‘CMT Giants: Alabama’

The star-studded troupe from Alabama. (L–R) Mark Herndon, Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, and Jeff Cook from their 1982 album "Mountain Music." Internet Archive. Public Domain

On Aug. 15, 2024, the legendary country music band Alabama will be honored by the “CMT Giants” TV series during a special event. Airing exclusively on CMT, the evening will feature guest appearances by some of country’s biggest artists, including Blake Shelton and Jamey Johnson.

The two-hour-long special will include live music and speeches that pay tribute to Alabama, one of the genre’s most impactful bands.

A Family Affair

(L–R) Teddy Gentry, Jeff Cook, and Randy Owen at the 9th Annual ACM Honors at Ryman Auditorium on Sept. 1, 2015, in Nashville. Rick Diamond/Getty Images

The Alabama band members come from humble beginnings. Growing up in the small town of Fort Payne, Alabama, the boys worked on their families’ cotton farms when they weren’t playing music. For the group, it’s always been a family affair. The core members of the band—Jeff Cook, Teddy Gentry, and Randy Owen—are all cousins. Gentry and Owen grew up singing in church together. As for Owen, the spiritual environment that fostered his love of music was a significant influence.

In an interview with Christian Broadcasting Network, Owen reflected on his time spent in church. He said: “For me, when I grew up playing music, I played music in church and people were shouting and having a big time, and church wasn’t something where it was subdued. If you played something, you brought it to church with you.”

Gentry was committed to his music career; he’d take any job to pay the bills so he could continue performing and practicing. Looking back on his younger days he noted on their band website, “I ran a theater, I laid carpet, I bagged groceries and I worked on a farm.”

As young adults, Gentry and Owen teamed up with Cook to form their first band, Young Country, in 1969.

By 1973, the group, now named “Wildcountry,” took their band on the road. The young musicians ended up in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where they became the house band at a local establishment, The Bowery. Their strong work ethic from their family farms helped them to play long hours for patrons. Many times, they’d play live throughout the entire day. The grueling hours and physical work took a toll on the group. In just six years, they had to replace their drummer three different times.

In 1977, they decided to change their name; they called themselves “Alabama” to honor their Southern roots.

Their dedication and endurance ultimately paid off, and they established a local following. When drummer Mark Herndon teamed up with the group in 1979, they rounded out their style and their trademark homespun sound was born.

Mark Herndon (L) standing next to cousins (L–R) Teddy Gentry, Jeff Cook, and Randy Owen from the 1998 CD "For the Record." Internet Archive. Public Domain

Some of the music industry’s biggest labels took notice. In 1980, the group signed a deal with RCA Records and kickstarted what became one of country music’s greatest success stories.

‘What Means the Most to You?’

Throughout the band’s 50 years together, they’ve racked up 43 No. 1 hits with songs like “Mountain Music,” “Dixieland Delight,” and “If You’re Gonna Play In Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band).” Over their tenure, they’ve sold 80 million albums. In 2005, they were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Cover for Alabama's 1982 album "Mountain Music." Internet Archive. Public Domain

Alabama has been called “country music’s first band.” Despite their unprecedented success, they faced adversity during their climb to the top.  Jeff Cook, one of the original band members, passed away in 2022 after a hard-fought battle with Parkinson’s disease. Before his passing, he took time to reflect on how the band changed the country music landscape in Nashville during their rise to fame in the 1980s. In an interview with FuseVisual, he said:

“Up to that point it had always been one or two, or in some cases maybe even four people with a backup band and that’s what was called a country act. We were the first ones who actually sang our own music and played our own stuff as a group, without a front person per se. We heard, ‘Well, we just don’t sign bands,’ I don’t know how many times back then. That’s why we had such a hard time getting signed to a record deal.”

Regardless of doubts from industry professionals, the band forged ahead. Cook explained:

“We changed the collective minds of label heads in Nashville about the longevity of how a band can stay together in country music. They thought back when we were trying to get signed in the late 1970s, that after a while the guys … would get [tired] of being together and playing together and traveling together. ... But ... we changed the minds of a lot of the label heads in Nashville after a few years.”

The band Alabama was inducted in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1998. Library of Congress. Public Domain

Mainstream success happened quickly after signing their deal with RCA in 1980. As they navigated the newfound pressures of being country music’s bestselling band, they stayed true to their rural Alabama roots. Gentry didn’t know what to do with his very first check from RCA. While discussing the dilemma with his wife, Linda, she asked him, “What means the most to you?” The answer was found in his earliest days, harvesting cotton on his family’s farmland. Gentry fulfilled a lifelong dream and purchased his grandfather’s farm first, then his great-grandfather’s farm so the properties could stay in the family as the men aged.

He named the newly converged land Bent Tree Farms, after a technique that Native Americans use to manipulate and bend trees in certain directions to indicate a trail path.

Even as the band is currently underway on their “ROLL ON II” tour throughout America, with dates extending into December 2024, he always returns to the land of his childhood that cultivated his strong work ethic and commitment to music.

‘CMT Giants’

(L–R) Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Editor Michael Gray with Alabama's Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, and Jeff Cook during an interview on Nov. 5, 2016, in Nashville. Rick Diamond/Getty Images

Debuting in 2006, the “CMT Giants” TV specials began honoring country music’s most successful and influential acts and artists. Past musicians showcased include Reba McEntire, Charley Pride, and Vince Gill. For this year’s special featuring Alabama, viewers can expect two hours of a star-studded cast. Country artist Blake Shelton will be performing a tribute. He expressed his opinion of Alabama’s legacy to CMT, saying that they are “the undisputed greatest country music band of all time.”

There will be plenty of live music, featuring singers like Pam Tillis and guest appearances by veteran performers such as former honoree Vince Gill and Brad Paisley. Contemporary country stars Jason Aldean and Riley Greene are also a part of the lineup.

Along with live performances, guests will share personal stories about Alabama’s impact on their own artistic careers. Alabama will also take the stage for an exclusive interview. They'll reminisce about their five-decade-long career as one of the industry’s hardest working acts.

After their big night, Alabama will hit the road again. Despite their multidecade career, the band shows no signs of retirement. Both Gentry and Owen view their continued commitment to the band and to music as an homage to their late bandmate. Before his passing, Cook shared his own thoughts on retirement, which the band echoes with each new tour date added to their schedule.

Regarding retirement, Cook remarked:

“As long as we’ve got our fans and the support of country radio, there’s not really much point in thinking about it.”

Album cover for Alabama's 1984 album "Roll On." Internet Archive. Public Domain

“CMT Giants: Alabama” airs exclusively on CMT via streaming platforms like Fubo, Hulu (with live TV), and YouTube TV. The event kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 15, at 8 p.m. EST. To learn more, visit cmt.com 

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