Alan Jackson Commemorates 20 Years Of ‘Remember When,’ A Heartfelt Tribute To His Wife, Denise

Alan Jackson is asking fans to join in on celebrating 20 years of his tender ballad, “Remember When.”

In honor of this milestone, the country legend took to social media to share a compilation video featuring snippets of some of the most memorable performances that brought this tune to life over the years.

He wrote, “Today marks the 20th anniversary of “Remember When”! Join us as we reflect on all of the wonderful memories made along the way! #RememberWhen20.”

Today marks the 20th anniversary of "Remember When"! Join us as we reflect on all of the wonderful memories made along the way! #RememberWhen20 pic.twitter.com/ciSWvBnV7Y

— Alan Jackson (@OfficialJackson) August 1, 2023

Produced by Keith Stegall and written solely by Jackson, this traditional country love story was unveiled to the world as the second and final single off his compilation album, Greatest Hits Volume II. The first single was Jackson’s famed duet with Jimmy Buffett titled, “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere.”

“Remember When” quickly became a fan-favorite as it topped the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for two weeks and peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, an indisputably impressive nod for a country classic. This marked Jackson’s 22 No. 1 hit. 

“Remember when / We vowed the vows and walked the walk / Gave our hearts, made the start, and it was hard / We lived and learned life threw curves / There was joy, there was hurt / Remember when,” he sings. 

The song continues as Jackson sings, “Remember when / Old ones died and new were born / And life was changed, disassembled, rearranged / We came together, fell apart / And broke each other’s hearts / Remember when.”

The song was penned as a tribute to his wife, Denise, and serves as a reminder of their precious love story that began in 1976 when they were just a couple of teenagers. They met at a Dairy Queen in Jackson’s hometown of Newman, Georgia, and tied the knot in 1979. Twenty-four years after their wedding day, the Country Music Hall of Fame member released this autobiographical track, which gave a glimpse into the highs and lows and tremendous amount of support that comes with building a healthy, long-lasting relationship.

Since then, the happy couple has raised three daughters, Mattie, Ali, and Dani. “Remember When” honors many of the milestones he and Denise have experienced throughout their years as husband and wife. It has become a story that many others now look up to for their own relationships. 

Jackson is one of the most beloved country music artists of all time. He has sold more than 75 million records worldwide, had 35 No. 1 hits, and earned two GRAMMY Awards, 16 CMA Awards, and 17 ACM Awards. The “Chattahoochee” singer is also a member of Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2017 and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2018.  

One of his most recent accolades came during the 2022 CMA Awards when he was presented with the CMA Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award and honored with a star-studded tribute performance.

Last year, Jackson officially made his long-awaited return to the stage when he kicked off his Last Call: One More For The Road Tour with back-to-back sold-out shows. The 30-city tour marked the three-time CMA Entertainer Of The Year’s first tour since revealing his serious medical diagnosis.

Alan Jackson previously revealed that he has been living with CMT (Charcot-Marie-Tooth), a chronic inherited neuropathy condition that results in nerve deterioration and hampers muscle function, movement and balance, for years.

In an effort to raised awareness for the disease, he pledged to donate $1 for every ticket sold to the CMT Research Foundation. In addition, $1 was matched by a generous group of CMTRF donors and board members.