Country music legend Alan Jackson, originally from Newnan, Georgia, has officially ended his touring career with the final show of his “Last Call: One More for the Road Tour” on May 17. After 40 years in the music industry, the 66-year-old artist announced this would be his last tour ever.
The tour began in 2022 and ran through May 2025. Despite battling a chronic neuropathy condition, Jackson decided to perform one final time on the road. During the last concert, he also revealed plans for one final performance in Nashville in the summer of 2026, though the exact date and venue are yet to be announced.
Jackson has been living with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease for over a decade. This inherited neurological disorder affects muscle strength and balance, making it harder for him to perform on stage. He first publicly shared his diagnosis in 2021 during an interview with the “TODAY” show, explaining that he inherited the condition from his father and that it has impacted several family members. He was originally diagnosed in 2011.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease causes a variety of symptoms, including numbness, tingling, muscle weakness, and atrophy, which means the loss of muscle tissue. It often leads to foot deformities that worsen over time. The disease can also affect nerves controlling automatic body functions, causing issues like dizziness and problems with sweating.
Symptoms typically start in the feet and lower legs during the teen years or early adulthood but can appear at any age. The weakness may spread to the hands and arms. Some people may not realize they have the condition, while others can experience significant physical disabilities.
Common symptoms include weakness or paralysis in foot and lower leg muscles, balance difficulties, high-stepping walking patterns with frequent tripping, foot deformities such as high arches and curled toes, muscle loss in the lower legs (sometimes described as an “inverted champagne bottle” shape), trouble sensing temperature or touch, hand weakness, scoliosis, hip displacement, muscle cramps, and nerve pain.
Charcot-Marie-Tooth is mostly inherited, meaning family history increases the risk, though not all children of affected individuals will develop the disease.
There is currently no cure. Treatments focus on managing symptoms and maintaining quality of life. Physical and occupational therapy are common approaches. Orthopedic devices and surgery may help relieve symptoms, and medication can be prescribed for severe nerve pain.
Alan Jackson’s decision to step back from touring highlights both his dedication to music and the challenges he has faced living with this condition.
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