Alan Jackson Announces ‘Last Call’ Tour (But Not ‘Final’ One)
Don’t call it a farewell tour or a final bow, because Alan Jackson isn’t. But after openly addressing some health issues recently, the Country Music Hall of Famer is being honest with his fans about his prospects for touring in the future, and how he many not be doing it forever. So just call it “Last Call: One More For The Road,” and hope that it’s not the very end.
In September of 2021, Alan Jackson revealed that he’s been suffering from a degenerative nerve condition called Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, nicknamed (somewhat ironically) CMT. He was diagnosed with the condition ten years ago. It primarily affects the peripheral nervous system causing balance issues by compromising smaller muscles in the body’s extremities. It’s related to muscular dystrophy and Parkinson’s disease.
The good news is that the disease is not life threatening, nor does it affect longevity. But it does affect things like balance and your ability to move. Alan Jackson wanted to reveal the condition, just in case people saw him swerving on stage and thought he’d indulged in a few too many gin & tonics. He’s also been performing lately while sitting on a stool.
Alan Jackson said at the time, “I never wanted to do the big retirement tour, like people do, then take a year off and then come back. I think that’s kinda cheesy. And I’m not saying I won’t be able to tour. I’ll try to do as much as I can. I feel a little more freedom now, because I’m not trying to worry about getting on the radio and fitting into their limitations. I’ve always believed that the music is the most important thing. The songs. And I guess that’s what I’d like to (leave) if I had a legacy.”
So Alan Jackson has announced sixteen new concert dates for 2022, including a date at the Gila River Arena in Phoenix originally booked for 2020 that has been rescheduled multiple times.
“I’ve always admired my heroes like George Jones, Merle Haggard, Loretta Lynn and Charley Pride who just played as much as they wanted to, as long as they could,” Jackson says. “I’ve always thought I’d like to do that, and I’d like to as long as my health will allow. I’ll try to do as much as I can, but if I’m comin’ your way, come see me….”
TOUR DATES:
Friday, June 24 – Biloxi, MS (Mississippi Coast Coliseum)
Saturday, June 25 – Knoxville, TN (Thompson-Boling Arena)
Friday, July 29 – St. Paul, MN (Xcel Energy Center)
Saturday, July 30 – Grand Forks, ND (Alerus Center)
Friday, August 12 – Savannah, GA (Enmarket Arena) **
Saturday, August 13 – Greenville, SC (Bon Secours Wellness Arena) **
Friday, August 26 – Lincoln, NE (Pinnacle Bank Arena)
Saturday, August 27 – Kansas City, MO (T-Mobile Center)
Friday, September 9 – Lexington, KY (Rupp Arena)
Saturday, September 10 – Greensboro, NC (Greensboro Coliseum)
Friday, September 16 – Austin, TX (Moody Center)
Saturday, September 17 – Dallas, TX (American Airlines Center)
Friday, September 30 – Phoenix (Glendale), AZ (Gila River Arena) ++
Saturday, October 1 – Anaheim, CA (Honda Center)
Friday, October 7 – Atlantic City, NJ (Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall)
Saturday, October 8 – Pittsburgh, PA (PPG Paints Arena)
** On Sale Date to Be Announced
++ Rescheduled concert from 2020; tickets for previous events will be honored; new tickets available!
March 12, 2022 @ 9:46 am
I sure hope it isn’t, but I can’t help but feel this might be it touring-wise for AJ. I’m getting tickets just in case this is really the last tour he does.
March 12, 2022 @ 3:49 pm
Would have loved to have seen him tour Europe! Hope he can keep touring as long as possible and doing what he loves, bringing real country music to the world.
March 12, 2022 @ 4:19 pm
So the tour name will continue to be “Last Call: One More for the Road” for all future tours, considering this won’t be his final tour.
Or will this tour have multiple legs spanning some 5 to 10 yrs?
I think one of Garth Brooks’ tours lasted 4 years, with obviously multiple legs throughout. Solely as a marketing ploy to be the most lucrative tour ever, even though it lasted 4 years
March 13, 2022 @ 12:58 am
If that’s really a big concern of yours, relax. It’s highly unlikely that Alan Jackson will be touring in 5 to 10 years. He might even be deceased in 5 years–then you won’t have to worry about that at all!
