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Alabama (band)
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Alabama is a Grammy Award-winning country music and southern rock band that originated in Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. They were the most commercially successful country act in the 1980s and remain one of the bestselling American musical acts of all time. The band is often credited with bringing country music groups (as opposed to solo vocalists) into the mainstream, paving the way for the success of today's top country groups. Since its foundation in 1972, Alabama has been composed of Randy Owen (lead vocals), Jeff Cook (guitar, fiddle, background vocals), Teddy Gentry (bass guitar, background vocals) and Mark Herndon (drums).
The band's blend of traditional country music and southern rock combined with elements of gospel music, and pop music gave it a crossover appeal that helped lead to their unprecedented success.
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Alabama is a Grammy Award-winning country music and southern rock band that originated in Fort Payne, Alabama, United States. They were the most commercially successful country act in the 1980s and remain one of the bestselling American musical acts of all time. The band is often credited with bringing country music groups (as opposed to solo vocalists) into the mainstream, paving the way for the success of today's top country groups. Since its foundation in 1972, Alabama has been composed of Randy Owen (lead vocals), Jeff Cook (guitar, fiddle, background vocals), Teddy Gentry (bass guitar, background vocals) and Mark Herndon (drums).
The band's blend of traditional country music and southern rock combined with elements of gospel music, and pop music gave it a crossover appeal that helped lead to their unprecedented success. They also toured extensively and incorporated production elements such as lighting and "sets" inspired by rock concerts into their shows. The band has over 30 number one country records on the Billboard Magazine charts to their credit and have sold over 73 million records to date
History
Origins
The band was formed in 1969 by cousins Owen, Gentry, and Cook under the name Young Country. Their first gig was playing for a high school talent contest for which they won first prize—a trip to the Grand Ole Opry. The band took a break while Owen and Cook attended college, and then in 1972 the band reunited in Anniston, Alabama using the name Wildcountry. In 1973 decided to make the band a professional career, quit their day jobs and began playing in clubs across the Southeast. Most-famously, they performed at the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina nightspot—The Bowery.
Over the next four years the band went through five drummers. In 1977, they signed a one-album recording contract with GRT and changed their name to Alabama. Their single, "I Wanna Be With You Tonight", broke the Top 80. A year later GRT declared bankruptcy. Surprised to find that a contractual clause forbade them from recording with another label, the band bought out their contract, working for more than a year to raise the funds.
In 1979 Alabama were free to record again. The drummer quit, however and Owen, Gentry, and Cook hired former rock-band drummer Mark Herndon. These four musicians remained as the core of the band for the rest of its career.
Also in 1979, the band self-recorded an album and hired a promoter to help get radio airplay for their single, "I Wanna Come Over". Dallas, Texas-based MDJ Records agreed to release the single, which peaked at 33 on Billboard's country chart. The follow-up, "My Home's in Alabama", became their signature song and reached the Top 20 in March 1980. Both songs are on their first album, My Home's in Alabama.
The band was noticed by RCA Records. With the marketing and distribution power of their new label behind them, Alabama soon shot to the top of the country record charts. They also performed on the hit TV series "Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell sisters" in 1981.
Alabama's dominance in the early- and mid-1980's is evidenced by 21 of their single releases having reached number-one on Billboard's country singles chart. This streak also included a holiday single called "Christmas in Dixie", which ranked in the low Top 40's. The flip side of this single was Louise Mandrell and RC Bannon singing "Christmas is Just a Song for Us This Year".
Even though Christmas singles that don't make number-one are usually disregarded when determining chart-topping streaks, the longest streak of consecutive number-one singles is frequently attributed to Alabama.
Also, Lionel Richie's 1987 single, "Deep River Woman", featured harmony vocals from Alabama and peaked at number 10.
Number one singles
The No. 1 hits continued through April 1987, when "(You've Got) 'The Touch'" became their 21st chart-topper. After "Tar Top" peaked at No. 7 in the fall of 1987, Alabama started a new No. 1 string of six straight, and went on to have five more No. 1 hits through 1993's "Reckless."
