Alabama (band)
Alabama | |
---|---|
Alabama |
|
General information | |
Genre (s) | Country music |
founding | 1977 |
Website | www.thealabamaband.com |
Current occupation | |
Randy Owen | |
Vocals, lead guitar |
Jeff Cook |
Vocals, bass
|
Teddy gentry |
former members | |
Rick Scott (until 1979) | |
Drums |
Mark Herndon (from 1979 to 2008) |
Alabama is an American country rock - band with 41 No. 1 hits and more than 65 million records sold one of the most successful bands of all time.
Beginnings
Cousins Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry, who grew up on neighboring farms in rural Alabama , played music together from early childhood. They later went their separate ways for a while and joined different bands. In high school they met another cousin, Jeff Cook , who also had some musical experience, mastered several instruments and also worked as a disc jockey.
In 1969 they formed the band "Young Country". In one of their first appearances, the trio won a talent competition. Randy and Jeff went to college, and Teddy became the manager of a carpet business. The musical activities faded into the background in those years. Only after completing their studies was it possible to try harder for a music career.
First steps
In 1972 "Young Country" was renamed "Wildcountry". At the same time a drummer was hired for the first time with Bennet Vartanian. A hard time began, during which the band was only able to stay afloat through strenuous club appearances. Their new drummer soon dropped out, and his successors didn't last long either. It wasn't until 1974 that a drummer was found in Rick Scott, who stayed with the band for a few years.
In 1977 the name was changed to "Alabama". In the same year, a record deal was signed with the GRT label. The first single, I Wanna Be with You Tonight , just barely made it into the country top 100. Shortly thereafter, the record company went bankrupt. Alabama was still contractually bound to the label. It took another two years until the four musicians had enough money together to buy themselves out of the contract. The drummer gave up again. Rick Scott was replaced by Mark Herndon from Massachusetts , who brought rock influences into the band and thus made important contributions to a new, promising sound.
Career
With their own money, an album and the single I Wanna Come Over were produced in 1979 . The independent MDJ label took over the distribution. The single eventually advanced to number 33 on the country charts. A year later, My Home's made it into the top 20 in Alabama . RCA became aware of these successes on Alabama and signed them in 1980.
This began a series of 21 consecutive number 1 hits, unique in the history of country music. Numerous titles were also able to place in the pop charts. It all started with the single Tennessee River in 1980 . Why Lady Why followed in the same year and Old Flame , Feels So Right and Love In The First Degree in 1981 . The series of top hits, interrupted only by an out-of-order Christmas single, lasted until 1987 and continued into the 1990s. Many of the songs were written by the group members themselves. In addition to the singles, the albums were also successful. Virtually every release achieved gold or platinum status. During those years, the band was literally showered with awards. So they won the coveted CMA Award "Entertainer of the Year" three times in a row . More often than not, they were named "Group of the Year" (both instrumental and vocals).
The high chart positions could no longer be achieved from the mid-nineties, although the band still achieved a number of top 10 successes. In return, the albums achieved some spectacular sales figures. Above all, samplers like Greatest Hits , Superhits or For the Record - 41 Number 1 hits were very popular. A total of 41 number 1 hits were achieved and over 65 million records were sold. On October 16, 2003, Alabama said goodbye to the concert stage as part of their "American Farewell Tour", but announced a tour for 2013 to mark the 40th stage anniversary. In 2008, the band split from drummer Mark Herndon during a legal battle.
In 2008 a memorial was erected for the band in Fort Payne (Alabama). It shows the four musicians as life-size bronze figures in front of Union Park on the corner of Gault Avenue and 4th Street North.
