Country Icon Alan Jackson Presented with ACM Poet’s Award: ‘I’ve Always Put Songwriting At The Top Of My List’

20-time ACM Award winner, Alan Jackson, was presented with the ACM Poet’s Award during the 17th Academy of Country Music Honors, which aired on Tuesday evening (Sept. 24). 

The presentation included a special performance by Eric Church, who took to The Ryman Auditorium stage to sing one of Jackson’s most iconic hits. ACM Honors co-host Carly Pearce introduced Eric Church to the stage, where she shared heartfelt remarks about Alan Jackson and his impactful contributions to country music over his distinguished career.

A Tribute From Eric Church

“He became a superstar by always keeping it country,” Pearce shared from the stage. “Alan’s racked up 26 number-one hits most of which he has written or co-written. And what I love most is the key to his storytelling is that it’s rooted in the essence of country music, honesty, simplicity, and genuine emotion. It’s something that we treasure in every one of his timeless songs…To honor Alan Jackson is a man who chased his own neon rainbow. Please welcome seven-time ACM Award winner, Eric Church.”

With only his acoustic guitar in hand, Church walked onto the stage and shared, “Alan Jackson is an institution. Alan Jackson is an American treasure, and it is my honor to be here to get to play for him. And I’m going to take some liberties with this song. This has been one of my favorite songs that Alan ever did.”

He went on to perform Alan Jackson’s 1990 radio single, “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow” and lived up to his promise about taking some liberties with the song. Church gave the song a unique twist, altering the melody and delivering a more soulful rendition than the original.

Following his performance, Church recited a quote from Robert Frost: “Poetry is when emotion finds its thought, and then that thought finds its words.” 

He continued, “Alan Jackson has always found my words. So it is my greatest honor to present this to Mr. Alan Jackson.” 

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Alan Jackson Hits the Stage with Wife Denise by His Side

With his wife, Denise, by his side, Jackson took to the podium as the audience rose to their feet. 

“Thank you so much. And thank you, Eric. That was a very cool rendition…Old ‘Neon Rainbow.’ Got a little new life to her….Wonderful. Thank you,” he said with a smile. 

Jackson, who is battling Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, a genetic condition that causes nerve damage and affects his ability to walk and keep his balance, went on to sweetly introduce his wife, before taking the time to accept the “high honor.” 

“This is my wife Denise up here tonight. See my leaning post in more ways than one tonight,” he said before adding, “Thank y’all so much. Thank you to the Academy for this high honor.” 

Jackson Is One Of Music’s Most Successful Singer/Songwriters

As one of the most successful singer/songwriters in music, Jackson is more than deserving of the ACM Poet’s Award as it is “presented to a Country Music songwriter for outstanding and longstanding musical and/or lyrical contributions throughout their career, with special consideration given to a song or songs’ impact on the culture of Country Music.” The Georgia native embodies all of those qualifications and then some with 50 top-ten hits and 35 No. 1s to his name.

“I’ve always put songwriting at the top of my list when it comes to making music. And hearing that song tonight about made me tear up back there. It was such a soulful rendition, but it brought back a lot of memories,” Jackson stated. “And Jim McBride and I wrote that song almost 40 years ago down on Music Row, and we were just getting to know each other as writers. And he asked me about growing up in Georgia and what I remembered. And I told him when I was about five years old, my daddy worked for the Pepsi Cola plant in Newton, Georgia, and they had an employee contest going on and he won this radio and brought it home. It was one of them big old wooden ones…on the counter. And that was the first musical thing I remember growing up. And that ended up being the opening line of that song.”

Reflecting On His Songwriting Journey

After reflecting on the making of “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” Jackson reflected on his overall songwriting journey and what has inspired him to continue to write songs that impact people’s lives. 

 “I realized a long time ago that life gives you a lot of ingredients for songwriting and that’s typically makes the best songs. And I’ve been fortunate to pull a lot of stuff out of my life and turn ’em into music over the years. And that’s been my biggest pride as an artist, is to write a song and have people enjoy it and be touched by it or move by it or help ’em through a hard time or enjoy a good time,” he explained. “And so I’m so proud of the songwriting part of this, and I just appreciate the opportunity to share all my music with all y’all for so many years. Thank you.”

Before leaving the stage, Jackson dedicated his award to his late father, “Daddy Gene” and “that old radio he won a long time ago.”  

“I’ve definitely lived that honky tonk dream, so God bless you. Thank you,” he added. 

Hosted by Carly Pearce and Jordan Davis, the 17th Academy of Country Music Honors was filmed inside Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium in August and aired Tuesday, September 24 at 9:00 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. PT on Merit Street.