blue Cross Arena 5/16 Wilkes-Barre, PA / Mohegan Sun Casey Plaza 5/21 State College, PA / Bryce Jordan Center 5/22 Charleston, WV / Charleston Civic Center 5/23 Lexington, KY / Rupp Arena june 6/12 Winstead, MN / Windstock Festival 6/26 Grand Junction, CO / Country Jam july 7/16 Watertown, NY / Watertown Fairgrounds Baseball Diamond 7/17 Sarnia, ON, Canada / Sarnia Rogers Bayfest 7/23 Monticello, IA / Great Jones Fair 7/24 Mt. Pleasant, MI / Soaring Eagle Casino 7/31 Cheyenne, WY / Cheyenne Frontier Days august 8/07 Halifax, NS, Canada / Country Rock Fest 8/10 St. John s, NF, Canada / Mile One Centre 8/11 St. John s, NF, Canada / Mile One Centre september 9/28 Minot, ND / Norsk Hostfest (7 p.m. show) 9/29 Minot, ND / Norsk Hostfest (1 p.m. show) For the most current tour schedule, log onto and click on TOUR **SPECIAL SEATING FOR PLATINUM FAN CLUB MEMBERS AVAILABLE. Please check your local listings as all dates and times are subject to change. For updates on Alan s tour schedule, check out Alan s website at or send in a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope to the Fan Club. Shows are usually confirmed and announced about 4-6 prior to the actual date of the show so check back often