Discography and chart successes
Albums
year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US | Country | |||
1980 | My Home's In Alabama |
US71 × 2
(21 weeks)US |
Country3 (214 weeks) Country |
|
1981 | Feels so right |
US16 × 4
(161 weeks)US |
Country1 (174 weeks) Country |
28 weeks at number 1 in the country charts
|
1982 | Mountain Music |
US14th × 5
(114 weeks)US |
Country1 (269 weeks) Country |
28 weeks at number 1 in the country charts
|
1983 | The Closer You Get |
US10 × 4
(70 weeks)US |
Country1 (206 weeks) Country |
At number 1 in the country charts for 21 weeks
|
1984 | Roll on |
US21st × 4
(62 weeks)US |
Country1 (194 weeks) Country |
13 weeks at number 1 in the country charts
|
1985 | 40 Hour Week |
US28 × 2
(40 weeks)US |
Country1 (104 weeks) Country |
14 weeks at number 1 in the country charts
|
Alabama Christmas |
US75 × 2
(12 weeks)US |
Country8 (23 weeks) Country |
||
1986 | The touch |
US42
platinum
(30 weeks)US |
Country1 (81 weeks) Country |
10 weeks at number 1 in the country charts
|
1987 | Just Us |
US55
platinum
(28 weeks)US |
Country1 (60 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
1989 | Southern Star |
US62
platinum
(21 weeks)US |
Country1 (78 weeks) Country |
3 weeks at number 1 in the country charts
|
1990 | Pass It On Down |
US57
platinum
(41 weeks)US |
Country3 (115 weeks) Country |
|
1992 | American Pride |
US46
platinum
(51 weeks)US |
Country11 (80 weeks) Country |
|
1993 | Cheap seats |
US76
platinum
(38 weeks)US |
Country16 (69 weeks) Country |
|
1995 | In Pictures |
US100
platinum
(21 weeks)US |
Country12 (57 weeks) Country |
|
1996 | Christmas Volume II |
US117 (6 weeks) US |
Country18 (10 weeks) Country |
|
1997 | Dancin 'On The Boulevard |
US55
platinum
(26 weeks)US |
Country5 (58 weeks) Country |
|
1999 | Twentieth Century |
US51
gold
(10 weeks)US |
Country5 (36 weeks) Country |
|
2001 | When It All Goes South |
US37 (8 weeks) US |
Country4 (28 weeks) Country |
|
2006 | Songs Of Inspiration |
US15 (7 weeks) US |
Country1 (29 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
2007 | Songs Of Inspiration II |
US33 (1 week) US |
Country3 (7 weeks) Country |
|
2014 | Angels Among Us: Hymns & Gospel Favorites |
US33 (10 weeks) US |
Country6 (47 weeks) Country |
|
2015 | Southern Drawl |
US14 (6 weeks) US |
Country2 (18 weeks) Country |
more publishments
- 1976: Wild Country
- 1977: Deuces Wild
- 1979: Alabama Volume No. 3
- 2017: American Christmas
Compilations
year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US | Country | |||
1986 | Greatest hits |
US24 × 5
(38 weeks)US |
Country1 (271 weeks) Country |
5 weeks at number 1 in the country charts, compilation
|
1991 | Greatest Hits Vol. 2 |
US72
platinum
(31 weeks)US |
Country10 (81 weeks) Country |
|
1994 | Christmas With The Judds And Alabama | - |
Country61 (3 weeks) Country |
|
Greatest Hits III |
US56 × 2
(49 weeks)US |
Country8 (117 weeks) Country |
||
1996 | Great hits |
US-
gold
US
|
Country46 (91 weeks) Country |
|
1997 | The Encore Collection - Born Country | - |
Country75 (1 week) Country |
|
1998 | Super hits II | - |
Country59 (11 weeks) Country |
|
The Essential Alabama |
US-
gold
US
|
Country63 (12 weeks) Country |
||
For The Record: 41 Number One Hits |
US13 × 5
(33 weeks)US |
Country2 (105 weeks) Country |
||
2003 | In The Mood: The Love Songs |
US15 (11 weeks) US |
Country4 (37 weeks) Country |
|
The American Farewell Tour |
US64 (5 weeks) US |
Country6 (58 weeks) Country |
||
2004 | Ultimate Alabama: 20 # 1 Hits |
US52 (5 weeks) US |
Country10 (48 weeks) Country |
|
2005 | The essential | - |
Country52 (64 weeks) Country |
|
2006 | Livin 'Lovin' Rockin 'Rollin': The 25th Anniversary Collection |
US120 (1 week) US |
Country28 (5 weeks) Country |
|
Alabama: Christmas Collection | - |
Country62 (4 weeks) Country |
||
2007 | 16 Biggest Hits | - |
