On this day (September 29) in 2008, Alan Jackson released “Country Boy” as the third single from his 2008 album Good Time. In early 2009, it went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, giving Jackson his 25th chart-topper. This tied a record held by George Strait at the time.
The late 2000s were an odd time for Jackson. He released Like Red on a Rose in 2006. The Alison Krauss-produced album saw him stepping away from his traditional country sound and usual producer for an LP that was more “middle of the road” or adult contemporary than country. Two years later, Good Time marked a return to form for the country traditionalist.
Jackson only wrote one song on Like Red on a Rose, but made up for that on Good Time. He penned all 17 of the album’s tracks. It also saw him going back to working with producer Keith Stegall, who has produced all but one of Jackson’s albums.
“Country Boy” was a milestone single for Jackson. It didn’t just mark his 25th trip to the top of the country chart. It also tied a record held by George Strait. Before the single peaked, Strait was the country singer with the most chart-toppers since 1990. “River of Love” broke the tie in Strat’s favor in April 2009.
Alan Jackson Connected with Fans for the “Country Boy” Music Video
The music video for “Country Boy” sees Alan Jackson and his band performing the song in a truck graveyard near Nashville. Clips of country life, including caring for horses, mudding, and riding wheelies on lawnmowers, play on televisions scattered throughout the set. These are fan-submitted videos.
Before making the video, Jackson called on fans to send in short clips of what they thought it meant to be a country boy or country girl. The result was a series of clips that elevated the already cool video to a new level. At the same time, it connected Jackson and his fanbase in a new way.
