Introduction
Listening to Alan Jackson opening up about his degenerative nerve disorder on NBC’s TODAY feels like hearing a close friend confess his fears and hopes. He revealed that he’s been living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, an inherited neuropathy he first learned of over a decade ago. “There’s no cure for it, but it’s been affecting me for years,” he explained, his voice steady yet marked by vulnerability. Jackson admitted that stumbling onstage and having trouble balancing even at the microphone has made him self-conscious, and he wanted fans to understand that his awkward steps aren’t from nerves or too much fun—they’re from CMT. Despite the progressive nature of the disease, which affects the nerves supplying muscles in feet, legs, hands, and arms, he reassured listeners that “it’s not going to kill me—it’s not deadly,” drawing a line between CMT and more life-threatening conditions. Reflecting on his family history, Jackson shared that his father, grandmother, and sister also live with the same disorder, turning his personal struggle into a shared legacy of resilience . He laughed about the irony that CMT shares initials with Country Music Television, joking that at least one CMT has always been a huge part of his career. Still, he confessed it’s uncomfortable standing for long shows and that he sometimes worries that fans might think he’s drunk when it’s really just his balance failing him. What shines through more than the struggle is his gratitude—he’s blessed with a “wonderful, beautiful life,” he reminded viewers, and putting his condition into the open felt like a relief . Even as CMT progressed, Jackson refused to bow out; he’s continued touring coast to coast, played Carnegie Hall, the Ryman Auditorium, and countless festivals, driven by a passion that outpaces his physical limits. In recent years, he donated proceeds from his “Last Call: One More for the Road” tour to CMT research, showing that his fight extends beyond his own stage . Music remains his lifeline: he expressed a deep hope to write new songs, calling songwriting “deeply fulfilling” even as he prepares to step back from full-scale tours. His emotional return to the 2025 ACM Awards, where he performed “Remember When” and received a Lifetime Achievement Award, underscored that, although CMT may limit his mobility, it cannot silence his voice or dim his legacy. Through every stumble and every stirring lyric, Jackson reminds us that vulnerability can be a bridge to connection, inviting fans to stand alongside him in every step of the journe