Precious Memories (album)

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Precious Memories
Studio album by Alan Jackson
Released	February 28, 2006
Genre	Country Gospel
Label	Arista
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Alan Jackson chronology
What I Do (2004)	Precious Memories (2006)	Like Red On A Rose (2006)

Precious Memories is the thirteenth studio album by country music singer Alan Jackson.

[edit] Track listing

1. "Blessed Assurance" – 1:56
2. "Softly and Tenderly" – 3:17
3. "I Love to Tell the Story" – 2:53
4. "When We All Get to Heaven" – 1:44
5. "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus" – 1:52
6. "In the Garden" – 2:54
7. "Are You Washed in the Blood?" – 1:15
8. "I'll Fly Away" – 2:13
9. "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" – 2:16
10. "Standing on the Promises" – 1:35
11. "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" – 3:47
12. "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" – 1:34
13. "The Old Rugged Cross" – 3:06
14. "How Great Thou Art" – 3:32
15. "I Want to Stroll Over Heaven with You" – 3:06

A few decades ago nearly every country singer had at least one--often more--gospel albums in their catalog. Today, aside from gospel veteran Amy Grant, who balances the sacred and secular, and Randy Travis, that concept has long faded. For Alan Jackson, however, treating the musical past as present has been a way of life, as it is with these 15 timeless hymns from his youth. Recorded with just two acoustic guitars and a piano, it was originally a private Christmas present to his mother. The spare instrumentation is surprisingly robust behind his flawless readings of "I'll Fly Away," "Softly and Tenderly," "How Great Thou Art," "Are You Washed in the Blood?," and "The Old Rugged Cross," all as beguilingly unpretentious as any of his country hits. Instead of an all-star duet, wife Denise and daughters Mattie and Ali join in on "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus." In the end, what began as a private bequest becomes a moving, eloquent gift to Jackson's entire audience. --Rich Kienzle