Alan Jackson Prepares for Empty Nest

While most people who are graced with fame and fortune splurge on over-sized houses and extravagances, there are still a number of stars who realize when it is time to downsize. For Alan Jackson, who has been on the charts almost nonstop for several decades, he and his wife realized that as their nest was becoming smaller, it was time for a downsize in their house as well.

It took 11 months, but in May, Jackson’s 17,000-square-foot Sweetbriar Mansion, nestled in suburban Nashville, closed with a deal for a jaw-dropping $28 million. Though 11 months seems as if it would be a long wait for the average homeowner, Jackson was pleasantly surprised.
 
“I don’t think either one of us expected it to sell [in one year], to be honest. It was a big place and a lot of money,” Jackson told The Tennessean. However, the Jacksons will not be without a home, “We’re probably going to end up staying in Florida half the year, and we have a place up on Center Hill Lake that we’ve had for 20 years that we love,” Jackson said.

The main reason the Jacksons were looking to sell was due to the fact that their three daughters, who are 20, 17 and 13, are preparing to be sent off to college over the course of the next few years and move away. His oldest, Mattie, moved into college this fall, which was an all-new experience for Jackson. They moved her college belongings to school in a trailer, and when they arrived, her room “was tiny and looked like a jail cell,” he said. “She had so much stuff it wouldn’t even fit in a room… We had to take half of it home.”

Although his nest may be becoming smaller, Jackson may need more space than he thinks. He received another trophy to add to his collection from ASCAP Founder’s Award during a Nashville event that honored songwriters on Tuesday.
 
Jackson is also releasing an extensive two-disc collection on Nov. 23 entitled 34 Number Ones. The number of tracks on this collection is actually 37, featuring Jackson’s collaboration with the Zac Brown Band, "As She’s Walking Away."

In preparation for the release of his new album, which showcases Jackson’s accomplishments over the years, he will be hitting the road Nov. 4-20 with Chris Young and The Band Perry.

Source: GACtv.com