Alan Jackson’s New Album Includes Personal Tracks Written for His Daughters and Late Mother

Alan Jackson is set to release Where Have You Gone, his first new studio album in six years, this Spring. 

Arriving on Friday, May 14, the project includes 21 tracks and finds the country superstar once again teaming up with his longtime producer, Keith Stegall. 

The project marks the Songwriters Hall of Fame member’s 16th studio release and 25th in a career that includes two Christmas albums, two gospel albums, three Greatest Hits collections, a bluegrass album, and one boxed set.

Where Have You Gone boasts 15 tracks written by Jackson, including the self-penned title track. 

“It’s a little harder country than even I’ve done in the past,” Jackson admits. “And it’s funny, I was driving and listening to the final mixes Keith sent me, and I started to tear up. I was surprised to get so overly emotional, but I just love this kind of music.”

Jackson drew upon influences from growing up in Georgia and that is seen throughout this record.  

“When I write, I visualize back home and growing up,” the Country Music Hall of Fame member shares. “Real country songs are life and love and heartache, drinking and Mama and having a good time…but it’s the sounds of the instruments, too. The steel and acoustic guitar, the fiddle – those things have a sound and a tone…and getting that right, the way those things make you feel, that’s country, too.”

Several songs on the album were inspired by his family as well. “You’ll Always Be My Baby” and “I Do” were written for his daughters’ weddings, while “Where Her Heart Has Always Been” was written for his mother’s funeral and includes a recording of her reading from The Bible.

Where Have You Gone is available for pre-order HERE.

ALAN JACKSON’S WHERE HAVE YOU GONE
Track Listing

1. “Where Have You Gone” (Alan Jackson)
2. “Wishful Drinkin’” (Alan Jackson)
3. “I Can Be That Something” (Alan Jackson)
4. “Where the Cottonwood Grows” (Alan Jackson)
5. “Way Down In My Whiskey” (Alan Jackson)
6. “Things That Matter” (Robert Keith Stegall, Michael White)
7. “Livin’ On Empty” (Alan Jackson)
8. “You’ll Always Be My Baby (Written for Daughters’ Weddings)” (Alan Jackson)
9. “Where Her Heart Has Always Been (Written for Mama’s funeral with an old recording of her reading from The Bible)” (Alan Jackson)
10. “The Boot” (Adam Wright)
11. “Back” (Alan Jackson)
12. “Write It In Red” (Alan Jackson)
13. “So Late So Soon” (Scotty Emerick, Daniel Tashian, Sarah Buxton)
14. “This Heart Of Mine” (Adam Wright)
15. “A Man Who Never Cries” (Alan Jackson)
16. “Chain” (Alan Jackson)
17. “I Was Tequila” (Alan Jackson)
18. “I Do (Written for Daughters’ Weddings)” (Alan Jackson)
19. “Beer:10” (Alan Jackson)
20. “The Older I Get”* (Hailey Whitters, Adam Wright, Sarah Turner)
Extra Track: “That’s The Way Love Goes” (A Tribute to Merle Haggard) (Lefty Frizzell, Whitey Shafer)