Alan Jackson is set to re-release his 2006 gospel album, Precious Memories, on Tuesday (March 27th). The country superstar, who grew up in the church singing many of the songs that appear on the album, says he wanted to put it out again, because there are no more copies to be found. “We just had so many people still wanting it. It’s just amazing,” says Alan. “That thing has sold and sold, and so, when I got over [to EMI Nashville]…we decided that we’d get it out there, see if anybody else wants it still.” Precious Memories includes many gospel favorites, such as “I’ll Fly Away,” “The Old Rugged Cross,” “Softly and Tenderly,” “What a Friend We Have in Jesus” and “How Great Thou Art.”
Alan says he would like to do a second gospel album for his mother and mother-in-law. “I still want to do another one,” he says. “My mama, she’s getting pretty elderly now and doesn’t get out much, but I’d really like to do another version of that for her, and especially my wife’s mama. She’s older than my mother, but she actually gets around better. She loves that thing, and [laughs] would love to have another version with some more new songs, so I need to do that. It doesn’t take but a minute to record that thing.”
The country superstar is currently making his way up the country charts with his latest hit, “So You Don’t Have to Love Me Anymore.” He’ll perform the single when he appears on NBC’s Tonight Show With Jay Leno on Friday (March 30th).
AUDIO: Alan Jackson explains why he is re-releasing his 2006 gospel album, Precious Memories.
AJ (Precious Memories Rerelease) OC: …wants it still. :27
“When I was with Sony, we…did that deal together. It was a co-deal, where it was on half my label and half theirs, and I guess I ended up with the rights to the album, basically. So, when the deal ran out, they didn’t produce any more records, so basically you couldn’t buy it anymore, and we just had so many people still wanting it. It’s just amazing. That thing has sold and sold, and so, when I got over [to EMI Nashville], Mike Dungan, we decided that we’d get it out there, see if anybody else wants it still.”
AUDIO: Alan Jackson says he’d like to record a second gospel album, especially for his mother and mother-in-law.
AJ (wants to do another gospel album) OC: …do that. :24
“I still want to do another one. My mama, she’s getting pretty elderly now and doesn’t get out much, but I’d really like to do another version of that for her, and especially my wife’s mama. She’s older than my mother, but she actually gets around better. She loves that thing, and [laughs] would love to have another version with some more new songs, so I need to do that. It doesn’t take but a minute to record that thing, it’s so simple, you know. I need to get in and do that.”
Alan Jackson says he’s been singing songs like those found on Precious Memories since he was a kid…which set the stage for his career in music.
AJ (Gospel) OC: …as a singer. :37
“I’d stand up and sing when the congregation was singing out of the hymn book, but…some of those melodies are a little tricky for a kid unless you knew the song real well. But I don’t remember thinking much about it. Everybody just stood up—if you didn’t stand up, you know, everybody was staring at you…so you had to stand up and act like you were singing anyway! But I went on to sing as a teenager. They had some organizations and choirs, and I remember singing in those some. And those were some of the early development for me as a singer, and that was probably the early days of getting a little confidence as a singer. The church and the activities that went with it affected me as a singer.”
