Alan Jackson Not Dead, Hoax Spreads on Facebook and Scares Fans

Alan Jackson is not dead. He has not left this mortal coil, he has not ceased to be, all despite a rumor that he was deceased catching fire on Facebook and WhatsApp. The hoax regarding the legendary country star appears to have been sparked due to an article at the website named FNEWS2, which includes little else but similar obituaries posted for Bruce Willis and Band of Brothers actor Neal McDonough. Both reports are false. The claims may have spread quickly due to Jackson's past health issues causing readers to believe the information. Over a decade ago, the 64-year-old country singer was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), a degenerative nerve disease. The Georgia native revealed it had been affecting him for years and was getting worse over time during an appearance on the TODAY show. Due to his illness, he finds it challenging to balance on stage and behind the microphone. Jackson inherited the genetic condition from his father.

The Mayo Clinic describes Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease as a neurological condition affecting the arms and legs. The condition causes weak muscles, muscle contractions, curled toes, loss of feeling, and difficulty walking. He had been performing live on his Last Call: One for the Road tour but postponed the final two stops until 2023 due to health issues. CMT is not life-threatening, but it can make playing guitar and performing on stage difficult and can be linked to muscular dystrophy and Parkinson's disease. "I hoped I'd be able to be there," Jackson wrote on his website. "I hate to disappoint my fans. I tried as much as I could to play this show at this time."

Even so, Jackson was present to accept the Artist of a Lifetime honor from CMT during the 2022 CMT Artist of the Year ceremony at Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center in October. The night's other honorees, Kane Brown, Walker Hayes, Carly Pearce, Lainey Wilson, and Cody Johnson, were all visibly thrilled to see Jackson present at the event. Jackson is known for blending country, pop, and traditional honky-tonk in his music. There are 16 studio albums in his discography, including three greatest hits, two gospel, and two Christmas albums. His albums have sold more than 75 million copies worldwide, making him one of the best-selling music artists of all time. He has also won two Grammys, 16 CMA Awards, and 17 ACM Awards. As a country artist, Jackson has been inducted into multiple halls of fame, including the Georgia Music Hall of Fame (2001), Country Music Hall of Fame (2017), and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame (2018).