Country Music - Alabama
Truly a legend and an icon to country music, Alabama can be described as nothing short of amazing. They go back to the late '60s, when two cousins, Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry, started playing together. After Jeff Cook joined them, the group performed under the name of Wildcountry in their hometown of Fort Payne, Alabama. The drummer, Mark Hendron, joined the group in 1979. Their trademark sound of mixing harmony with vocals made some of their first hits, such as Tennessee River in 1980 and My Home's in Alabama, instant hits. And the hits continued. The group produced 21 consecutive hits, and made history in country music. Alabama became the first group to win the CMA Entertainer of the Year award and continued winning the title for three years. The Academy of Country Music voted them Entertainer of the Year for five consecutive years. Alabama's impact on the music industry earned them the prestigious honor of "Country Group of the Century" by the Recording Industry Association of America. Known for touching people's lives with hits like "Close Enough to Perfect", "Feels so Right", and "Take Me Down", they've sold over 65 million records, crossing over into the pop charts as well. Alabama surprised the world by announcing their farewell tour in 2003. Their last record In the Mood: The Love Songs touched the hearts of the world in the way that only Alabama can.
