The Boot

Posted Jul 24th 2012 by Gayle Thompson

Alan Jackson may seem to have done it all. He's sold more than 60 million albums and scored dozens of Top 10 hits in an illustrious career that has spanned almost a quarter-century. But surprisingly, the Grand Ole Opry member says there's still at least one more thing he'd like to cross off his bucket list.

"I've always wanted to make a bluegrass album," Alan tells The Boot. "I tried to do that before with [Like Red On a Rose produced by] Alison Krauss. She took me in there and we made that easy-listening album. It was a cool album and I'm really proud of that, too. But it was a long way from bluegrass by the time we got through with it. I still want to do a pure bluegrass album."

The 53-year-old just released his 15th studio album, Thirty Miles West, which also marks his first CD on his own imprint ACR (Alan's Country Records), a partnership with EMI Records. But he insists that while his voice may have matured, he hasn't changed how he goes about making music.

"Sometimes I go back and listen to old stuff, it's kind of interesting to compare it," he says. "My voice has gotten a little deeper-sounding to me as I've gotten older. I don't know that I've changed that much. I've always recorded songs, or tried to, that are just fun things, like 'Chattahoochee' and then much later, 'It's Five O'Clock Somewhere' ... I don't feel like I've strayed as far as some artists I've seen."

Ultimately, the country-music icon feels fortunate to still be able to make a living doing what he loves. "I'm just lucky to still be here and make the kind of music I like to make, and still go out there and sell a few tickets," he notes.

Alan will sell a few more tickets this weekend, with two shows in California (July 27 and 28). Keep track of his tour schedule here.