Alan Jackson and daughter Ali | Alan Jackson with family | Source: Instagram/officialalanjackson | Getty Images
Country singer Alan Jackson had been married once to his high school sweetheart, Denise. The singer is a loving father, and "the man who gives everything so his girls can have everything”. And now, he is thrilled about becoming a grandfather for the first time in December.
American singer-songwriter Alan Jackson has known indelible success in both his career and personal life. He has been married to his high school sweetheart, Denise since he was 19, and their marriage has been an epitome of success.
Their union has lasted over four decades and started like a comical movie. When Jackson and Denise met, Jackson did not know how to get the beauty's attention, so he threw a penny down her shirt and asked if he could get it.
Alan Jackson arrives with his wife Denise at the 36th annual Country Music Association Awards at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, November 6, 2002 | Source: Getty Images
Despite the boldness of his move, it did not work, and he had to come up with another plan quickly. Determined to win her, albeit, through very unorthodox methods, he hid in the backseat of Denise's car and scared her as she drove away.
Now, under normal circumstances, that would have been a less-than-ideal way of getting someone's attention and could have possibly ended badly for him, but it was his lucky day, and his boldness landed him the girl of his dreams.
His lucky streak culminated in the sweethearts exchanging vows at the Newnan Baptist Church in their hometown of Newnan, Georgia, on December 15, 1979. More than simply becoming Jackson's wife, Denise also became his most significant support as he pursued a career in country music.
Denise Jackson (L) and Alan Jackson attend the 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 15, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. | Source: Getty Images
It is reported that Denise helped Jackson land his very first recording contract. At the time, she worked as a flight attendant, and during one of her working shifts, she ran into Glen Campbell and told him about Jackson and how talented he was. Campbell took an interest in Jackson and helped him land a record deal with Arista Records.
Despite their love for each other and their obvious mutual admiration and respect, their marriage was far from perfect. Shortly after having their daughters, they separated. Jackson told People, as The Boot reports:
"We were just kids when we started out. We did not ever have the chance to fall in love as adults and to learn who you are before making a commitment."
Lucky for them, they could not stay away from each other too long, and four months later, they reunited and have been going strong since.
Jackson Is a Doting Father to Three Daughters
The "Livin' on Love" singer is considered country music royalty by fans worldwide and has earned numerous accolades for his prowess in the art. But the one thing he does better than singing and writing songs is being a father to his three girls.
The singer had his daughters at the peak of his career, welcoming his first, Mattie, in 1990. Their second, Ali, arrived in 1993, followed by Dani in 1997. While Mattie did not follow in her father's footsteps to become a musician, she is successful in her own right.
She graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2012, after which she launched a podcast and blog named "She in the City". She is also the co-founder of NASHville, an organization that celebrates sisterhood and gives back to widows and orphaned children.
She married her husband, assistant District Attorney Samuel "Ben" Selecman, in October 2017 and lived a fulfilled year of marital bliss. Unfortunately, Selecman passed away in September 2018 following a boat accident.
Jackson's second daughter, Alexander "Ali" Jane dislikes the spotlight and spends most of her life away from it and only ever appears on her parents' or sisters' social media. She has been married to her husband, Sam Bradshaw, since July 2018.
The youngest of the Jackson siblings, Dani, is also averse to the spotlight and spends most of her life away from the public eye. Based on her preference for private life, not much information is available online, except for several photos of her in her family's company.
Jackson loves his daughters and hopes he has been a good dad to them. He disclosed that he hoped his daughters thought of him as a fun dad and wished they thought he had a sense of humor. He is actively involved in their lives and says:
"But they are good kids, and they're very smart, and they make good choices. So you gotta trust them, and try to raise them well. I mean my girls are very sweet; I'm very proud of all of them."
And while the "Remember When" singer is modest about how much he means to his daughters, they have him high on a pedestal and refer to him as every daughter's dream dad.
Ali praised her dad for being a best friend to her and the one who taught her to treat people right and stand on her feet. She also praised him for giving her and her sisters the most loving upbringing. She doted:
"Thank you for raising us in a house filled with Jesus and music and always making sure we knew whatever our dream could be our reality. You're the best in more ways than one Big A."
Country music performer Alan Jackson poses with his wife and daughters on his star at the star unveiling ceremony on the Hollywood Walk of Fame April 16, 2010 in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. | Source: Getty Images
Mattie agrees with Ali and thinks of their father as the man that would do anything for his daughters. During a Father's Day tribute in 2021, Mattie posted a beautiful throwback photo of her as a child with her father squatting next to her with the caption:
"Happy Father’s Day to @officialalanjackson! To the man who gives everything so his girls can have everything, we love you so much."
Besides their adoration of him for being a doting dad to them, the girls are equally proud of their father for his musical achievements and gifts.
Now that he has raised his daughters to become respectful and loving women, Jackson is looking forward to holding the grandfather title for the first time.
The singer shared his excitement on his Instagram, noting that he and his wife would become grandparents for the first time in December after their daughter Ali becomes a mom:
"Our baby is having a baby. Denise and I can’t wait to meet our first grandson in December!"
News of the pregnancy broke earlier in July after Mattie shared photos of Ali's gender reveal party, and Jackson is more than thrilled about welcoming his grandson home in two months.
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