Alan Jackson Releases New Song “Still The One” As Gift to Wife
Alan Jackson might be officially retiring in a matter of days when he performs what’s billed as his final concert on June 27th at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. But that doesn’t mean he’s totally out to pasture, or won’t put out any new music. In fact, ahead of his career finale, Mr. Chattahoochee has released a rare cover song, but one that holds important significance for him.
“50 years ago in 1976, in Newnan, Georgia, I started dating this young girl. She was a cheerleader for Newnan High School,” Alan Jackson explains. “And one day, she went over to a friend’s house, a girlfriend’s house, and I went over there and hung out a while, and she was practicing her dance routine for the cheerleeding squad and the football game to a hit song that was a hit that summer called ‘Still The One,’ I think by a group called Orleans.”
Jackson continues, “I sat there and watched her, and three years later, I ended up marrying that young girl. She’s my wife today Denise. So in honor of 50 years ago, this has always been one of our old fond memories of our starting out days. Any time we hear that song, it brings back these memories. So in honor of the 50 years, I went into the studio and recorded that little pop song with some country seasoning, and I gave it to her for her birthday, ’cause she’s still the one.”
Though Alan Jackson wrote most of his own songs, he had some big hits with some covers too, most notably another summer hit in 1994 with his take on “Summertime Blues,” along with “Mercury Blues” in 1993. He also had a Top 10 hit with “Pop a Top” in 1999. Jackson has said just because he’s no longer touring, that doesn’t mean we should never expect him to release new music. Whatever Alan Jackson wants to sing, it’s music to the ears of most an self-respecting country fan. His take on “Still The One” is no different.
In September of 2021, Alan Jackson revealed that he’s been suffering from a degenerative nerve condition called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, nicknamed CMT. The good news is that the disease is not life threatening, nor does it affect longevity. But CMT does significantly affect coordination, which has restricted Alan Jackson’s ability to perform. That is the reason for his retirement at the age of 67.
June 24, 2026 @ 10:11 pm
Nice cover, I forgot about this song. I do think it’s funny you neglected to mention the other covers of AJ’s that actually topped the charts, It Must Be Love (Don Williams) and Who’s Cheatin’ Who (Charly McClain). Also love his version of Thank God For the Radio that was a hit for The Kendall’s.
June 25, 2026 @ 8:48 am
Well, this isn’t an article about Alan Jackson’s cover songs. It’s an article about this particular cover song. But perhaps that would make a good topic for another Alan Jackson article in the future. He’s got some great ones.
June 24, 2026 @ 10:11 pm
Jackson’s had quite a bit of success with covers–some of it quite unexpected.
He had a #2 hit with “Mercury Blues,” and a #1 hit with “Tall Tall Trees,” a rather obscure Roger Miller song from decades earlier.
And he did a whole album of covers in 1999 called “Under the Influence,” that went platinum. I think it was successful because Jackson was able to convey that reallyliked the songs and knew them cold: He wansn’t just doing a covers album because every country and pop singer was. He had three hit singles off that album including a #1 with “It Must Be Love” and a #3 with “Pop a Top,” which had been a big hit in 1967 and the career song for Jim Ed Brown, as a solo act. I’m sure that having that song on the radio again gave a boost to Jim Ed, who was still on the Opry and performing at other places at the time.
June 25, 2026 @ 7:01 pm
“Tall, Tall Trees” was co-written by Miller and George Jones. Alan did a great cover.
June 24, 2026 @ 11:29 pm
Fun cover! Works rather well as a country song. 🙂
June 25, 2026 @ 3:08 am
…nice one by the great aj to show some hommage to rod stewart too. especially, since we get a rare glimpse of how the scot’s trademark hairdo may actually come about.
by the way, the brad paisley crew played half an hour of aj stuff uninterrupted before mr. paisley entered the stage last night. sounded a lot like “greetings from zurich and enjoy the last one, aj! signed brad.
additionally by the way: if you’re into prog (not his usual) telecaster sound, one hit after the other and a great show up front with another rather captivating one running on the big screen right behind – go paisley now. didn’t know that my compatriots were so much into “kiss cam” action, sharks and animated “smokey and the bandid”. perhaps it’s the heat wave here that makes it “feel like in tennessee” at the moment. no clue what he had or does at the moment, but he played and performed like a young (guitar) god. “totally rejuvenated”, i scribbled in my notes. not the worst show to paint some blue dots red, i swear and sweat.
