Alan Jackson Receives Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award
on Sep 27, 2024
Alan Jackson Honored With the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award from the NSAI
Country music legend Alan Jackson is a two-time Grammy Award winner with countless other accolades to his name. With an incredible 40-year career in the genre, he has produced 35 number-one hits and has made an undeniable impact on country music.
On Tuesday, September 24, Jackson received one of the most prestigious honors in the industry: the Kris Kristofferson Lifetime Achievement Award from the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI). The award was presented during the 7th annual Nashville Songwriter Awards, which was held at the iconic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN.
RELATED: 8 FACTS ABOUT ALAN JACKSON’S LIFE & CAREER
The award has only been presented six times and goes to a songwriter whose work has “made a significant contribution to the American songbook and who has inspired the careers of others,” according to the NSAI website. Each recipient is personally selected by the award’s namesake, Kris Kristofferson.
Alan Jackson now joins the list of country music greats who have received the honor, including Bobby Braddock, Garth Brooks, Loretta Lynn, Bill Anderson, and Willie Nelson.
“When I walk out onstage every night to sing, I tell people I’m going to sing real country music…songs about life and love and heartache and drinkin’ and dancin’ and cryin’ and Mama and having a good time,” Jackson said while accepting his award, as per Country Insider.
“That’s what it’s always been about for me.”
Not only did the Country Music Hall of Famer receive the well-deserved award, but a segment of the night also featured several performances paying tribute to Jackson’s songwriting. Hailey Whitters performed his 1994 single “Livin’ on Love,” Lee Ann Womack was joined by Jackson’s nephew Adam Wright and his wife, Shannon, for “Here in the Real World,” and Josh Turner took the stage to perform “Midnight in Montgomery.”
Alan Jackson Recently Recognized With The Poet’s Award at The 2024 ACM Honors
The Kris Kristofferson Award isn’t the only honor that Alan Jackson has received lately. During this year’s ACM Honors, Jackson was presented with the ACM’S Poet’s Award, which further recognizes his outstanding songwriting contributions to the country music genre.
Listen to Alan Jackson’s speech below.
While paying tribute to Jackson that night, country star Eric Church also performed at the event to deliver an acoustic rendition of Jackson’s “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow.”
“I’ve always put songwriting at the top of my list when it comes to making music. And hearing that song tonight, that made me tear up back there,” Jackson said regarding Church’s performance. “It was such a soulful rendition but it brought back a lot of memories,” he added.
