Alan Jackson Documentary “Small Town Southern Man” Released
Completely unexpected, but absolutely welcome, Country Music Hall of Famer Alan Jackson is the beneficiary of a brand new documentary called Small Town Southern Man that has just been released via multiple streaming services (iTunes, Amazon Prime, etc.), and will receive a DVD release on June 28th. Originally aired briefly on AXS TV in October of 2018, and also made available to fan club members, the film has now received a wide digital release via Eagle Rock Entertainment.
Named for Alan Jackson’s 2007 #1 hit, Small Town Southern Man is an 89-minute, feature-length documentary filled with interviews, archive footage, and reams of information about Alan Jackson’s life. The documentary starts with Jackson’s humble beginnings in his hometown of Newnan, Georgia, growing up poor with four older sisters, clawing his way to a record deal, finding huge success in the early 90’s, enjoying a career resurgence in the early 2000’s, all the way to being inducted to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2017 by Loretta Lynn, with almost the entirety of Jackson’s induction ceremony included in the film, including his famous speech about the importance of country music.
Small Town Southern Man tells the story of Alan Jackson through the songs that defined his career, and includes many interviews with critical people who helped him along the way. Alan Jackson’s four sisters are featured prominently in the film, wife Denise Jackson is interviewed, and there is also archived footage of “Mama” Ruth Jackson, and “Daddy” Gene Jackson talking about their son. Alan’s first manager Barry Coburn, his long-time producer Keith Stegall, Cody Deal from Dixie Steel, and bandmates Danny Groah (guitar) and Bruce Rutherford (drummer) are also interviewed for the documentary. Journalist and now Country Hall of Fame writer Peter Cooper appears prominently, and Nashville label executives Cindy Mabe, Tim Dubois, Mike Dugan, and Gary Overton also appear.
Along with many of the behind-the-scenes people critical to Alan Jackson’s career, performers Alison Krauss, Easton Corbin, Lee Ann Womack, and Carrie Underwood also speak on Alan Jackson’s behalf. Though Alan Jackson does not participate in the documentary directly, tons of archive footage from his career follow the chronology as he goes from Georgia hayseed to Hall of Famer, with concert footage from Red Rocks in Colorado, to the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville also included.
Alan Jackson was born in Newnan, Georgia in 1958, and grew up on Gospel and the music of artists such as Gene Watson and John Anderson. At the age of 27, he moved with his wife to Nashville to pursue music as a career. In a classic story of climbing the country music ladder, Jackson’s career started as a mail boy in the offices of TNN. Glen Campbell helped get Jackson’s singing career started, and by 1989 he was signed to Arista Nashville. He went on to sell an astounding 60 million records worldwide, record thirty-five #1 hits, fifty Top 10 hits, earn two Grammy Awards, and 16 Country Music Association Awards including Entertainer of the Year in 1995, 2002, and 2003.
If you’re a fan of good country music or Alan Jackson, Small Town Southern Man is definitely worth investing an hour-and-a-half in. The film can be purchased here.
May 2, 2019 @ 6:46 pm
I agree! I got the DVD months ago as a fan club member! Worth watching
May 2, 2019 @ 7:23 pm
Look up “He Stopped Loving Her Today” at brother George’s funeral. That’s how you know.
May 2, 2019 @ 7:37 pm
That kind of stuff makes me sad. Seems like yesterday I was learning “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” from sheet music printed in The Tennessean, now I’m 42. Where the hell has the time went?
Trig, did yo learn anything from the documentary?
May 2, 2019 @ 9:25 pm
I’m not sure if I learned a whole lot of new stuff, but I’m also a big Alan Jackson nerd so there’s not a whole lot I haven’t read before. But I really enjoyed watching it and thought it was well done. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but his sisters offered some clarity to his upbringing from things that have probably been embellished over the years. It was also cool to see folks like Keith Stegall and Gary Overton talk. These are names I read all the time, but rarely get to see.
May 2, 2019 @ 10:52 pm
Alan Jackson,s greatest song in my view is ” Midnight in Montgomery” with the original video showing him meeting Hank Williams.
May 3, 2019 @ 4:20 am
Sounds like it’s definitely worth the time. One thing Jackson shoed us is that you don’t need a marketing degree from Appalachian State to ink deals with Fruit Of The Loom, Ford and Cracker Barrel.
May 3, 2019 @ 4:22 am
Sounds like it’s definitely worth the time. One thing Jackson showed us is that you don’t need a marketing degree from Appalachian State to ink deals with Fruit Of The Loom, Ford and Cracker Barrel.
May 4, 2019 @ 1:52 pm
You can say that again!
May 3, 2019 @ 6:35 am
The man Alan Jackson is one of the best man I’ve ever heard I’ve liked him for my first time I’ve ever heard him he can sing also country gospel it don’t matter he can sing it all and I’m going to tell you what I’m going to sing here May 11th and I’m in Roanoke Virginia at the Berglund Civic Center I have seen him every time that he needs to come around my area weather in Salem Virginia Roanoke Virginia well in Roanoke this will be the first time he’s been there in 20 years but I can’t wait this is a this is a early birthday present my birthday is in December and my friends carry me here now and may but I’mma tell you what I’m hoping he’ll sing some gospel and I’m hoping sing some country but I can’t wait to see him cuz this man is s i n e fine and I’m I can’t wait singing Nan sing it sing it sing it bring it on thanks mr. Alan Jackson you are a new one fine gentleman have a great one
May 3, 2019 @ 7:35 am
Trigger, I only discovered your blog a few months ago, and reading through the articles makes it clear you’re a huge Alan Jackson fan. I made a comment on an older one and i’d love to hear your thoughts. The gist was this: After having Keith Steagall produce many albums, he came out with an album called Like Red on a Rose, produced by Alison Krauss. In the meantime, that freed up Steagall to produce My Life, an album by Ronnie Milsap that came out about the same time. In my opinion, both of these albums were the best work either artist has ever done. In fact, they are among the few albums I still listen to in their entirety, fairly frequently.
