Rolling Stone: 100 Greatest Country Artists of All Time

Few country artists have had bigger careers than Alan Jackson, though he'd never be the first one to tell you. The quiet man of country stars, Jackson has been a steady hand throughout his nearly 30 years in the spotlight, during which he's racked up more than 30 Number One singles and sold over 80 million records. Appropriately, it was Jackson's wife who helped him catch his big break, handing off a demo on a chance encounter with Glen Campbell, who signed the Newnan, Georgia, native to his publishing company. Jackson's glossy traditionalism shines on hits like "Midnight in Montgomery," "Don't Rock the Jukebox" and "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)" – country music’s definitive memorial to 9/11 ­– proving that Jackson needn't ever say a word; the music speaks for itself. J.G.

Key Tracks: "Chattahoochee," "Midnight in Montgomery"

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