Published Monday, January 12, 2009

Could Newnan High senior be the next 'American Idol'?

The Times-Herald

Music lovers across America may be shaking their heads in confusion tonight when they hear "Alan Jackson" and "Newnan, Georgia" mentioned on the last show they'd expect-- "American Idol."

But it's not a mistake. When TV's monster hit show kicks off its eighth season tonight, another Alan Jackson from Newnan will be trying to add his name to the short list of local entertainers who made it to the top of the music world like the country music star.

Tonight's two-hour premiere focuses mainly on Idol's Phoenix, Ariz., auditions. Wednesday night, another two-hour show reveals what happened at the Kansas City audition.

Jackson's full story will appear on the show featuring the Jacksonville, Fla., auditions. Jackson does not know when the Jacksonville show will air, but he has appeared briefly in promos for the new season and thinks -- though he's not sure -- he might appear in a brief clip tonight or tomorrow.

"They don't tell you much," he says. "But I wouldn't be surprised if I showed up for a second or two tonight or tomorrow. If I don't, we'll just have to wait for the Jacksonville show. I'll be on then for sure."

Like the country music superstar from Newnan who has sold tens of millions of records in a career spanning more than two decades, the newest Alan Jackson on the musical scene attended Newnan High -- he's a senior this year -- and got his start playing for small groups and performing at church. In this case, Elim Baptist.

The similarities are startling, but the younger Jackson says right now, sharing a name and a hometown with one of the world's most widely-recognized music stars is a plus.

"During the Idol auditions, it definitely got people's attention," Jackson says. "As soon as people heard my name and where I was from, it created a buzz and made everybody interested. I'd say it helped."

But Jackson realizes if he makes it big, a name change will be necessary. He has already solved that problem. Jackson's middle name is Corbette, and he has already performed several times as A.J. Corbette, although his friends and classmates know him as Alan.

"The people in the business say if I get big I'll have to change my performing name, and that's OK with me," he says. "As long as I'm getting a chance to succeed that's not a problem. I understand how things work."

Jackson says people won't be confused once they hear the difference in the singing and choice of songs. The younger Jackson only performs a few country songs. His singing idol is Steve Perry, lead singer of supergroup Journey, and Jackson says he prefers the classic rock standards .

His current playlist will soon include some original songs Jackson is writing, but his favorite cover songs include hits by Hootie and the Blowfish and singer-songwriter Howie Day.

"I love the old country artists like George Jones and Merle Haggard and Ray Price and Tammy Wynette and Patsy Cline," Jackson says. "Those people are giants. But right now I'm more into the classic rock thing."

Jackson made his debut at a third-grade talent show in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

"I was nervous and awkward. But when I stepped on stage, I loved the attention and it's been like a second home ever since," Jackson says. "I've known since then this was what I wanted to do."

When the family moved back to Newnan several years ago, Jackson kept active in several sports, but spent more time performing with friends and soloing at church.

Less than two years ago Jackson started taking guitar lessons from David Pippin at Musicology in Newnan. "I thought I needed to be able to back myself up," he says. "And it's a lot of fun. I'm working at it."

Last year he decided to take things up a notch when friends talked into going to an open mic night at Jekyll & Hyde's sports bar to sing some karaoke. Jackson sang "Anything But Mine," and the crowd went wild.

"I was really shocked," he says. "I'd gotten a good reception at other places, but the people really liked what they heard that night."

Two weeks later he was back again. That time, Jackson sang five songs. After the first one, the room was packed and the crowd roared its approval until he finished.

"It was great," Jackson says. "That whole room was full of support. Now everywhere I perform in Newnan, the support has just been incredible. Newnan has really been behind all the music I've done. It's great when people tell you they appreciate it."

Early last summer, friends urged Jackson to try out when "American Idol" began its national audition tour. He wasn't interested.

"I was totally opposed to it," he says. "I didn't think there was much of a chance with all that crowd and the whole setup. I didn't bother with it."

Luckily, Jackson's mom, Peggy Rusich, did. She got the Idol information and registered Jackson for the nearest tryouts, in Jacksonville.

When his mom told him he was registered, Jackson gave in.

"I said, it's a shot, let's do it."

On Aug. 13, Jackson joined more than 12,000 Idol hopefuls who gathered in Jacksonville to begin the grueling Idol journey. He says that because of the huge crowds, swarms of Idol producers and staffers began weeding out the also-rans in a hurry, literally going down the line and asking people to sing for "a second or two" before moving them on or cutting them out.

"Some were pretty bad, and some were pretty good," Jackson says. "Some people didn't sing two notes before they were gone, and I saw them cut some people I thought were really good. It was kind of scary."

That first day lasted from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. The next day, Jackson was still in the chase and did it all over again, advancing through tryout after tryout.

How far did he go? Show rules prohibit Jackson and other contestants from saying how well they did. Right now he can only say he did well enough to wind up in the audition room with Idol judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell and Idol's newly-added 4th judge, Grammy-nominated songwriter and record producer Kara DioGuardi.

Right now, Jackson doesn't know when that episode airs. To find out, you'll have to watch. But in a few weeks, we'll all know whether Newnan has another Alan Jackson on the road to stardom.

"I can't talk about it much at all, because of the show rules," Jackson says. "Let's just say I'm hoping it will work out."

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Young Jackson in concert Saturday

Newnan's aspiring musician Alan Jackson starts his nationally-televised quest for fame and fortune tonight when the 2009 premiere of "American Idol" airs at 8 p.m. on Fox TV.

But local fans don't have to wait until the end of the "Idol" season to get an earful of Jackson. He and his group, The Alan Jackson Band, will be performing live Saturday at the Centre for Performing and Visual Arts on Lower Fayetteville Road in Newnan.

Doors open at 5 p.m. and The Alan Jackson Band is scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. The show has two opening acts, Take the Oath and The NTG.

"We really want to thank the Coweta School System and [Centre director] Don Nixon for the chance to do this and giving us such a great opportunity to play for our fans and make some new friends," Jackson said. "They have been great to us and we want them to know how much we appreciate it."