Who Is Alan Jackson's Wife? All About Denise Jackson

Alan Jackson and his wife, Denise, have one of the longest-lasting marriages in country music and their shared experiences speak for themselves.

The couple first met in their hometown of Newnan, Georgia, and began dating in high school. After three years, the "Good Time" singer married Denise in 1979, and though Alan wasn't fully committed to pursuing a musical career then, she encouraged him to see where his singing talent could take him.

Throughout their nearly five-decade marriage, Alan and Denise have welcomed three daughters together and released successful individual projects, including his hit albums and her inspirational books. Amid joyful times, the pair have also endured a brief separation and health struggles, but their union is now stronger than ever.

At the 2022 CMA Awards, he dedicated his Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award to Denise.

"I'm probably not always the easiest person to love, but she's been there and helped me through hard times," he said. "And we've shared great times. The good, the bad, the happy, and the sad, we've survived a lot."

The musician continued, "I just want to thank her because she's held me up all these years and she's my best friend. And she gave me a wonderful family."

So, who is Alan Jackson's wife? Here's everything to know about Denise Jackson and her relationship with the country music legend.

She started dating Alan in high school

Alan and Denise first crossed paths while attending Newnan High School in their hometown of Newnan, Georgia. The Christian Broadcasting Network reported that she was out for ice cream after church when they met in 1976. The two began dating when he was 18, and she was 16, according to Today.

Throughout high school, Denise was a top student and an athlete, playing tennis and cheerleading. Meanwhile, he sang in a barbershop quartet, as his sisters shared in the 2018 documentary Alan Jackson: Small Town Southern Man.

Alan reflected on their shared roots during a benefit concert for Newnan after it was struck by a tornado in 2021. "I'm from Newnan … my wife Denise is from Newnan," he said while onstage. "We were both born and raised here and all of our childhood and young adult memories come from this area."

After graduating, Alan and Denise wed on Dec. 15, 1979, where he sang to her.

Ahead of her 2007 memoir's release, It’s All About Him: Finding the Love of My Life, she opened up to PEOPLE about what it was like taking the next step in their relationship.

“I was a teenager when I got married and had this almost Cinderella complex: ‘I’m going to marry him and he’s so confident and competent and he’s going to take care of me forever and life is going to be one grand fairytale,’ ” she said. "But the reality is our marriage isn’t perfect."

She kickstarted his country music career

During their first few years of marriage, Denise worked as a flight attendant while Alan held odd jobs, including selling cars, building houses and waiting tables. At the same time, he was still pursuing his music career and joined the band Dixie Steel as the lead singer after one of the members spotted him singing at a wedding.

In the early 1980s, Denise pitched Alan to country singer Glen Campbell while working at the airport. In Alan Jackson: Small Town Southern Man, she revealed that Glen gave her the card of "the guy that ran his publishing company in Nashville" and advised Alan to start writing songs.

"We were still living in Newnan, so I was commuting out of the Atlanta airport, and I saw Glenn in the boarding area," she said. "I just am not the type to approach people, but I just thought, 'This may be our only chance. I have to do it.' "

Denise later added, "He said ... 'Just put together a demo tape and go see Marty [Gamblin] at my office and see if he can help him.' And that was our first connection."

Shortly after, Alan recorded a demo, and it landed him a songwriting contract with Campbell’s publishing company, per Britannica. He and Denise moved to Nashville in 1985, where he tried to get a record deal, and a handful of years went by before Alan signed with Arista Records in 1989.