Alan Jackson: Alan Jackson (vocals, guitar); Gary Prim, John Wesley Ryles, Keith Stegall, Melodie Crittenden, Brent Mason .
Personnel: Brent Mason (acoustic guitar); Gary Prim (piano, organ); Keith Stegall (piano); Ali Jackson, John Wesley Ryles, Melodie Crittenden (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: John Kelton.
Recording information: Sound Station, Nashville, TN; The Rukkus Room, Nashville, TN.
Photographer: Alan Jackson.
On 2006's PRECIOUS MEMORIES, country superstar Alan Jackson ventures into gospel territory, offering up a set of warm and inviting faith-themed songs. These spare tracks feature no percussion and rely almost solely on piano and acoustic guitar, allowing the focus to remain on Jackson's resonant vocals and the songs' devoutly Christian lyrics. Although praising Jesus is clearly the core of this album, the beautifully minimalist renderings of spiritual classics are so soothing and pleasant that the disc's appeal is sure to extend to fans of Jackson's secular music, particularly on "Softly and Tenderly," which is enhanced by gentle organ lines, and "I'll Fly Away," here given a light, jaunty bluegrass feel. The resulting atmosphere evokes images of the Georgia-born singer/guitarist sitting in on a friendly, open-air church service, leading a sing-along of traditional numbers such as "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" and "I Want to Stroll Over Heaven with You."
Ten studio albums into his career, Alan Jackson takes a bit of a breather with 2006's Precious Memories, his first ever gospel album. Not coincidentally, it's his quietest record to date, as hushed and reverent as a Sunday service, with each track boasting little more than a piano, acoustic guitar, harmony vocals, and maybe an organ. There may not be much musical variety to these spare, intimate arrangements, but they suit this set of sturdy traditional gospel classics, and they also suit Jackson, who always has been eager to pay respect to his idols and influences. On most of his albums, this reverence doesn't sound overly reverent since he does sing loose, rocking honky tonk and indulges in a sense of humor, two things that help illustrate his good taste. Here, every song is deliberately calm and consciously tasteful, which may make for perfect music for church, but hardly makes for a dynamic record. As the album rolls on, the similarity in tempo and arrangements gives the album a monotonous, sleepy quality; each individual track is well crafted and sincere, but taken as a whole, it all blurs together and winds up seeming twice as long as its 37 minutes. But even if Precious Memories winds up as something slightly underwhelming, there's no denying that this is precisely the album Jackson wanted to make, one that's consistent in tone and exact in its vision. It may not make for everyday listening, even an album that would be played every week, yet it would make a good soundtrack for a reflective, reverent Sunday afternoon. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Rolling Stone (p.94) - "Alan Jackson sings in a rich, restrained baritone that helps give even his rowdier songs a touch of classic-country elegance. That voice is at its most sensibly sturdy on PRECIOUS MEMORIES..."
Entertainment Weekly (p.103) - "The delivery of these old church songs is solemn, the accompaniment sparse, and the historical value real..." -- Grade: B+
No Depression (p.132) - "The arrangements rarely extend beyond stately solo piano or guitar, the harmonies sound homespun and familial, and Jackson's vocal subtlety has a self-effacing humility in the face of a higher power."