Alan Jackson performed ‘Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning’ on the 2021 National Memorial Day Concert in honor of the 20th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.
‘Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning’ is a song written and recorded by country music superstar Alan Jackson.
It was the lead single from his tenth studio album, Drive (2002), released on Arista Nashville. The song’s lyrics center on the September 11 attacks, written in the form of questions.
Jackson said he desired to write a song capturing the emotions surrounding the attacks but found it difficult to do so. He debuted the song publicly at the Country Music Association’s annual awards show on November 7, 2001.
The song won multiple awards at the Academy of Country Music and Country Music Association Awards, including Song of the Year, and also earned Jackson his first Grammy Award for Best Country Song.
