Alan Jackson, fresh off a day of boating outside of Nashville, attended this week’s CMT Music Awards, and he almost didn’t make it in time for the show!

He was pulling his daughters around the lake on inner tubes and must have lost track of the time.

“I got dressed and just barely made it to those CMT Awards in time to walk out,” Jackson told the morning show team at CBS Chicago’s US99.5.

When he did make it to the show, he ran into a cast of characters backstage including Toby Keith, Willie Nelson, and Zac Brown.

His impression of the craziness he encountered backstage?

“Just Toby Keith walking through the halls, half crazy”, Alan went on to say. “He is always fun, I like Toby.”

As for Willie, Jackson said he doesn’t think anything “illegal” was going on, at least as far as he could tell.

“I didn’t smell it. I think he was joking with me about it on the bus.”

While it was all fun and games, there is one artist that Alan encountered, that he wouldn’t mind slapping around. But why?

“He’s the nicest fellow. He’s so polite, it makes me want to slap him, you know? He’s just a really, really sweet guy.”

Who knew Zac Brown could cause Alan Jackson to turn violent.

Listen to the full Alan Jackson interview on Chicago’s US99.5.

Steve Koscik / US99.5