Introduction
Alan Jackson’s “Midnight in Montgomery”: A Haunting Tribute
Released on April 20, 1992, “Midnight in Montgomery” is a deeply moving country ballad co‑written by Alan Jackson and Don Sampson. It served as the fourth single from Jackson’s second album, Don’t Rock the Jukebox, and is the only one of the album’s five singles that did not hit number 1—peaking instead at number 3 on both the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks and the Canadian RPM Country Tracks charts .
The song is a tribute to country music icon Hank Williams, who died on New Year’s Day 1953 and is buried in Montgomery, Alabama. In the narrative, Jackson describes a midnight drive to Montgomery to visit Williams’s grave site. Under a moonlit sky, he encounters Williams’s ghost—who thanks him for honoring his legacy before fading away. Jackson even weaves references to Williams’s own classics, such as “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” The closing line, “Hank’s always singing there,” underscores the haunting resonance of Williams’s music and spirit .
Musically, “Midnight in Montgomery” is understated and atmospheric: a mid‑tempo, largely acoustic arrangement in D minor. Jackson’s voice carries a quiet reverence, with subtle steel guitar and piano touches that evoke an eerie, reflective mood.
The accompanying official music video—filmed in black and white amid headstones under a full moon—heightens the song’s ghostly ambiance. Directed by Jim Shea, the video premiered in April 1992 and earned the Country Music Association’s Video of the Year award later that year, despite having to be shot twice due to an unwanted shadow in the first take .
Over time, “Midnight in Montgomery” has become one of Jackson’s most cherished storytelling songs, appreciated for its emotional depth, lyrical richness, and heartfelt homage to a country music legend. It remains a cornerstone of his catalog, featured on numerous greatest‑hits compilations including 34 Number Ones and Genuine: The Alan Jackson Story .