For the record, the 32 No. 1 songs according to Billboard magazines country singles chart are as follows (other #1 singles from other trade magazines are not listed here):
1980: "Tennessee River"; "Why Lady Why" 1981: "Old Flame"; "Feels So Right"; "Love in the First Degree" 1982: "Mountain Music"; "Take Me Down"; "Close Enough to Perfect" 1983: "Dixieland Delight"; "The Closer You Get"; "Lady Down on Love" 1984: "Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)"; "When We Make Love"; "If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)" 1985: "(There's A) Fire in the Night"; "There's No Way"; "40 Hour Week (For a Livin')"; "Can't Keep a Good Man Down" 1986: "She and I"; "Touch Me When We're Dancing" 1987: "'You've Got' the Touch" 1988: "Face to Face" (duet with K.T. Oslin); "Fallin' Again" 1989: "Song of the South"; "If I Had You"; "High Cotton" 1990: "Southern Star"; "Jukebox in My Mind" 1991: "Forever's as Far as I'll Go"; "Down Home" 1992: "I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why)" 1993: "Reckless"
While 32 songs reached the summit in Billboard magazine, the band's official website acknowledges 41 of its songs reached the top of the various charts (which included Cash Box, Gavin Report, Radio & Records, among others). Conversely, some of the songs that topped Billboard did not necessarily top these other charts. Furthermore, a best-of album, titled For the Record: 41 Number One Hits, was released.
Those songs that went the distance on other charts, but not Billboard (although all were top five hits on the Billboard chart), are "Here We Are" and "Then Again" (1991); "Born Country" and "Take A Little Trip" (1992); "Once Upon a Lifetime" (1993); "Give Me One More Shot," "She Ain't Your Ordinary Girl" and "In Pictures" (1995); "Sad Lookin' Moon" (1997); and "How Do You Fall In Love" (1998).
The band also recorded an original song for the 1985 children's film Sesame Street Presents: Follow that Bird called "All Together Now". While the song is only heard briefly in the film (on a car radio), it is available on the film's soundtrack.
Farewell tour
In May 2002, the band announced its "Farewell Tour", which took place across the USA during 2003 and 2004. They are now retired from touring, but released two albums of inspirational music in 2006 and 2007.
Teddy Gentry has produced albums for various artists, most notably Emerson Drive (Countrified) and Collin Raye (Selected Hits).
Jeff Cook now performs with the Allstar Goodtime Band.
Awards
The group has won two Grammy Awards for "Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal", in 1982 for Mountain Music and in 1983 for The Closer You Get. They've also won a number of Country Music Association awards, including the "Entertainer of the Year" award in 1982, 1983, and 1984; and the ACM "Entertainer of the Year" award each year from 1981-1985. Alabama were also recognized by the ACM as "Artists of the Decade" for the 1980s, and in 1999 they were named Recording Industry Association of America’s “Country Group of the 20th century.”
The group has collected more American Music Awards than any other artist in history, with 23 wins, including the Award of Merit. Alabama was inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004 and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005.
Lawsuit filed against Mark Herndon
On May 9, 2008 the other members of the group sued drummer Mark Herndon for $202,670 in money allegedly overpaid to him three years earlier after the band's farewell tour concluded. This money was allegedly factored into the net profit and given to Herndon before accounting was completed, an allegation Herndon has denied. The band did not sue Mr. Herndon until he requested money from the multiple live albums and songs that the band had released but never paid Mr. Herndon for playing on. By filing the lawsuit, Alabama band attorneys mistakenly included copies of band contracts as exhibits along with their lawsuit papers, thus allowing fans a chance to look at the inner workings of the band and that Mr. Herndon actually had a contractual full band share of the farewell tour.
Giving back
Although they have achieved superstardom, Alabama have never forgotten their roots. From 1982 until 1997, they held an annual "Alabama June Jam" in Fort Payne, Alabama. Proceeds from these events were distributed to various charities and school organizations and have also been used to set up an escrow account which continues to distribute money to worthy causes. Each of the band members is also active in fundraising for a charity of his choice, and several of them have set up their own charitable foundations.
In honor of their good works, the group has been the recipient of the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, Country Radio Broadcasters' Humanitarian Award, and the Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award. Alabama was also awarded the B.M.I. President's Trophy for Public Service, which has been awarded only four times (and never before to a group). They were also the inaugural recipients of the "Spirit of Alabama" medal awarded by Governor Bob Riley.
In their live shows, Alabama often made a point of recognizing the men and women in America's Armed Forces. They have volunteered to visit injured soldiers at military hospitals, and have participated in the "Laying of the Wreath" ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. For their efforts, they have been awarded the USO Rising Star Award and the Pentagon 9/11 Medallion.
Owen, and his wife Kelly Owen, were the primary benefactors for the construction of the Kelly Owen Women's and Children's Pavilion at in Fort Payne, which was at the time a charitably-operated hospital of .
Musical stylings
Randy always sang lead on all of the group's singles, except for "Mountain Music", where Jeff and Teddy each contribute a line. However, several album cuts featured either Teddy or Jeff singing lead.
Discography
See also
- Best selling music artists
External links
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