Alan Jackson Joined By Ghosts Of Country Icons In New Music Video

Nov 25, 2021 by apost team

When it comes to country music artists, it doesn’t get much better than Alan Jackson. Jackson has a way of inspiring his listeners with heartfelt ballads that recall subjects as diverse as the ache that comes from a broken heart to the joy that one feels when welcoming a new child into the family. His music speaks to real-world events that any person might experience in their life.

A pivotal figure in the world of country music since the late 1980s, the following decade brought Jackson an immense amount of fame and success as he started climbing the charts and bringing in a new and excited wave of fans. 

With numerous albums and hits under his belt, it wasn’t long before Jackson made it big and his music really resonated with people all over the world. His music style can be classified as a blend of honky-tonk country mixed with mainstream country-pop sounds, and he has penned many original songs. The musician has become popular for his songwriting abilities as he has been able to capture moments and emotions and put them so eloquently into words. 

His most recent hit is no exception. In the song "Where Have You Gone," Jackson takes on the topic of country music no longer being the way it once was. What's more, in the music video for the song, which was released on Sep. 24, Jackson included the ghosts of fellow legends of country music including Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, George Jones and Tammy Wynette. 

Filmed in classic black-and-white, the video for "Where Have You Gone" sees Jackson performing in Nashville's historic Ryman Auditorium. The musician stood center stage under a lone spotlight as he belted out the soulful ballad. Dressed in a crisp white outfit, Jackson stands out in the monochromatic video.

Then, about halfway through the song, he is joined on stage by a host of country legends who have all passed, as they appear on stage as ghosts. There's Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, George Jones and Tammy Wynette. What makes the appearance of these legends even more poignant are the lyrics that Jackson sang.

"Where Have You Gone" is a plea for country music to return to its roots. Although the song's verses are written from the perspective of one lover having left another, the chorus sheds light on what the track is really about. It goes:

"Soft steel guitar oh how I've missed you / Words from the heart let me hear you again / Sounds from the soul, fiddle I need you / Sweet country music where have you gone? / Sweet country music please come back home"

According to Apple Music, Jackson talked about this contrast and said:

“I wrote it from this perspective as though it were a woman that had left you. I let people hear that song when I was finished and first thing they would hear is, ‘Oh, here's another heartbreak song.’ And they get to the chorus and it kind of flips a switch there.”

This proves exactly why Jackson is considered a legend of country music, with his ability to take current topics and sing about them in a soulful way.

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Jackson's moving message is carried all the way through to the end of the song, with the last lines:

"Sweet country music where have you gone? / The airwaves are waiting, please come back home"

In an interview with Hits Daily Double from earlier this year, the country icon didn't hold back about his thoughts on the current country music landscape. He was direct and didn't sugarcoat his perspective. He said:

“Country music is gone and it’s not coming back. It’s like the 1980s again. I’m 62 years old; I’m not some 30-year-old stud. It’s not the same, but somebody has to bring it back, because it’s not just people in their 50s, it’s people in their 20s, too. All the kids and young people around my house? The older they’ve got, the more hardcore and traditional what they’ve leaned into has become.”

He also spoke about how the other musicians who played on his latest album enjoyed going back to country music's roots. He said:

"Yeah, all the players kept coming up between takes, saying, 'I can’t tell you how good it feels to play on a real country song.' So many said, 'I don’t get to play on songs like this anymore.' They knocked me over, they were all playing so good. The fiddle and steel stuff just about killed me, it was so strong."

With both the song "Where Have You Gone" and record of the same name, Jackson has shown the world just why he loves country music and he's no doubt inspiring a whole generation of fans to go back to country music's roots.

What do you think about Alan Jackson's song "Where Have You Gone?" What about the cameos of the ghosts of country music's past? Pass this on to any music lovers in your life so they can enjoy it too!