Alan Jackson’s Career Took Off After His Wife Met Glen Campbell At The Airport

From High School Sweethearts To Country Couple Goals

Long before anyone in country music knew Alan Jackson‘s name, he already had his biggest fan. That fan was his wife, Denise.

Alan and Denise were high school sweethearts who married in 1979. The future country music superstar was only 21 years old at the time.

Although the couple briefly separated in 1998, they eventually reunited. Denise went on to inspire a number of Alan’s popular songs, including “Remember When” and “The Older I Get.”

They also have three gorgeous daughters: Mattie, Ali, and Dani.

Together, Alan and Denise have created a beautiful life with their beautiful family. It’s a life made possible in huge part because of Alan’s successful career, which wouldn’t have been possible without Denise…and a country music icon.

Years ago, an unknown Alan was chasing his dreams of becoming a singer. But he needed some way to pay the bills in the the meantime, so he went to work in the mailroom at The Nashville Network.

To make ends meet, Denise also worked as a flight attendant. While she was at the airport one day, she happened to run into one of the biggest names in country music at the time…”Rhinestone Cowboy” singer Glen Campbell.

A Chance Conversation

Most people who suddenly found themselves in front of one of Nashville’s brightest stars may have been too shy to ask for anything more than an autograph. But not Denise.

She went right up to Glen and championed her husband, an up-and-coming singer with a whole lot of promise. Her bold approach paid off. By the end of their conversation Glen handed over his business card and said to have Alan get in touch.

Years later, after Glen passed away, Alan recalled how that one conversation changed the course of his entire life.

“I will always feel like I owe Glen a lot of gratitude – he was my first contact in Nashville when my wife, Denise, was a flight attendant. She met him at the airport and he gave her his business card for his publishing company.  This connection lead [sic] me down the path that brought me to where I am today.”

Everything Worked Out Just Right

Sure enough, Alan’s career took off not longer after his wife’s chance meeting with Glen. His debut album dropped in 1990, and served as the springboard for his first number one hit.

That song, titled “I’d Love You All Over Again,” was inspired by none other than Denise.

Alan’s debut record also contained a track titled “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” which appropriately describes how he always dreamed of becoming a country music singer one day. Thanks to Denise and Glen, Alan caught up with that neon rainbow long before he likely ever thought he would.

To this day, “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow” is the song that captures many aspiring artists’ feelings about making it big in Nashville. It’s funny to think how that song may have never existed if Denise had to work on a different day, or if Glen chose a flight for another time.

But everything fell into place, and thanks to all of the players involved, generations of singers will be able to follow in Alan’s footsteps and chase neon rainbows of their own.