Alabama is a country music band from Fort Payne, Alabama. The band has over… Read Full Bio ↴Alabama is a country music band from Fort Payne, Alabama. The band has over 41 #1 country records on the Billboard charts to their credit and have sold over 75 million records, making them the most successful band in country music history. AllMusic credited the band with popularizing the idea of a country band and wrote that "It's unlikely that any other country group will be able to surpass the success of Alabama."
The band was founded by Randy Owen (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and his cousin Teddy Gentry (bass, backing vocals). They were soon joined by another cousin, Jeff Cook (lead guitar, fiddle, and keyboards). First operating under the name Wild Country, the group toured the Southeast bar circuit in the early 1970s, and began writing original songs. They changed their name to Alabama in 1977 and following the chart success of two singles, were approached by RCA Nashville for a record deal.
Alabama's biggest success came in the 1980s, where the band had over 27 #1 hits, seven multi-platinum albums and received numerous awards. Alabama's first single on RCA Records, "Tennessee River", began a streak of 21 #1 singles, including "Love in the First Degree" (1981), "Mountain Music" (1982), "Dixieland Delight" (1983), "If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)" (1984) and "Song of the South" (1988). The band's popularity waned slightly in the 1990s although they continued to produce hit singles and multi-platinum album sales. Alabama disbanded in 2004 following a farewell tour and two albums of inspirational music but reunited in 2010 and have continued to record and tour worldwide.
Owen was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010, but he was later given a clean bill of health, which led to the band's reunion, without Herndon. Following a series of tornadoes destroying homes and businesses throughout their state in 2011, Alabama assembled a benefit concert in Birmingham, called Bama Rising. Featuring the band's first set since 2004, alongside Luke Bryan, Sheryl Crow and Brad Paisley, the concert raised $2.1 million. "I guess we realized that maybe we missed the playing ... and five or six years had gone by and we were like, 'Maybe that wasn't as bad as we remember it being,'" said Gentry. In celebration of the group's 40th anniversary, Alabama resumed touring in 2013 for the Back to the Bowery tour, referencing the Myrtle Beach club where they first became professional musicians. They also undertook a short cruise, The Alabama & Friends Festival at Sea, which left for the Bahamas on Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Pearl ship. In addition, the band released Alabama & Friends, a tribute album encompassing covers from newer artists such as Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line, in addition to two new tracks by Alabama.
The band released their first new studio album in 14 years, Southern Drawl, on September 18, 2015, via BMG Chrysalis. In 2016, Alabama was selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mash-up track of "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "On the Road Again", and "I Will Always Love You" that celebrates 50 years of the CMA Awards.
In April 2017, guitarist Jeff Cook announced in a video that he would reduce the number of shows for which he would be in attendance while the band was on tour, due to his struggle with Parkinson's. He had been diagnosed four years prior, and this was his first public announcement about his condition.
In August 2021, the band sold its interest in its recorded music rights catalog to Reservoir Media. Cook died from complications of Parkinson's disease on November 7, 2022.
The band's blend of traditional country music and Southern rock combined with elements of bluegrass, folk, gospel and pop music gave it a crossover appeal that helped lead to their success. They also toured extensively and incorporated production elements such as lighting and "sets" inspired by rock concerts into their shows.
Alabama was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2019 and were awarded with the first ever Life Time Achievement Award from this institution.
The members of Alabama are:
- Randy Owen (lead vocals and rhythm guitar)
- Teddy Gentry (bass guitar and backing vocals)
The band was founded by Randy Owen (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and his cousin Teddy Gentry (bass, backing vocals). They were soon joined by another cousin, Jeff Cook (lead guitar, fiddle, and keyboards). First operating under the name Wild Country, the group toured the Southeast bar circuit in the early 1970s, and began writing original songs. They changed their name to Alabama in 1977 and following the chart success of two singles, were approached by RCA Nashville for a record deal.
Alabama's biggest success came in the 1980s, where the band had over 27 #1 hits, seven multi-platinum albums and received numerous awards. Alabama's first single on RCA Records, "Tennessee River", began a streak of 21 #1 singles, including "Love in the First Degree" (1981), "Mountain Music" (1982), "Dixieland Delight" (1983), "If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)" (1984) and "Song of the South" (1988). The band's popularity waned slightly in the 1990s although they continued to produce hit singles and multi-platinum album sales. Alabama disbanded in 2004 following a farewell tour and two albums of inspirational music but reunited in 2010 and have continued to record and tour worldwide.
