Who Is Mattie Denise Jackson?
Mattie Denise Jackson, also known as Mattie Jackson Selecman and Mattie Jackson Smith, is an American author, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and spirits professional. Born on June 19, 1990, she is the eldest daughter of country music legend Alan Jackson and bestselling author Denise Jackson. Although she grew up in a family recognized across the country music industry, Mattie has gradually established an identity shaped by writing, hospitality, faith, and business.
Raised primarily in the Nashville, Tennessee, area, Mattie grew up surrounded by music, storytelling, and strong family traditions. Her father built a remarkable career through country hits and heartfelt ballads, while her mother became known for sharing personal experiences through books. Those influences helped create an environment where stories carried emotional weight and family remained a central source of strength.
Mattie studied creative writing at the University of Tennessee and graduated around 2012. She later developed expertise in wine and spirits, earning Level 2 sommelier certification and becoming a Certified Bourbon Professional. Her career has since expanded into publishing, philanthropy, podcasting, and her role as Master Blender for Silverbelly Whiskey.
Her life has also included profound personal loss. The death of her first husband, Ben Selecman, in 2018 became a defining experience that influenced her writing and public discussions about grief. Through her books and speaking engagements, she has sought to help others find hope during difficult seasons.
Mattie Jackson’s Early Life and Education
Mattie, born June 19, 1990, in the US, grew up in Nashville. As the oldest of three daughters, she was unique in a family that valued tight ties despite her lucrative entertainment career.
Her childhood tied her to Georgia and Tennessee. Newnan, Georgia, influenced Alan Jackson’s music and personality, while Nashville was the family’s professional and social hub.
Mattie’s education included creative writing. Her University of Tennessee skills helped her become an author. Her narration evolved into a personal exploration of loss, faith, resilience, and emotional recovery.
Writing was not her only hobby. Mattie also liked hospitality and nice drinks. She obtained specialized instruction to follow a different career route than her father’s musical renown.
Meet Mattie Jackson’s Parents
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson, born October 17, 1958, is one of country music’s most recognizable singer-songwriters. Known for blending traditional country sounds with personal storytelling, he has produced numerous successful albums and hit singles throughout his career.
His achievements include multiple Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music honors, as well as induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame. His music has reached millions of listeners, with worldwide record sales reported in excess of 75 million.
Yet his family has remained an important part of his public identity. Songs such as “Drive (For Daddy Gene)” reflect his attachment to family memories, while “You’ll Always Be My Baby” celebrates the enduring bond between a parent and his daughters.
Alan’s influence on Mattie extends beyond music. His career demonstrates how personal experiences can become meaningful stories, a principle that also appears in her writing. In January 2025, their professional paths intersected more directly when Mattie joined Silverbelly Whiskey as Master Blender.
Denise Jackson
Denise Jackson, born January 7, 1960, is Alan’s longtime wife and Mattie’s mother. The couple were high-school sweethearts and married on December 15, 1979, in Newnan, Georgia.
Their marriage experienced difficulties, including a separation during the late 1990s, but they eventually reconciled. Denise has written openly about their relationship, personal struggles, and Christian faith.
Her books, including It’s All About Him and The Road Home, established her reputation as an author whose work combines personal testimony with spiritual reflection.
Denise’s influence on Mattie is especially visible in the way her daughter approaches difficult experiences. Both women have used writing to examine personal challenges and communicate lessons drawn from family life, faith, and perseverance.
Mattie Jackson’s Sisters and Their Growing Families
Mattie has two younger sisters, Alexandra Jane and Dani Grace. Although both generally maintain more private lives than their famous father, their family milestones frequently attract attention.
Alexandra Jane Ali Jackson Bradshaw
Alexandra Jane “Ali” Jackson Bradshaw was born on August 23, 1993. As the middle daughter, she shares a close family connection with Mattie and Dani.
Ali married Sam Bradshaw on July 18, 2020. The couple welcomed their son, Jackson Alvie Bradshaw, on December 13, 2022, followed by their daughter, Parker Anne Bradshaw, on April 8, 2026.
Ali has also appeared onstage with her father, offering occasional glimpses of the family’s musical connection. Nevertheless, her public presence remains relatively limited compared with Alan’s career.
Her children have given Mattie the additional role of aunt, extending the family’s next generation.
Dani Grace Jackson Carrington
Dani Grace Jackson Carrington, born August 28, 1997, is the youngest of Alan and Denise’s three daughters.
She married Sam Carrington and welcomed their son, Samuel Hudson Carrington, known as Hudson, on July 9, 2026.
Dani generally keeps personal details away from the spotlight. Her family life reflects the broader approach shared by the Jackson sisters: maintaining close relationships while protecting much of their private world.
All three sisters were pregnant during approximately the same period in late 2025 and early 2026. This unusual family milestone created a particularly memorable chapter for Alan and Denise as they anticipated several new grandchildren.
