Alabama (band)

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Alabama is a Grammy Award-winning country music band that originated in Fort Payne, Alabama. 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.

The band's blend of traditional country music and southern rock combined with some elements of 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.[1]

1 Members
2 History and No. 1 singles
3 Awards
4 Trivia
5 Discography
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Members

Randy Owen (vocals and rhythm guitar)
Teddy Gentry (vocals and bass guitar)
Jeff Cook (lead guitar, keyboards, bass guitar, fiddle, banjo, and mandolin)
Mark Herndon (drums and percussion)

[edit] History and No. 1 singles

The band was started in 1969 by cousins Owen, Gentry, and Cook and began by singing for tips around Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. They later moved on to headlining at The Bowery, a club in Myrtle Beach.

After several name changes and a hiatus for college, the band landed its first recording contract in 1977. They first hit the Billboard country chart's Top 40 in November 1979 with "I Wanna Come Over"; the song peaked at No. 33. The follow-up, their signature song, "My Home's in Alabama," 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 and with the marketing and distibution power of their new label behind them, Alabama soon shot to the top of the country record charts.

Alabama was so dominant in the early- and mid-1980s that 21 of their single releases reached No. 1 on Billboard's country singles chart. They would have broken Sonny James' record of 16 consecutive No. 1 singles had their 1982 Christmas single, "Christmas in Dixie," (which was released in between their eighth and ninth chart-topping singles), made it to No. 1. However, some sources — including Joel Whitburn's "Top Country Songs: 1944-2005" — disregard non-No. 1 Christmas singles in determining chart-topping streaks and consider Alabama to have scored 21 consecutive No. 1 hits, which would surpass James' record.

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 magazine's country singles chart are as follows:

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";
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"; "If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You've Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)."

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: "Hometown Honeymoon"; "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 include Cash Box and Radio & Records among others). 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 that 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); and "Sad Lookin' Moon" (1997).

In May 2002, the band announced its "Farewell Tour", which took place across the USA during 2003 & 2004. They are now retired from touring.

[edit] 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.

The group has won a number of Country Music Association awards, including the "Entertainer of the Year" award in 1982, 1983, and 1984. The group was also won the ACM "Entertainer of the Year" award each year from 1981-1985. They were also recognized by the ACM as "Artists of the Decade" for the 1980s, and in 1999 the band was 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.

According to Billboard Magazine, a holiday release does not interfere with the streak; however, if it goes #1, it will be included. They have the record for 21 consecutive #1's.

Alabama was inducted into The Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2004.

[edit] Trivia

On July 4, 1993, they opened a $7-million, 2,200-seat theater, located in Barefoot Landing-Myrtle Beach South Carolina where they began their careers. Their song "Dancin', Shaggin' on the Boulevard" pays tribute to Myrtle Beach's nightclubs.