Introduction:
Alan Jackson’s rise to stardom was marked by a remarkable run of hit singles that helped define country music in the 1990s. Songs such as “Chasin’ That Neon Rainbow,” “Someday,” and “Chattahoochee” established him as one of the genre’s most influential artists of the decade. Behind many of those timeless tracks was songwriter Jim McBride, who played a pivotal role in shaping Jackson’s early career.
Earlier this week, Jim McBride passed away, prompting Jackson to reflect on their long-standing friendship and creative partnership. On January 8, Jackson shared a heartfelt tribute on social media, honoring the man who helped bring many of his most beloved songs to life.
“Jim was a good man and a truly gifted songwriter,” Jackson wrote. “He had a deep understanding of country music and reached countless people through his songs. We wrote some of my favorite material together, and I honestly don’t know if my career would have unfolded the same way without his support, inspiration, and encouragement during my early years.” He concluded the message simply and sincerely: “Thank you, Jim. Rest in peace.”
Jim McBride and the Birth of a Country Classic
Throughout the 1990s, Alan Jackson released a string of successful singles, but few have endured quite like “Chattahoochee.” The song became his signature hit and remains a defining example of what made country music from that era so memorable. That success, however, would not have been possible without Jim McBride.
Although Jackson and McBride completed the song together, the original idea belonged to McBride. Drawing from his upbringing in Alabama, McBride was already familiar with the Chattahoochee River. He also recalled encountering “Song of the Chattahoochee,” a poem by Sidney Lanier, during his high school years—an influence that stayed with him.
“I was sitting in my home office one day after reading a book about the Chattahoochee,” McBride once shared in an interview. “I started playing a melody and came up with the first two lines of the song.”
By that point, Jackson’s career had taken off, and songwriting sessions no longer happened on Nashville’s famed 16th Avenue. Instead, they wrote wherever the road took them. Shortly after developing the idea, McBride joined Jackson on tour and introduced him to the song aboard the tour bus.
“I sang him the first couple of lines, and he immediately connected with it,” McBride recalled. The two began shaping the song in Tallahassee, Florida, and completed it the following afternoon in Thibodaux, Louisiana. They finished the track just before soundcheck, shared it with the band, and performed it live that very night.
From that moment on, “Chattahoochee” took on a life of its own—becoming a country music classic and a lasting testament to the creative bond between Alan Jackson and Jim McBride.