Mattie Jackson’s First Marriage to Ben Selecman
Mattie’s first husband was Samuel “Ben” Selecman, an assistant district attorney in Davidson County, Tennessee. His professional work included cases involving trafficking and related offenses.
The couple met through mutual friends at a wedding and later reconnected. Their relationship developed into marriage on October 7, 2017, at the Jackson family estate in Franklin, Tennessee.
Their marriage was tragically brief. In September 2018, Ben suffered a traumatic brain injury after slipping on a boat dock in Florida. He died at 28, approximately three weeks before the couple’s first wedding anniversary.
The loss changed Mattie’s life in ways that could not be measured by dates or milestones alone. She has described the difficulty of navigating grief while trying to understand how to continue living after the sudden death of someone she loved.
Ben’s professional commitment to helping vulnerable people also became connected to Mattie’s charitable interests. Her subsequent writing and philanthropic work helped turn private pain into efforts aimed at supporting others experiencing hardship.
Mattie Jackson’s Second Marriage to Connor Smith
After several years of grieving and rebuilding her life, Mattie found love again with Connor Smith. They reportedly began dating around late 2021 or early 2022 after meeting through mutual friends.
Connor proposed in September 2022. The couple married on May 12, 2023, at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida.
Alan publicly welcomed Connor into the family, marking another important moment in Mattie’s personal journey. Her second marriage represented a new chapter without erasing the significance of her first.
Mattie and Connor have two children together.
Their son, Wesley Alan Smith, was born on June 20, 2024. His name honors family connections, including Connor’s grandfather and Mattie’s father, Alan.
Their daughter, Charlotte Anne Smith, affectionately known as Charlie or Charlie Ann, was born on February 13, 2026.
The family also has a dog named Ryman, who occasionally appears in Mattie’s social media posts. Together, these everyday details offer a picture of her current life as a wife and mother, alongside her continuing professional responsibilities.
Mattie Jackson’s Career as an Author
Mattie’s writing career is well-known. Lemons on Friday: Trusting God Through My Greatest Heartbreak, her first major book, was published in 2021.
The book recounts her struggle to reconcile grief and religion after losing Ben. Mattie explores the emotional uncertainty that follows a traumatic loss rather than mending as a quick process.
The foreword by Alan and Denise linked the book to the family’s faith and storytelling.
Mattie wrote “Racing the Dark,” a song about her emotions, alongside her father. She wrote about her experiences and Alan played music.
That concept is expanded in her next book, Through the Valley of Grief: A 365-Day Devotional of Spiritual Practices for Hope in Suffering. The devotional provides an organized strategy to process grief via daily thought and spiritual practices.
Workbooks, workshops, speaking engagements, and grief-support activities have expanded her work beyond publishing.
Mattie Jackson’s Business Ventures and Philanthropy
Mattie’s entrepreneurial interests extend beyond writing.
NaSHEville
Mattie co-founded NaSHEville with Brooke Tometich. The philanthropic apparel brand directs proceeds toward organizations supporting orphans, widows, and women affected by trafficking.
Its charitable partnerships have included organizations such as Love One International, Modern Widows Club, and End Slavery Tennessee.
The mission reflects both Mattie’s personal experiences and her desire to contribute to causes that support vulnerable communities. Her first husband’s professional work involving trafficking cases provides additional context for the importance she places on this area of philanthropy.
Salt & Vine
Before becoming widely associated with grief writing and whiskey blending, Mattie owned Salt & Vine, a wine bar in the Nashville area.
The business represented an earlier stage of her professional development, combining hospitality with her interest in wine. Her formal sommelier training provided a foundation for understanding beverages, flavor profiles, and the customer experience.
Although she no longer operates the wine bar, that chapter helped establish expertise that would later prove useful in the spirits industry.
Silverbelly Whiskey
In January 2025, Mattie joined her father’s Silverbelly Whiskey brand as Master Blender.
Her responsibilities include quality control, blending, finishing, research and development, and work on new products. The position brings together her technical training and the Jackson family’s business interests.
For Mattie, whiskey represents more than a family connection. Her background in wine and spirits provides a professional foundation for the role, while her involvement helps the brand draw on expertise beyond Alan’s public profile.
Mattie Jackson’s Podcast and Social Media Presence
Mattie has also used podcasting to discuss faith, emotional well-being, and the pursuit of joy during difficult circumstances.
Her podcast, In Joy Life with Mattie Jackson, explored the idea that joy can be practiced even when life does not unfold as expected. The show continued for several years, with its final episode reportedly appearing around October 2025.
Her online presence remains an avenue for sharing personal milestones and professional updates. On Instagram, under the handle @mattiejackson, she posts about family, faith, golf, wine, her dog Ryman, and important moments in her life.