Owen was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2010, but he was later given a clean bill of health, which led to the band's reunion, without Herndon. Following a series of tornadoes destroying homes and businesses throughout their state in 2011, Alabama assembled a benefit concert in Birmingham, called Bama Rising. Featuring the band's first set since 2004, alongside Luke Bryan, Sheryl Crow and Brad Paisley, the concert raised $2.1 million. "I guess we realized that maybe we missed the playing ... and five or six years had gone by and we were like, 'Maybe that wasn't as bad as we remember it being,'" said Gentry. In celebration of the group's 40th anniversary, Alabama resumed touring in 2013 for the Back to the Bowery tour, referencing the Myrtle Beach club where they first became professional musicians. They also undertook a short cruise, The Alabama & Friends Festival at Sea, which left for the Bahamas on Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Pearl ship. In addition, the band released Alabama & Friends, a tribute album encompassing covers from newer artists such as Jason Aldean and Florida Georgia Line, in addition to two new tracks by Alabama.
The band released their first new studio album in 14 years, Southern Drawl, on September 18, 2015, via BMG Chrysalis. In 2016, Alabama was selected as one of 30 artists to perform on "Forever Country", a mash-up track of "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "On the Road Again", and "I Will Always Love You" that celebrates 50 years of the CMA Awards.
In April 2017, guitarist Jeff Cook announced in a video that he would reduce the number of shows for which he would be in attendance while the band was on tour, due to his struggle with Parkinson's. He had been diagnosed four years prior, and this was his first public announcement about his condition.
In August 2021, the band sold its interest in its recorded music rights catalog to Reservoir Media. Cook died from complications of Parkinson's disease on November 7, 2022.
The band's blend of traditional country music and Southern rock combined with elements of bluegrass, folk, gospel and pop music gave it a crossover appeal that helped lead to their success. They also toured extensively and incorporated production elements such as lighting and "sets" inspired by rock concerts into their shows.
Alabama was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2019 and were awarded with the first ever Life Time Achievement Award from this institution.
The members of Alabama are:
- Randy Owen (lead vocals and rhythm guitar)
- Teddy Gentry (bass guitar and backing vocals)
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The Essential Alabama
Alabama Lyrics
(There's A) Fire in the Night Running scared Wonderin' what I'm doin' so far from home Beg…
Born Country Clear creeks And cool mountain mornings Honest work out in …
Can't Keep a Good Man Down He said goodbye to the angels of heaven And He came…
Close Enough to Perfect Sometimes her morning coffee's way too strong And sometimes …
Dixieland Delight Rolling down a backwoods Tennessee byway One arm on the whee…
Down Home Just off of the beaten path A little dot on the…
Face to Face Run your fingers through my hair And softly kiss my lips And…
Fallin' Again Thinking of the faces I've seen Back when I was young…
Feels So Right Whisper to me softly, breathe words upon my skin No one's…
Five O'Clock 500 Just punched the clock and boy, am I ready? Walkin' out…
Forever's as Far as I'll Go I'll admit I could feel it The first time that we…
Forty Hour Week (For a Livin') There are people in this country, Who work hard every day. N…
Give Me One More Shot Life ain't all that easy I can testify to that It's…
Here We Are Here we are, once again Stronger now than we have ever…
High Cotton We didn't know that times were lean Round our house the…
Hometown Honeymoon Hey baby won't you take my hand And make me a…
How Do You Fall in Love How do you fall in love When do you say I…
I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why) I'm in a hurry to get things done Oh I rush…
If I Had You I could show the world how to smile I could be…
If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band) ALABAMA LYRICS If You're Gonna Play In Texas (You Gotta Ha…
In Pictures I've got her photograph on a stand by my bed Two…
Jukebox in My Mind [Chorus] In the corner of my mind stands a jukebox It's play…
Keepin' Up What's goin' on with the sun and the moon 'Cause one's…
Lady Down On Love It's her first night on the town, since she was…
Love in the First Degree I once though of love as a prison A place I…
Mountain Music Oh, play me some mountain music Like grandma and grandpa use…
Old Flame I saw you staring at each other I saw your eyes…
Once Upon a Lifetime Once upon a lifetime I looked in someone's eyes And felt the…
Reckless Let's roll the windows down, turn the radio up Let…
Sad Lookin' Moon Sad Lookin' Moon: Alabama I thought that you could fly I th…
She Ain't Your Ordinary Girl She ain't your ordinary She ain't your ordinary girl She do…
She and I She and I live in our own little world Don't worry…
Song of the South Song, song of the south Sweet potato pie and I shut…
Southern Star Oh, southern star, how I wish you would shine And show…
Take Me Down Fly away with me tonight Take me on a one-way flight…
Tennessee River I was born across the river In the mountains where I…
The Closer You Get The closer you get, the further I fall I'll be over…
Then Again We could walk away now Call it over and done Say we…
There's No Way As I lay by your side and hold you tonight I…
Touch Me When We're Dancing Play us a song we can slow dance On we want…
When We Make Love There's a light in your eyes tonight You know I'd know…
Why Lady Why Why, lady, why, can't I leave you alone? I try, lady,…
You've Got the Touch Lyin' beside you watching you sleepin' After you've loved me…
Kimberly Bittner
on Carolina Mountain Dewe
Why would you put this one to show, when I made a video to it on u-tube.. This dosen't tell the story to the song I have loved for over 30 tears..