Understanding Alan Jackson's Degenerative Disease
- Country Singer Alan Jackson, who is living with a degenerative disease, a rare nerve disorder Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) revealed this week he’s looking forward to retiring so that he can spend more time with his loved ones.
- Jackson, a loving husband and dad to three daughters, was diagnosed with an incurable disease called Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease in 2011. This condition causes muscle atrophy and weakness in the feet, legs, hands, and arms.
- Living with a rare disease often creates a unique set of challenges. If you are struggling to find treatment options, check out SurvivorNet’s clinical trial finder.
CMT causes “damage to the peripheral nerves the nerves that transmit information and signals from the brain and spinal cord to and from the rest of the body, as well as sensory information such as touch, back to the spinal cord and brain,” according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The disease can also “directly affect the nerves that control the muscles.”
Read MoreAlan shares why now is the FINAL time to see him in a city near you! Don’t miss out! #LastCallWithAlan
Fan Club Pre-Sale is happening now at https://t.co/aJNLAjbQlV 🎟️ 𝐎𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝐚𝐭 𝟏𝟎𝐚𝐦 𝐄𝐒𝐓 pic.twitter.com/hjpCinRuo3— Alan Jackson (@OfficialJackson) June 4, 2024
Referring to why “now” is the time to see him perform, before he retires, Jackson said in the footage, “Well, I’ve been touring for over 30 years, you know, played everywhere in the country and parts of the world. Have had a wonderful career, and getting into my twilight years.
“Snd I got … all my daughters are grown, and I got one grandchild and one on the way.”
“Enjoy spending more time at home, and don’t want to be away like I had to be in my younger days, and I don’t tour as much now as I did 10 years ago,” he explained.
“But I think it’s getting time to start thinking about hanging it up full-time.”
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Jackson, who is set to embark on his last tour on Aug. 2 in Boston, which will see him perform through May 17 of next year in various states like Florida, Montana and Utah, added, “Most of my fans know I have a degenerative health condition that effects my legs and arms and my mobility that I got from my daddy and it’s getting worse.
“So, it makes me more uncomfortable on stage, and I just have a hard time, and I just want to think about maybe calling it quits before I’m unable to do the job like I want to.”
It’s #LastCallWithAlan! Alan’s bringing 30 years of hits to a city near you one final time! 🍻🎤
Don't wait… Fan Club Pre-Sale starts now at https://t.co/aJNLAjbiwn.
🎟️ On Sale: June 7th at 10am EST pic.twitter.com/yNJh2sc8Uf
— Alan Jackson (@OfficialJackson) May 30, 2024
The Grammy-winning country star—who used to perform “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere” with the Jimmy Buffett, who recently passed away at age 76 amid his battle with Merkel cell skin cancer—first kicked off his farewell tour back in 2022, so we’re delighted to see him working hard to make his fans happy and do what he loves.
Back in May he shared the following statement on his website, in regard to his tour, saying, “Fans know when they come to my shows, they’re going to hear the songs that made me who I am – the ones they love.
“I’ve been touring for over 30 years – my daughters are all grown, we have one grandchild and one on the way…and I’m enjoying spending more time at home. But my fans always show up to have a good time, and I’m going to give them the best show I can for this Last Call.”
Alan Jackson’s Nerve Disease Diagnosis
Alan Jackson was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease in 2011, according to an interview with the “Today Show.” He revealed his diagnosis publicly about a decade later.
“I’ve been reluctant to talk about this publicly and to my fans, but it’s been a while, and it’s starting to affect my performance on stage a little bit where I don’t feel comfortable,” the singer said, when he disclosed show his diagnosis on the “TODAY” show in September 2021.
“I just wanted the fans and the public to know if they’ve come to see me in the last few years or if they come to see me in the future if I play anymore, what’s going on. I don’t want them to think I’m drunk on stage because I’m having problems with mobility and balance. I have this neuropathy, neurological disease I inherited from my daddy.”
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is an “inherited nerve defect that causes abnormalities in the nerves that supply your feet, legs, hands, and arms,” Johns Hopkins Medicine explains.
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In Jackson’s case, the disease affects his balance and mobility, which impacted his ability to perform on-stage as he had in the past.
“I know I’m stumbling around on stage. Now I’m having a little trouble balancing, even in front of the microphone, and so I just feel very uncomfortable,” he said.
Patients diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease may manage their symptoms through medications, and physical and occupational therapy designed to strengthen their muscles.
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Finding Joy Through Music When Coping With a Health Battle
In an earlier interview with GQ Magazine, Alan Jackson said, “I just love making that music.” It’s that love and happiness for country music that’s helped him push through arduous times going alongside the support of his family, friends, and fans.
When to comes to music as a form of therapy, “music can promote relaxation and distract from the pain associated with many illnesses,” according to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
The cancer survivors we previously spoke to also agreed that art therapy such as music, painting, dancing, and more helped lift their spirits during their health challenge.
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It’s not uncommon for people battling cancer – or any other health issue – to experience emotions such as anger, confusion, and sadness. So, the opportunity to express these emotions through artistic outlets may be extremely helpful.
Two-time cancer survivor Bianca Muniz, turned to music as an outlet during her experience with cancer.
Her cancer journey began at just 11 years old when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Then, at 22 years old, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Bianca says that undergoing numerous different treatments did have an impact on her voice, but she never let that get in the way of her love of performing, and cancer actually served as a muse for creating new music.
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“This experience has had two different effects on my creativity and my music, so I’ve gotten a lot of inspiration from it,” Bianca says. “But also the side effects of treatment, of chemo, and surgery have definitely had a little bit of a negative effect on my voice, but then again, I love performing. I always feel happy after I’ve performed.”
Since Jackson’s diagnosis with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, he’s maintained focus on his music and family.
“I’m always scribbling down ideas and thinking about melodies and I feel like there’ll be some more music to come,” he said to his daughter on her podcast, “In Joy Life with Mattie Jackson.”
Aside from continuing music career, walking his daughter down the aisle and watching her get married surely brought Jackson an immense amount of joy.
Dr. Samantha Boardman, a New York-based psychiatrist and author, tells SurvivorNet that people going through a health challenge like cancer can find strength in focusing on their values. This could be family, close friendships, spirituality. Reminding yourself of what your values are and how you are living accordingly is another way to unleash that inner strength.
Meanwhile, Dr. Alexander Pantelyat, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins, previously told SurvivorNet, “Just listening to music activates more brain regions simultaneously than any other human activity,”
Additionally, a study published last year in the journal Parkinson’s Disease researched the effects music had on the brain. It found music can help reduce anxiety for patients. Dr. Serap Bastepe-Gray, who co-founded the Johns Hopkins Center for Music and Medicine with Dr. Pantelyat, led the study.
“The guitar, which is portable, affordable, and one of the most popular instruments in the U.S., has potential as a motivational therapeutic tool both in the clinical and community settings,” Dr. Bastepe-Gray said.
Music therapy is a resource cancer patients turn to during treatment. Music therapy includes “creating, singing, moving, listening and/or relaxing” to the sounds of your favorite songs according to the National Cancer Institute. This form of therapy can help relieve depression, stress, anxiety, and pain.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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