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)
In Pictures
Alabama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two on the mantle and thousands in my head
I can't believe how fast she's growing
It ain't supposed to be like this
Everytime I look at her, I see how much I missed.
I missed her first steps
Her first words
Oh it hurts me so…
To watch my girl grow…
Up in Pictures
I sent the money down
Do my best to do my part
But it can't compare to what I paid with my heart
There's still one answered question
That weighs heavy on my mind
Will she ever understand, the reasons why?
I missed her first steps
Her first words
And I love you daddy something I seldom heard
Oh it hurts me so, to watch my girl grow
Up in pictures
Takes all I have to keep the tears inside.
And What I wouldn't give if I could turn back time.
I missed her first steps
Her first words
And “ I love you daddy” is something I seldom heard
Oh it hurts me so, to watch my baby grow
Up in pictures
"In Pictures" is a poignant and emotional song by American country band, Alabama. The song speaks to the sadness of the singer, who is reflecting on the things that he has missed in his daughter's life. The first verse talks about how he has pictures of his daughter all around him, but it only emphasizes how much he has missed. He can't believe how fast she has grown, and it wasn't supposed to be like this because he wasn't there for her.
In the second verse, Alabama dives deeper into the pain the singer feels. He talks about the fact that he has tried to make it up to her by sending money, but it can't compare to what he has given up with his heart. The unanswered question he has is whether his daughter will ever understand why he wasn't there for her. He's hurting because of the things he has missed, and it's even more painful to see his daughter grow up in pictures.
In the chorus, the lyrics are a repetition of the first and second verses. The singer continues to express his heartbreak, that he missed his daughter's first steps, first words, and even the words "I love you daddy," which he seldom heard. It's painful to watch his daughter grow up in pictures, and it takes all he has to keep the tears inside. He wishes he could turn back time and relive those moments with her.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got her photograph on a stand by my bed
I keep a photo of my daughter by my bed, as a reminder of her.
Two on the mantle and thousands in my head
There are two more photographs on the mantelpiece, but I also keep thousands of memories in my mind.
I can't believe how fast she's growing
It's hard to comprehend how quickly my daughter is growing up.
It ain't supposed to be like this
This is not how I thought my life would be.
Every time I look at her, I see how much I missed.
When I see my daughter, I'm reminded of all the things I missed out on.
I missed her first steps
I wasn't there to see her first steps.
Her first words
I wasn't there to hear her first words.
And “I love you daddy” is something I seldom heard.
She rarely tells me she loves me.
Oh it hurts me so…
It's painful for me to think about what I missed.
To watch my girl grow…
I'm sad that I can't be there to see my daughter grow up.
Up in Pictures
All I have are photos of my daughter growing up.
I sent the money down
I send money to support my daughter, but it's not enough.
Do my best to do my part
I try my best to contribute to my daughter's life, even from a distance.
But it can't compare to what I paid with my heart
My emotional pain of being away from my daughter can't be quantified or compared to the money I send.
There's still one unanswered question
There's still one question that bothers me.
That weighs heavy on my mind
It's a question that I can't stop thinking about.
Will she ever understand, the reasons why?
Will my daughter ever understand why I had to be away?
Takes all I have to keep the tears inside
It's hard for me to keep my emotions in check.
And what I wouldn't give if I could turn back time.
I wish I could go back in time and be there for everything.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JOSEPH A. DOYLE, ROBERT E. BOYD
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..