As a neo-traditionalist country singer and songwriter, Alan Jackson has landed 25 No. 1 country hits. And using his considerable clout, Jackson decided to forego the hard rock/country subgenre that’s been prevalent for years to record an album that truly explores the music’s roots in bluegrass, with acoustic guitars, fiddles, banjos, and mandolins accompanying his familiar and comforting voice. Jackson wrote eight songs for this project, including the note-perfect “Long Hard Road,” the sweet and somber love song “Mary” (with intricate and tight harmonies), and “Appalachian Mountain Girl,” which leaves plenty of room for instrumental breaks of incredible speed and precision. For covers, Jackson chose several songs from the album’s co-producer, Adam Wright (“Ain’t Got Trouble Now,” “Knew All Along”), as well as The Dillards’ “There Is a Time” and Bill Monroe’s classic “Blue Moon of Kentucky.” Jackson even teases contemporary country music with the how-dirty-do-you-really-wanna-get? “Blacktop.”