Country40 (43 weeks) Country |
|
2008 | Playlist: The Very Best Of Alabama | - |
Country68 (4 weeks) Country |
|
2013 | Country: Alabama | - |
Country59 (9 weeks) Country |
|
The Classic Christmas Album | - |
Country46 (2 weeks) Country |
more publishments
- 1993: For Our Fans
- 2009: Mountain Music: The Best of Alabama
Live albums
year | title |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US | Country | |||
1988 | Alabama Live |
US76
platinum
(19 weeks)US |
Country1 (74 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts, compilation
|
2010 | Setlist: The Very Best Of Alabama: Live | - |
Country72 (2 weeks) Country |
|
2014 | Alabama & Friends: At The Ryman | - |
Country29 (2 weeks) Country |
more publishments
- 1993: Gonna Have a Party ... Live
Singles
year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK | US | Country | |||
1977 | I Wanna Be With You Tonight Deuces Wild |
- | - |
Country78 (8 weeks) Country |
|
1979 | I want to come over my home's in Alabama |
- | - |
Country33 (12 weeks) Country |
|
1980 | My Home's in Alabama My Home's in Alabama |
- | - |
Country17 (13 weeks) Country |
|
Tennessee River My Home's in Alabama |
- | - |
Country1 (17 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
Why Lady Why My Home's in Alabama |
- | - |
Country1 (19 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
1981 | Old Flame Feels So Right |
- | - |
Country1 (14 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
Feels So Right Feels So Right |
UK91 (1 week) UK |
US20 (22 weeks) US |
Country1 (13 weeks) Country |
two weeks at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
Love In The First Degree / Ride The Train Feels So Right |
- |
US15 (21 weeks) US |
Country1 (16 weeks) Country |
two weeks at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
1982 | Mountain Music Mountain Music |
- | - |
Country1 (18 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
Close Enough To Perfect Mountain Music |
- |
US65 (12 weeks) US |
Country1 (17 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
Take Me Down Mountain Music |
- |
US18 (13 weeks) US |
Country1 (17 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
Christmas In Dixie / Christmas Is Just A Song For Us |
- | - |
Country35 (19 weeks) Country |
||
1983 | Dixieland Delight The Closer You Get ... |
- | - |
Country1 (16 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
The Closer You Get The Closer You Get ... |
- |
US38 (11 weeks) US |
Country1 (17 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
Lady Down On Love The Closer You Get ... |
- |
US76 (6 weeks) US |
Country1 (20 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
1984 | Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler) Roll On |
- | - |
Country1 (17 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
When We Make Love Roll On |
- |
US72 (10 weeks) US |
Country1 (19 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
If You're Gonna Play In Texas Roll On |
- | - |
Country1 (19 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
(There's A) Fire In The Night Roll On |
- | - |
Country1 (19 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
1985 | There's No Way 40 Hour Week |
- | - |
Country1 (21 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
40 Hour Week (For A Livin ') 40 Hour Week |
- | - |
Country1 (19 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
Can't Keep A Good Man Down 40 Hour Week |
- | - |
Country1 (22 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
1986 | She And I Greatest Hits |
- | - |
Country1 (21 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
Touch Me When We're Dancing The Touch |
- | - |
Country1 (20 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
1987 | "You've Got" The Touch The Touch |
- | - |
Country1 (22 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
