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)
All Together Now
Alabama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never known why I left her
There's nothing like the love of a small town girl
But I thought I found something better
So I hit the big city
Coast to coast
And I must admit I had a good time
But now I've been around
But only with the one that I left behind
And it's all coming back to me now
It's all coming back to me now
It's all coming back to me now
You know I never was much for keeping in touch
I never wrote and never heard from her
I'd love to talk to her and try to make up
And solve all the pain I caused her
I realized now
I'm down on my luck
She is what
I never found
Now I'm back in town
She's not around
And I'm dealing with a heartache of the very worst kind
And it's all coming back to me now
It's all coming back to me now
I wonder now if this is how she must have heard
I don't know what I did
I'm getting what I deserved
'Cause it's all coming back to me now
Now I'm back in town
She's not around
And I'm dealing with a heartache of the very worst kind
And it's all coming back to me now
It's all coming back to me now
The song It's All Comin' Back To Me Now by Alabama tells the story of a man who left a small town girl whom he loved deeply, but thought he could find something better in the big city. As he moves from coast to coast he begins to regret his decision and realizes his mistake. He comes back to his hometown hoping to reconnect with the girl he left behind, but she's not there anymore. He's left with a heartbreaking realization that he lost the one thing that mattered most to him. He's trying to deal with this heartache, which is the very worst kind, and it's all coming back to him now.
The song's lyrics convey a sense of regret and missed opportunities. The singer is reminiscing about his past mistakes and trying to come to terms with them. It reflects on the cost of not following your heart and being true to yourself. The song's theme is relatable to anyone who has had a lost love or missed an opportunity in life.
The song's success can be attributed to its relatable lyrics and the power of Alabama's vocal performance. It's a powerful country ballad that strikes an emotional chord. The song has been covered by several other artists, including Meat Loaf, Celine Dion, and Bonnie Tyler.
Line by Line Meaning
Must have been the luckiest man in the world
I had the love of a small town girl but left her, thinking I could do better.
Never known why I left her
I regret leaving the one I loved and never understood why I did so.
There's nothing like the love of a small town girl
Small town love is pure and irreplaceable.
But I thought I found something better
I left her for the allure of bigger things.
So I hit the big city
I went out to explore beyond what I knew and left my love behind.
Coast to coast
I traveled far beyond state lines.
And I must admit I had a good time
I enjoyed my excursions, but now I want to settle down.
But now I've been around
I have experienced life beyond what I knew before.
And I'd like to settle down
I want to find someone special and make a home with them.
But only with the one that I left behind
My heart belongs to the one I left behind.
And it's all coming back to me now
Memories of my lost love are resurfacing.
You know I never was much for keeping in touch
I was never good at staying in contact with people, especially those I left behind.
I never wrote and never heard from her
I didn't make an effort to keep in touch with her, nor did I hear from her.
I'd love to talk to her and try to make up
I regret my past actions and want to make amends with her.
And solve all the pain I caused her
I know I caused her pain and want to make it right.
I realized now
In hindsight, I understand my mistakes.
I'm down on my luck
My life isn't going as well as I hoped it would.
She is what I never found
My lost love is the missing piece of my life.
Now I'm back in town
I returned to where I once lived.
She's not around
Unfortunately, the one I love is not here.
And I'm dealing with a heartache of the very worst kind
My heart is broken, and I'm suffering deeply because of it.
I wonder now if this is how she must have heard
I'm thinking about her feelings and what she must have gone through when I left her.
I don't know what I did
I'm unclear about how much damage I caused and how much of it is irreversible.
I'm getting what I deserved
I'm getting the consequences of my actions and decisions.
'Cause it's all coming back to me now
Memories of my past and the pain I caused are resurfacing.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: DAVE LOGGINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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..