Remember When Alan Jackson Hit No.1 With ‘Chattahoochee?’

Country Music Hall of Fame member Alan Jackson has a decades-long career that boasts an impressive catalog of hits, but…

Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

August 6, 2020

12:46 pm

Country Music Hall of Fame member Alan Jackson has a decades-long career that boasts an impressive catalog of hits, but few songs are more iconic than his 1993 single, “Chattahoochee.”

The superstar released the song on May 17, 1993. The uptempo number was a massive hit at country radio and ultimately climbed the No.1 spot on August, 6 of that year. The beloved tune was co-written by Jackson alongside Jim McBride and appears on his 1992 album, A Lot About Livin’ (And a Little ’bout Love).

Jackson says they never imagined the song would be such a big hit.

“Jim McBride and I were trying to write an up-tempo song and Jim came in with the line ‘way down yonder on the Chattahoochee,’” he recalled in the liner notes of his 1995 Greatest Hits collection. “It kind of went from there. It’s a song about having fun, growing up, and coming of age in a small town – which really applies to anyone across the country, not just by the Chattahoochee. We never thought it would be as big as it’s become.”

The “Chattahoochee” music video is one of Jackson’s most famous videos and features the Georgia native water skiing in torn-up blue jeans and red cowboy boots. The video is a quintessential ’90s country clip and it undoubtedly one of his most memorable videos to date.

“Chattahoochee” went on the win the title of CMA Single and Song of the Year.

Click above to re-live the legendary music video.

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.