No reason for Jackson’s absence was noted, but in 2021 the “Livin’ On Love” singer revealed that he had been diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disorder (CMT), also known as hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy. The disorder causes nerve damage, mostly in the arms and legs.
Speaking to Jenna Bush Hager on The TODAY Show about his diagnosis, Jackson admitted that it has made it increasingly harder for him to perform.
“I have this neuropathy and neurological disease,” Jackson explained. “There’s no cure for it, but it’s been affecting me for years. And it’s getting more and more obvious. And I know I’m stumbling around on stage. And now I’m having a little trouble balancing, even in front of the microphone, and so I just feel very uncomfortable.”
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The 63-year-old added that he plans to continue performing as long as his health allows.
“I’ve always admired my heroes like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn and Charley Pride who just played as much as they wanted to, as long as they could,” Jackson said. “I’ve always thought I’d like to do that.”
In three weeks, Alan Jackson will kick off his The Last Call: One More For The Road Tour in Biloxi, Mississippi. The tour will take the singer to 16 cities over 4 months.
