Country’s Alan Jackson reveals he’s been living with a nervous disease for 10 years

Alan Jackson revealed this week that he has been living with a degenerative nerve disease for about 10 years, but has vowed to continue playing for as long as his health allows.

Appearing on NBC’s “Today” show on Tuesday, the country superstar said he was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) ten years ago, noting it had an impact on his condition. ability to walk.

“It’s genetics that I inherited from my father … There is no cure for it, but it has affected me for years,” said the two-time Grammy winner. “And it is becoming more and more evident. And I know I stumble on stage. And now I have a little trouble balancing even in front of the microphone, so I feel very uncomfortable.

According to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, CMT is one of the most common types of inherited nerve diseases. Although the disease does not affect life expectancy, it affects the peripheral nervous system and causes weakness in the legs and feet.

“It’s not going to kill me,” Jackson added. “It’s not fatal, but it’s linked to muscular dystrophy and Parkinson’s disease.”

A native of Georgia, Jackson, 62, rose to fame in the early 1990s with hits like “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” and “Chattahoochee”, and is said to have sold over 75 million albums worldwide. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 2017. In May, he released “Where Have You Gone,” his first studio album in six years.

While the performance may look a little different for Jackson going forward, he has no plans to retire from the road anytime soon. In fact, he is expected to return to the stage next month with a performance at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

“I never wanted to do the big retirement tour like people do and then take a year off and then come back,” he said on Tuesday. “I think it’s a little cheesy. And I’m not saying I can’t tour. I will try to do as much as I can.