Alan Jackson (Photo: David McAllister)
NASHVILLE (CelebrityAccess) — Singer-songwriter and Country Hall of Famer Alan Jackson was honored with the Poet Award at the 17th annual ACM Honors Celebration in Nashville on Wednesday night.
“I’ve always put songwriting first when making music,” Jackson told the gathered crowd after winning the award, adding that he considered it a “high honor.”
“I realized a long time ago that life gives you a lot of material for songwriting,” the Country Music Hall of Famer told a sold-out audience at the historic Ryman Auditorium. “It usually makes for the best songs. I’ve been lucky enough to take a lot from life and turn it into music over the years,” he added. “As an artist, my greatest pride is to write a song and let people enjoy it and be moved or moved by it…[to] Help them through difficult times or [to] Have a great time.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my music,” he concluded.
Eric Church, who presented Jackson with the award on Wednesday, called the country icon an “institution” and quoted poet Robert Frost. “He said, ‘Poetry is when emotion finds its thought…and then the thought finds its language.'” Church said, before adding, “Alan Jackson always found my language.”
Church then performed Jackson’s hit “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow” for the assembled crowd.
