theboot.com

Posted Jan 27th 2011 by Donna Hughes

Alan Jackson enjoys taking new acts on the road, and he puts a lot of thought into which performers he brings with him on tour. The veteran country star tends to chose opening acts who add a bit of variety to his shows.

"I try to have somebody up there who I respect what they're doing, or like their sound or their music," Alan tells The Boot, "Or somebody who complements what I do or is opposite of what I do, to try to make the show a little more interesting. I've always tried to have a female act or band or something, so it's not just a another guy with a cowboy hat."

Many of his previous opening acts have gone to greater heights, including one of today's hottest trios. "I saw Lady Antebellum the other day, and I was talking to them," the Georgia native notes. "They had opened some shows for me when they were brand-new and nobody really knew who they were, and they were talking about how they appreciated being on [tour with me]. And I said, 'We were glad to have y'all. You just don't even know how many opening acts that I've had in 20 years that I've watched come along and some of them don't make it, and some of them go on to be huge.' It's real interesting to see where everybody ends up."

Some of those acts have included Trace Adkins, James Otto, Joe Nichols, Sara Evans and Josh Turner and, more recently, Chris Young and the Band Perry.

Alan kicks off his 2011 tour with a run North of the border with a show in Sudbury, Ontario February 1, along with his opening act, The Harters. Check here for more information on Alan's tour dates.