Country music artist Alan Jackson has some bad news to share with you. The renowned singer has been diagnosed with a progressive nerve disease that impairs his balance. Despite the devastating diagnosis, he does not believe that the illness will prevent him from touring; only time will tell whether he is correct in this regard. The 62-year-old country legend has Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease and has been suffering from the condition for the last decade of his life, as he revealed during an interview with TODAY show host Jenna Bush Hager.

Fortunately, though, his lifespan is not an issue. However, it has consequences for Jackson’s arms and legs since it reduces the size and strength of his muscles. This may limit his ability to stand on his two feet because he could have hammertoes or high arches in his feet.

Unfortunately, the Grammy winner acknowledged that his ability to perform live has been hindered by his illness. He informed Bush Hager that it was a “blessing” to be able to inform America and his followers about his condition so he could live his life truthfully rather than attempting to conceal what he’d been dealing with for ten years.

“It’s genetic that I inherited from my daddy,” Jackson stated in the interview. His father was also afflicted with the disease, and his grandmother was diagnosed with it as well; and he has a sister who is presently fighting it exactly like he is. “There’s no cure for it, but it’s been affecting me for years. And it’s getting more and more obvious.”

“I know I’m stumbling around on stage. And now I’m having a little trouble balancing, even in front of the microphone, and so I just feel very uncomfortable. I think it will be good for me now to get it out in the open.”

Although the condition would not “kill” him, it is connected to other diseases, including Parkinson’s and muscular dystrophy.

It’s amusing to him that he has a condition with an acronym, CMT, which is the same as County Music Television Channel.

While the disease is supposed to hold him back, Jackson has already accomplished a lot in country music throughout his career. He has sold over 43.5 million albums in the United States, making him one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. He was also inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame last year, which was attended by country music legends such as Loretta Lynn and Lee Ann Womack.

Lynn added, during his formal induction into the hall of fame: “The first time I ever met Alan, he looked like a scared little boy. He was backstage, going through his songs. And I remember looking at him and saying, ‘You’re going to be one of the greatest singers in country music.’ He hasn’t let me down.”

Lynn had recently been recovering from a stroke and was not expected to appear.

“This is the first time I’ve been out of the house,” she stated. “You’re the only thing that would’ve brought me here.”