JULY 19, 2019
TD Place, Ottawa
When it comes to country music few bands are better known than Alabama. It’s been 50 years since Randy, Jeff and Teddy left the cotton farms of Fort Payne, Alabama to spend the summer playing music in a Myrtle Beach, South Carolina bar called The Bowery. It is a classic American tale of rags to riches. From humble beginnings picking cotton in the fields to international stars who went on to sell 80 million albums while changing the face and sound of country music.
Quality songs that have become the soundtrack for American life are the foundation for ALABAMA’s stellar career. Alabama introduced rock style guitars, lights, pyrotechnics and sounds to the country audience that have inspired many of today’s brightest country stars, including Kenny Chesney, Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan.
While their music continues to stand the test of time, their numbers and stats are beyond compare. Fifty years since starting the band, Alabama has charted 43 #1 singles, including 21 #1 singles in a row, and have won over 179 CMA Awards, Grammy Awards and ACM Awards. They are members of the Country Music Hall of Fame and have their own star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They are also world-class philanthropists who have raised over 250 million dollars for charity.
Alabama 50th anniversary
“Teddy, Jeff and I are humbled at the amount of fans that are coming out to see us,” Randy Owen says in a press release. “We are finding out that we are playing to three generations of fans who have followed us and our music from day one. The fans are the ones responsible for our continued success on the road, and we love them.”
“Randy, Teddy and I have loved making music, touring and being with our fans night after night,” Jeff Cook says. “It’s truly an experience that has created a bond between us and them that cannot be broken. The ’50th Anniversary Tour’ will be full of surprises and great memories.”
“The group Alabama has become ’America’s Country Band,’ we are told,” Teddy Gentry adds. “We are proud to have been performing, writing songs and recording for 50 years. Come celebrate the music with us on our ’50th Anniversary Tour’ in 2019. Each show will be a night to remember for us. We’ll be there to thank our loyal legions of fans for supporting three boys from Fort Payne, Alabama through thick and thin.”
Alabama’s biggest success came in the 1980s, where the band had over 27 number one hits, seven multi-platinum albums and received numerous awards. Alabama’s first single on RCA Records, “Tennessee River”, began a streak of 21 number one 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 2003 following a farewell tour and two albums of inspirational music but reunited in 2010 and have continued to record and tour worldwide.
The band’s blend of traditional country music and Southern rock combined with elements of 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. The band has over 30 number one 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.”
Joining Alabama is Juno winner Charlie Major – with a string of number one hits, he is one of Canada’s most well- known and decorated musicians.
Tickets for Alabama at TD Place go on sale on Friday February 8 at 10am, for full details visit www.tdplace.ca