Tar Top Just Us |
- | - |
Country7 (17 weeks) Country |
||
Face To Face Just Us |
- | - |
Country1 (22 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
1988 | Fallin 'Again Just Us |
- | - |
Country1 (17 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
Song Of The South Southern Star |
- | - |
Country1 (19 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
1989 | If I Had You Southern Star |
- | - |
Country1 (19 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
High Cotton Southern Star |
- | - |
Country1 (23 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
Southern Star Southern Star |
- | - |
Country1 (26 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
1990 | Pass It On Down Pass It On Down |
- | - |
Country3 (21 weeks) Country |
|
Jukebox In My Mind Pass It On Down |
- | - |
Country1 (20 weeks) Country |
four weeks at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
Forever's As Far As I'll Go Pass It On Down |
- | - |
Country1 (20 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
1991 | Down Home Pass It On Down |
- | - |
Country1 (20 weeks) Country |
three weeks at number 1 in the country charts
|
Here We Are Pass It On Down |
- | - |
Country2 (20 weeks) Country |
||
Then Again Greatest Hits Vol. II |
- | - |
Country4 (20 weeks) Country |
||
Born Country Greatest Hits Vol. II |
- | - |
Country2 (20 weeks) Country |
||
1992 | Take A Little Trip American Pride |
- | - |
Country2 (20 weeks) Country |
|
I'm In A Hurry (And Don't Know Why) American Pride |
- | - |
Country1 (20 weeks) Country |
two weeks at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
Once Upon A Lifetime American Pride |
- | - |
Country3 (20 weeks) Country |
||
1993 | Hometown Honeymoon American Pride |
- | - |
Country3 (20 weeks) Country |
|
Reckless Cheap Seats |
- | - |
Country1 (20 weeks) Country |
one week at number 1 in the country charts
|
|
TLCASAP Cheap Seats |
- | - |
Country7 (20 weeks) Country |
||
Angels Among Us Cheap Seats |
- | - |
Country28 (20 weeks) Country |
||
1994 | The Cheap Seats Cheap Seats |
- | - |
Country13 (20 weeks) Country |
|
We Can't Love Like This Anymore Greatest Hits Vol. III |
- | - |
Country6 (20 weeks) Country |
||
Give Me One More Shot Greatest Hits Vol. III |
- | - |
Country3 (20 weeks) Country |
||
1995 | She Ain't Your Ordinary Girl In Pictures |
- | - |
Country2 (20 weeks) Country |
|
In Pictures In Pictures |
- | - |
Country4 (20 weeks) Country |
||
1996 | It Works In Pictures |
- | - |
Country19 (20 weeks) Country |
|
Say I In Pictures |
- | - |
Country38 (7 weeks) Country |
||
The Maker Said Take Her In Pictures |
- | - |
Country4 (20 weeks) Country |
||
1997 | Sad lookin 'moon dancin' on the boulevard |
- | - |
Country2 (20 weeks) Country |
|
Dancin ', Shaggin' On The Boulevard Dancin 'on the Boulevard |
- | - |
Country3 (20 weeks) Country |
||
Of Course I'm Alright Dancin 'on the Boulevard |
- | - |
Country22 (20 weeks) Country |
||
1998 | She's Got That Look In Her Eyes Dancin 'on the Boulevard |
- | - |
Country21 (20 weeks) Country |
|
How Do You Fall In Love For the Record |
- |
US82 (5 weeks) US |
Country2 (21 weeks) Country |
||
Keepin 'Up For the Record |
- |
US69 (8 weeks) US |
Country14 (20 weeks) Country |
||
1999 | God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You Twentieth Century |
- |
US29 (20 weeks) US |
Country3 (23 weeks) Country |
feat. 'N Sync
|
Small Stuff Twentieth Century |
- | - |
Country24 (20 weeks) Country |
||
2000 | Twentieth Century Twentieth Century |
- | - |
Country51 (3 weeks) Country |
|
New Year's Eve 1999 |
- | - |
Country55 (1 week) Country |
with Gretchen Peters
B-side from Twentieth Century |
|
We Made Love Twentieth Century |
- | - |
Country63 (3 weeks) Country |
||
When It All Goes South When It All Goes South |
- | - |
Country15 (20 weeks) Country |
||
