Alan Jackson Drive CD

DRIVE was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Country Album. "Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" was nominated for the 2003 Grammy Awards for Song Of The Year and Best Male Country Vocal Performance..

The obvious talking point on Alan Jackson's hugely successful DRIVE is "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," a song written in response to the September 11 attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center. Its refreshing lack of gung-ho patriotism and focus on small details ("Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watchin'/And turn on I Love Lucy reruns") is a hallmark of Jackson's songwriting, which is adept at finding a telling detail to highlight a bigger truth.

Elsewhere, in the best country tradition, "The Sounds" is a familiar tale of heartbreak freshly told, while "Work in Progress" is a catalog of a redneck doofus's unwitting transgressions that'll find an echo in many male listeners. "Designated Drinker," a duet with George Strait, is another in a seemingly inexhaustible line of country drinking songs. Appropriately for an album named DRIVE, two automobile-related songs bookend the set. The title track is about Jackson's first boat and car, while "First Love," in the tradition of NRBQ's "Little Floater" and Neil Young's "Long May You Run," is also about a much-loved vehicle that should be food for thought for women everywhere.

"Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)" won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Country Song.

Personnel: Alan Jackson (acoustic guitar); Danny Groah (guitar); Bruce Watkins (acoustic guitar, banjo); Tony Stephens, Tom Rutledge (acoustic guitar); J.T. Corenflos, Brent Mason (electric guitar); Robbie Flint, Paul Franklin (steel guitar); Stuart Duncan (mandolin, fiddle); Mark McClurg (fiddle); Jim Hoke (harmonica); Gordon Mote (piano, keyboards); Monty Parkey (piano); Bruce Rutherford, Eddie Bayers (drums); Irene Kelley, John Wesley Ryles, Wes Hightower (background vocals).

Audio Mixer: John Kelton.

Recording information: Cartee Day Studio; Manta Sound, Toronto, Canada; Sound Station, Nashville, TN; Tracking Room; Wedgewood Studio.

Introduction by: Vince Gill.

Photographer: John Russell .

Personnel includes: Alan Jackson (vocals, acoustic guitar); Bruce Watkins (acoustic guitar, banjo); Brent Mason, J.T. Corenflos (electric guitar); Stuart Duncan (mandolin, fiddle); Jim Hoke (harmonica); Gordon Mote (piano, keyboards); John Kelton (Tictac bass); John Wesley Ryles, Wes Hightower (background vocals); Vince Gill.

134386

Rolling Stone (3/14/02, p.70) - 3.5 of 5 stars - "...Jackson has a lovely, loping voice....[and] hits all the coutry cliches with amiable accuracy..."
Q (2/02, p.110) - 3 stars out of 5 - "...With 20 country #1s and 50 Country Music Awards nominations, Jackson knows better than to rock the boat an ddelivers yet another set of unremarkable but harmless country rock tapalongs..."