That said, it seems that Like Red on a Rose started a downturn for Alan’s success, at least in terms of radio airplay. Do you think that the release of the title song, which is slow and brooding, was something that fans and radio guys didn’t know what to do with? I mean, he followed it up with a top ten song walled A Woman’s Love, from the same album, but his singles haven’t charted highly since then.
May 3, 2019 @ 8:05 am
Hey James,
I’m glad you found the site. I’m just not sure I have an interesting opinion to give about this. I’m not entirely familiar with that Ronnie Milsap album, so I’d have to go back and listen to it to get the full understanding of the situation. Jackson did have three #1’s from the next record “Good Time.” I’ve always taken “Like A Red Rose” almost to be like a concept record or something that he recorded in a purposely more sedated manner with Krauss picking the songs instead of Jackson writing the majority of them. Hoesntly I need to look more into the back story of that record because it’s always intrigued me.
May 3, 2019 @ 9:11 am
It’s definitely a concept record, which is why it rises above the rest. I love country music, but a big minus when it comes to country records is that most albums are simply collections of 10 or so unrelated songs. But “Like Red on a Rose” is one cohesive piece of work. As is “My Life”, which I mention because of the Steagall connection. There are a few country albums which made an attempt go rise above a mere song collection, but they are few and far between. A few which come to mind:
Red-headed Stranger
King’s Record Shop
Lubbock Texas in my Rear View Mirror
Gideon (Kenny Rogers)
Trio
I don’t mean that every album should tell one story (like Red Headed Stranger), but if there’s a connection or over-arching theme, then it’s a winner, in my book. And that is what made the relative lack of success of “Like Red on a Rose” so disheartening.
To answer your comment about “My Life” you can tell just listening that it’s about a singer in his mid-60’s, knowing his might be his last chance to look back at his life and honestly evaluate it, at least in a recorded format. Of course, he did do a couple of albums after that, but it’s still a great look back at his life, and it’s powerful.
May 3, 2019 @ 7:17 pm
Jackson also released Precious Memories either before or after Like Red on a Rose. He went back to back albums that country radio couldn’t do anything with. It was a very creative period in Jackson’s career almost daring radio, breaking from the norm. Precious Memories sold a ton (we couldn’t ship enough that Easter that followed its release) and may have even garnished a few award nominations.
May 4, 2019 @ 4:58 pm
hi james
re ‘ LIKE RED ON A ROSE ‘
i too am a fan of that album and its slight change of direction from AJ’s usual fare at the time . however my one concern about it overall was the sound . if you listen to a cut from that album back to back with his stegal – produced records , its like someone through a ‘blanket’ over everything . its quite muddy sounding and the energy level , also by contrast , is low . not that THAT should be a factor …UNLESS you are talking radio . it doesn’t sound crisp or have the dynamics radio loves ….or the kinds of songs radio embraces .
In my opinion those were factors in that one flying under the radar , although , again , i appreciated what he was doing there and how he challenged himself to release something different.
I am probably also one of the few AJ fans who could have done without his bluegrass record . not because i don’t love bluegrass …but because i DO love bluegrass and for me this one fell short . it felt more like an unplugged ‘country’ record …..the material and performances , while good , seemed uninspired overall .
but i digress …..if you’re an AJ fan and not familiar with ‘LIKE RED ON A ROSE ‘ i’d say ..’ get to it ‘….
May 4, 2019 @ 8:28 pm
I must say, I’ve not noticed the sound levels on this record. I don’t agree with classifying it as a bluegrass record. I felt that radio didn’t play the title song simply because it doesn’t sound like the kind of song you hear on the radio.
May 3, 2019 @ 10:13 am
Vince Gill had introduced Alan at an awards show saying Alan’s like McDonald’s, you always know what you’re gonna get. That made him want to do something different and made Like Red on a Rose. . I like it. A Woman’s Love was also on his album High Mileage.
May 3, 2019 @ 6:39 pm
Oh I like that Red on a Rose
May 4, 2019 @ 12:54 pm
“Like Red on a Rose” is easily my favorite record as well. Best from top to bottom. Really personal for him…. And me I danced to the title track for my first dance at my wedding. Still the best love song for my money
May 3, 2019 @ 12:51 pm
Did it touch on the passing of his son in law last year? I knew him and am curious
May 3, 2019 @ 12:57 pm
No, it did not. I believe they wrapped production on this right before he died. It pretty much ends with his Hall of Fame induction in 2017.
May 4, 2019 @ 1:38 pm
I just watched it. Great documentary. While it didnt talk about Ben, it sure shows his smiley face at the ends at the hall of fame. Great watch.
May 4, 2019 @ 1:54 pm
Thanks, on my Prime watchlist!
May 9, 2019 @ 7:01 am
Love this doc. Didn’t know it was new though.
I’ve been watching & rewatching through AXS TV (Slign, on demand i believe)
Really well done, and some great old footage/interviews.
Thanks for the heads up. Definitely buying it now.