2001 | Will You Marry Me When It All Goes South |
- | - |
Country41 (11 weeks) Country |
|
2002 | I'm In The Mood In the Mood: The Love Songs |
- | - |
Country48 (9 weeks) Country |
|
2010 | Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way? The Music Inside: A Collaboration Dedicated to Waylon Jennings |
- | - |
Country53 (4 weeks) Country |
|
The following songs did not appear as single, but were made available for download and streaming through the album and were thus able to achieve a placement: | |||||
1995 | Sweet Home Alabama Skynyrd Frynds |
- | - |
Country75 (1 week) Country |
|
1997 | The Blessings Alabama Christmas Vol. II |
- | - |
Country72 (2 weeks) Country |
|
1999 | Santa Claus (I Still Believe In You) Alabama Christmas |
- | - |
Country71 (1 week) Country |
|
Rockin 'Around The Christmas Tree Alabama Christmas Vol. II |
- | - |
Country64 (3 weeks) Country |
more publishments
- 2002: The Woman He Loves
- 2013: All American
- 2015: Wasn't Through Lovin 'You Yet
- 2016: Come Find Me (with Alison Krauss )
Guest Posts
year | Title album |
Top ranking, total weeks, awardChart placementsChart placements (Year, title, album , rankings, weeks, awards, notes) |
Remarks | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
UK | US | Country | |||
1987 | Deep River Woman Dancing on the Ceiling |
- |
US71 (8 weeks) US |
Country10 (15 weeks) Country |
with Lionel Richie
|
2011 | Old Alabama This Is Country Music |
- |
US38
gold
(20 weeks)US |
Country1 (15 weeks) Country |
with Brad Paisley
|
2016 | Forever Country |
- |
US21 (4 weeks) US |
Country1 (18 weeks) Country |
as part of Artists of Then, Now & Forever
|
statistics
Chart evaluation
|
|
Awards for music sales
|
|
|
Note: Awards in countries from the chart tables or chart boxes can be found in these.
Country / Region | gold | platinum | Sales | swell |
---|---|---|---|---|
Awards for music sales (country / region, awards, sales, sources) |
||||
Canada (MC) | 4 × gold4th | 10 × platinum10 | 1,200,000 | musiccanada.com |
United States (RIAA) | 4 × gold4th | 47 × platinum47 | 47,200,000 | riaa.com |
All in all | 8 × gold8th | 57 × platinum57 |
The most important awards
year | Org. | Award | title |
---|---|---|---|
1981 | ACM | Album Of The Year | "Feels So Right" |
1981 | ACM | Entertainer Of The Year | |
1981 | CMA | Instrumental Group Of The Year | |
1981 | CMA | Vocal Group Of The Year | |
1982 | ACM | Entertainer Of The Year | |
1982 | ACM | Top vocal group | |
1982 | CMA | Entertainer of the Year | |
1982 | CMA | Instrumental Group Of The Year | |
1982 | CMA | Vocal Group Of The Year | |
1982 | TNN | Album Of The Year | |
1983 | ACM | Album Of The Year | "The Closer You Get" |
1983 | ACM | Entertainer Of The Year | |
1983 | ACM | Top vocal group | |
1983 | CMA | Album Of The Year | "The Closer You Get" |
1983 | CMA | Entertainer of the Year | |
1983 | CMA | Vocal Group Of The Year | |
1983 | grammy | Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group | "Mountain Music" |
1983 | TNN | Top vocal group | |
1984 | ACM | Album Of The Year | "Roll On" |
1984 | ACM | Entertainer Of The Year | |
1984 | ACM | Top vocal group | |
1984 | CMA | Entertainer of the Year | |
1984 | TNN | Album Of The Year | |
1985 | ACM | Entertainer Of The Year | |
1985 | ACM | Top vocal group | |
1985 | grammy | Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group | "The Closer You Get ..." |
1990 | Billboard | Country Group or Duo of the Year |
Web links
- Website of the band
- Alabama in the Country Music Hall of Fame
- Alabama in the Vocal Group Hall of Fame
Individual evidence
-
↑ a b c d e chart sources:
- Alabama in the Official UK Charts (English)
- Alabama on the US Billboard 200 chart
- Alabama on the US Top Country Albums chart
- Alabama on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart
- Alabama is on the US Hot Country Songs chart