Unlike a traditional celebrity account built primarily around publicity, her content often emphasizes personal relationships and everyday experiences. Her audience can see the connection between her public work and the family life that informs it.
Mattie Jackson’s Net Worth and Financial Status
Mattie Jackson’s personal net worth has not been reliably established through public financial disclosures.
Some online celebrity wealth websites have circulated estimates of approximately $5 million or other figures, but these claims lack dependable verification. Conflicting estimates and descriptions of businesses or properties that cannot be substantiated make such numbers particularly unreliable.
Her professional activities provide several potential sources of income:
| Income source | Financial context |
|---|---|
| Book publishing | Royalties from her books and related publishing projects |
| Speaking engagements | Potential fees for appearances and discussions about grief and faith |
| NaSHEville | Business involvement in a philanthropic apparel brand |
| Hospitality | Income associated with her former ownership of Salt & Vine |
| Silverbelly Whiskey | Compensation from her Master Blender role, which has not been publicly disclosed |
| Podcast and related projects | Potential income from associated professional activities |
These activities demonstrate that Mattie has developed several professional avenues of her own. However, the revenue, expenses, ownership arrangements, and compensation associated with those ventures are not fully public.
Her father’s wealth provides useful family context but should not be confused with her individual net worth. Alan Jackson’s fortune is frequently estimated at approximately $150 million to $200 million, reflecting decades of record sales, songwriting royalties, touring, real estate, and business interests.
Those estimates are not an accounting of Mattie’s assets. Without verified information about her investments, property ownership, debts, or earnings, assigning her a precise personal fortune would be speculative.
Mattie Jackson’s Paternal Grandparents and Family Roots
Mattie’s family history reaches back to Newnan, Georgia, where her paternal grandparents raised their children in modest circumstances.
Joseph Eugene Daddy Gene Jackson
Joseph Eugene “Daddy Gene” Jackson lived from 1927 to 2000. He worked as a mechanic and helped provide for a family that would eventually include one of country music’s most successful performers.
His influence remained present in Alan’s music long after his death. The song “Drive (For Daddy Gene)” is among the clearest examples of Alan transforming family memories into music that resonates with listeners.
For Mattie, her grandfather’s story represents an earlier generation whose working life and family commitments helped shape the Jackson family’s values.
Ruth Musick Mama Ruth Jackson
Mama Ruth Jackson was born in 1930 and died in 2017. Her name was Mattie Ruth Musick Jackson.
In a little Newnan home surrounding a toolshed, she and Joseph raised five children, including Alan and four girls.
Alan’s gospel and Christmas songs were inspired by Mama Ruth. Her influence shows how family members who are rarely seen can influence an artist’s work.
The family’s past contrasts with its public achievements. The Jackson tale began with ordinary employment, intimate relationships, and recollections of home before sold-out performances and significant prizes.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mattie Denise Jackson
How old is Mattie Denise Jackson?
Mattie was born on June 19, 1990. As of October 2026, she is 36 years old.
Who are Mattie Jackson’s parents?
Her parents are country singer Alan Jackson and author Denise Jackson. They married on December 15, 1979, in Newnan, Georgia.
Who was Mattie Jackson’s first husband?
Her first husband was Samuel “Ben” Selecman, an assistant district attorney. They married on October 7, 2017. Ben died in September 2018 at the age of 28 after suffering a traumatic brain injury in a fall on a Florida boat dock.
Who is Mattie Jackson’s current husband?
Mattie is married to Connor Smith. They married on May 12, 2023, at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Florida.
How many children does Mattie Jackson have?
Mattie and Connor have two children: Wesley Alan Smith, born June 20, 2024, and Charlotte Anne Smith, known as Charlie, born February 13, 2026.
What does Mattie Jackson do for a living?
She is an author, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and spirits professional. Her work includes publishing books about grief and faith, co-founding NaSHEville, participating in speaking and podcasting projects, and serving as Master Blender for Silverbelly Whiskey.
What is Mattie Jackson’s net worth?
Her personal net worth has not been publicly verified. Online estimates should be treated cautiously because reliable financial disclosures detailing her individual assets and income are unavailable.
What is Silverbelly Whiskey, and what is Mattie’s role?
Silverbelly Whiskey is a whiskey brand associated with Alan Jackson. Mattie joined the business as Master Blender in January 2025, working on quality control, blending, finishing, research, development, and new products.
What books has Mattie Jackson written?
Her best-known books include Lemons on Friday: Trusting God Through My Greatest Heartbreak, published in 2021, and Through the Valley of Grief: A 365-Day Devotional of Spiritual Practices for Hope in Suffering. Both explore grief, faith, and ways to navigate painful experiences.
Does Mattie Jackson have siblings?
Yes. She has two younger sisters, Alexandra Jane “Ali” Jackson Bradshaw and Dani Grace Jackson Carrington. Both have families of their own, making Mattie an aunt to their children as well as a mother to her own two children.
