Drive

Alan Jackson released his tenth studio album, Drive, on January 15, 2002, through Arista Nashville. The 12-track collection arrived at a moment when the country music landscape was still processing the September 11 attacks. Jackson, a Georgia-born neotraditionalist, responded with "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)", a song he wrote in about 20 minutes after watching news coverage. The ballad became an anthem, hitting number 1 on the country charts and winning Grammys for Best Country Song and Best Male Country Vocal Performance.

Beyond that defining track, Drive is a deeply personal album. The title track, "Drive (For Daddy Gene)", honors Jackson's late father with memories of fishing trips and learning to drive a Jeep. It also went to number 1. Other singles "Work in Progress" and "That'd Be Alright" peaked at numbers 3 and 2, respectively. The album features a duet with George Strait on "Designated Drinker", a honky-tonk drinking song that reached number 44. Produced by Keith Stegall, the album balances uptempo numbers with reflective ballads, all anchored by steel guitar and fiddle.

Drive debuted at number 1 on the Top Country Albums chart and number 3 on the Billboard 200. The Recording Industry Association of America certified it 4x Platinum, with over 4 million copies shipped in the United States. Critics praised its consistency and emotional weight. It earned nominations for Album of the Year at both the ACM and CMA Awards, and won Song of the Year and Single of the Year for "Where Were You" at both ceremonies. [edit]