June 25, 2026 @ 5:35 am
Just doesn’t get better than this. Jackson is so smart with choosing covers that suit him so well and totally makes them his own without dishonoring the original artist. Wish he’d do another album of covers.
June 25, 2026 @ 8:00 am
He and Strait must record a duet album.
June 25, 2026 @ 6:34 am
We know Alan Jackson as a songwriter and rightfully so, but I what I think I’ve always liked best about him is the way he looks naturally outward. What do I mean by that? Covers that make sense instead of forcing square pegs into round holes. Genre-blending adventures where the genres in question at least are in the proximity to country music. Heck, two of his not-specifically-country albums are, in my opinion, his 2 best albums in Like Red on a Rose and The Bluegrass Album. When you factor in the extended impressive discography, it’s a remarkable accomplishment.
June 25, 2026 @ 7:44 am
His cover of Wild Horses a few years ago was great as well, and you can’t forget Blues Man. So many great covers in his career
June 25, 2026 @ 7:52 am
Alan rarely misses!
He sounds great!
June 25, 2026 @ 8:41 am
Great cover by alan. Also glad to see the meaning behind it aa opposed to just doing covers. Also he def made it country. So yea you can def make a pop song pure country gold if you do it right. Thanks trigger, i might not have caught this one.
June 25, 2026 @ 10:41 am
This is an excellent cover. Alan made the song his own without changing it up too much. His last show is this weekend in Nashville. Man, we’re gonna miss Alan Jackson. One of the Top voices in country music, especially in the 90’s. The 90’s wouldn’t have been the same without him. Legend.
June 25, 2026 @ 11:16 am
Alan. You are still the one. I saw you once in concert. You are amazing.
June 25, 2026 @ 11:19 am
I know he wouldnt do it anymore but this could have made a great video. Starting out with younger versions of themselves and ending with the two of them.
June 25, 2026 @ 11:42 am
I’m not a huge fan of the original version of this song, but Jackson did a great job here. And what a great love story, both the origin story, and the Jacksons’ enduring love story through the strains of a musical life.
June 25, 2026 @ 12:55 pm
Edmonton Oilers used this as their theme song during their Gretzky era run of Stanley Cups.
June 25, 2026 @ 4:44 pm
I love this rendition; and how lovely to dedicate it your wife.
Enjoy your much deserved retirement – together!
June 25, 2026 @ 11:31 pm
This one cover by Alan Jackson is better than any of Keith Urban’s yacht rock covers. The point of a cover isn’t to directly emulate the original but to add your own style and creativity to it, which Alan does great here.
June 26, 2026 @ 2:05 pm
My husband and I really love Alan Jackson!!! He is so amazingly talented and his vocals are just perfect!!! My husband and I met back in the early 90’s when Alan Jackson was just starting to break out into country music!!! We developed and somehow braved the storms that we had to endure by listening to the music from the great Alan Jackson!!! He will truly be missed by many!!! 90’s Country Music was the best!!!Mr. Jackson certainly deserves a place in the Country Music Hall of Fame museum!!!
June 27, 2026 @ 7:30 am
Wish Alan would do one last CD, now that he is retiring.
June 27, 2026 @ 7:57 am
He’s said he still plans to record. My guess is he’s at least got one more album in him.
June 27, 2026 @ 10:18 am
Hes released a few songs which i think he will continue to do. I do think he will continue to do albums, hes just on a different time table now. Would be intersting if he might do a second covers album but i think he will do at least one more original album if not two. I, like you, def hope so.funny that his last album was solid and the one before, angels and alcohol might actually be his best. Hes like fine wine.
June 28, 2026 @ 4:58 pm
As long as everyone is naming AJ covers, I really love his version of “Don’t Change On Me”, which is on his 2006 album “Like Red On a Rose”. I know that Ray Charles recorded it in the early 70’s (and performed it on Hee-Haw) but I am not sure if RC was the first to record it.
June 30, 2026 @ 1:27 pm
For my wife and I, this has been “Our Song” for the past 20 years or so. We “crank it up” every time we hear it on SXM. I think it’s great AJ recorded this for his wife.