March 13, 2022 @ 9:16 am
Not a concern… just interested in how they are marketing it. Giving the tour name “Last Call” but stating it’s not the final tour is perplexing.
It would be cool if they had multiple legs to this specific tour – Alan could have the most successful tour in the history books if this tour lasts for years (similar to what Garth did from 2014 – 2018)
March 13, 2022 @ 6:28 pm
You figured it out. By naming his tour “Last Call,” they plan to turn Alan Jackson into Michael Jackson. They’re looking to have the biggest, most successful tour in history. Just Alan–mostly seated on a stool–and his band. They’ll fill the Superdome and Astros Dome and Met Life Stadium and Wembley, and the Olympic Stadium in Beijing.
Good thing you’ve exposed the scam.
March 13, 2022 @ 9:20 am
Also, Alan’s health issue isn’t life threatening. He can live another 30+ yrs.
March 13, 2022 @ 9:36 am
Well people change their mind all the time. A few years ago George strait said he was retiring from touring and look at how that turned out. I think the name and the fact there are few shows and how they are spaced tell you that there are going to be fewer tours and shows going forward. Plus just because something isn’t life threatening doesn’t make it easy to live with. So that last show or tour may not be known til after the fact
March 13, 2022 @ 12:09 pm
My wife suffers from the same condition. She is in constant pain and her mobility has deteriorated over the years.
March 12, 2022 @ 11:11 pm
I had seen this already. I already signed up for his fan club just so I have a better shot at getting tickets. I don’t think this will be his last but he’s probably my all time favorite and I’ve never seen him, so I want to go. Because of his condition and if it gets any worse, you never know. Also the tour is really spread out for as few dates it has so you can tell he’s not going to push it. No shows really close to me but I’m gonna try to go to the Knoxville show.
March 15, 2022 @ 8:19 am
Got my tickets, pretty good ones. Ended up getting 4. The youngest wanted to go back to smoky mountains so going to kill two birds with one stone so to speak, a little mini vacation. I see how all these shows sell out tickets so fast though. I got mine through the Alan Jackson fan club site code but there were at least 3 or 4 others type things like that all having presales. Heck time seats go on sale for general audience, you either going to have no tickets or the most expensive or furthest away. And lots of those are being bought up for resale. Between that and the fees you have to pay, it’s kind of rediculous. I won’t do it for lesser artist but it’s worth it for Alan or George.
March 13, 2022 @ 6:10 am
What a sad reflection on country radio when someone like Alan Jackson says he doesn’t worry about getting on it anymore.
As the owner of a small handful of classic country FMs, I can say he doesn’t have to worry about getting on my stations. Jackson is one of the very few artists we play new music from.
March 13, 2022 @ 8:02 am
Yea it’s sad when a guy like Alan basically gives up on radio. There are a few guys through my life when I see or listen to them, they are just the picture of country music. It’s nothing negative against some others, and I’m not saying a lot of others aren’t that. Some just have a little more shine. Alan is one of those. He’s had songs on these last two albums that are as good as any he has ever done but no radio play to speak of. But maybe he can embrace that better now and instead of chasing hits, just write and play what he wants to do.
March 14, 2022 @ 11:39 am
I don’t care for where commercial country music has gone, but artists in their 60s–like Alan is–have never gotten airplay for their new releases in the history of country music, save for maybe a one-shot her or there or a duet with a current “major leaguer”–a la Willie Nelson with Toby Keith in 2002
March 14, 2022 @ 2:01 pm
Yea I agree with you for most part though a lot of those tended to go down in quality. I loved Hank Jr for a long time but as he got older, some of his stuff wasn’t as good. A good few like that but others still made great stuff but the industry moved on. I feel it’s a shame cause some of those guys still have lots to give. It’s a shame some radio station hasn’t jumped on it. Stations either play the current stuff or a few play older music but don’t tend to play any of the new stuff by those older guys.
March 14, 2022 @ 11:00 am
Saw him play in Columbus in 2019, nice date night with the wife, had good floor seats in an arena, but found myself watching the huge video screens more than watching a live band play. Alan was sitting for most of it, no crowd engagement, and yes I bought the shirt. Not what I would describe as a dynamic performance but he’s still one of the best. Glad I went when I had the chance.
March 14, 2022 @ 2:05 pm
That’s exactly why I would want to see j. I don’t want all that rowdiness and such. George straight was pretty much the same way and he was great. Just the man and his music.