Along with the Oak Ridge Boys and the Statler Brothers , Alabama is recognized as having paved the way for today's top country groups, including Diamond Rio , Lonestar and Rascal Flatts .
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.
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 33 No. 1 songs according to '' Billboard Magazine '''s country singles chart are as follows:
- : "Tennessee River"; "Why Lady Why."
- : "Old Flame"; "Feels So Right"; "Love in the First Degree."
- : "Mountain Music"; "Take Me Down"; "Close Enough to Perfect."
- : "Dixieland Delight"; "The Closer You Get"; "Lady Down on Love."
- : "Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)"; "When We Make Love"; "If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You've Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)."
- : "(There's A) Fire in the Night"; "There's No Way"; "40 Hour Week (For a Livin')"; "Can't Keep a Good Man Down."
- : "She and I"; "Touch Me When We're Dancing."
- : "You've Got the Touch."
- '''); "Fallin' Again."
- : "Song of the South"; "If I Had You"; "High Cotton."
- : "Southern Star"; "Jukebox in My Mind"; "Forever's as Far as I'll Go."
- : "Down Home."
- : "I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why)."
- : "Reckless."
While ''Billboard magazine'' claims Alabama had only 33 No. 1 hits, the band's official website states that 41 of the band's songs reached the top of the charts. Furthermore, a best-of album, titled ''For the Record: 41 Number One Hits'', was released.
The list of other significant songs is also lengthy. Alabama 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''. Then came their unprecedented dominance in country music.
Today, Alabama remains arguably the most successful country group of all time.
The group was awarded the ACM "Entertainer of the Year" for 1981, 1982 , 1983 , 1984 and 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 22 wins.
- For many years before they became famous, Alabama headlined at ''The Bowery'', a club in Myrtle Beach, SC . Their song "Shaggin on the Boulevard" pays tribute to Myrtle Beach's nightclubs.
- In 2001, Randy Owen performed the song "Angels Among Us" at the funeral for NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt .
- In May 2002, the band announced its "Farewell Tour", which took place across the USA during 2003 & 2004.
: Randy Owen (vocals and Rhythm Guitar )
: Teddy Gentry , (vocals and Bass Guitar )
: Jeff Cook ( Lead Guitar , Keyboard s, Bass Guitar , Fiddle , Banjo , and Mandolin )
: Mark Herndon ( Drums and Percussion )
- ''My Home's in Alabama'' (May 1980)
- ''Feels So Right'' (February 1981)
- ''Mountain Music'' (February 1982)
- ''The Closer You Get...'' (March 1983)
- ''Roll On'' (January 1984)
- ''40 Hr. Week'' (January 1985)
- ''Alabama Christmas'' (September 1985)
- ''Greatest Hits'' (January 1986)
- ''The Touch'' (September 1986)
- ''Just Us'' (September 1987)
- ''Alabama Live'' (June 1988)
- ''Southern Star'' (February 1989)
- ''Pass It On Down'' (May 1990)
- ''Greatest Hits Vol. II'' (October 1991)
- ''American Pride'' (August 1992)
- ''Cheap Seats'' (October 1993)
- ''Greatest Hits Vol. III'' (September 1994)
- ''In Pictures'' (August 1995)
- ''Alabama Christmas Vol. II'' (September 1996)
- ''Dancin' on the Boulevard'' (April 1997)
- ''For the Record'' (August 1998)
- ''Twentieth Century'' (June 1999)
- ''When It All Goes South'' (January 2001)
- ''In The Mood: The Love Songs'' (February 2003)
- ''The American Farewell Tour'' (October 2003)
- ''Livin' Lovin' Rockin' Rollin': The 25th Anniversary Collection'' (January 2006)
- ''I Wanna Be With You Tonight'' (1977)
- ''(I Wanna) Come Over'' (1979) (GRT)
- ''(I Wanna) Come Over'' (1980) (RCA)
- ''My Home's in Alabama'' (1980)
- ''Tennessee River'' (1980)
- ''Why Lady Why'' (1980)
- ''Old Flame'' (1981)
- ''Feels So Right'' (1981)
- ''Love In The First Degree'' (1981)
- ''Mountain Music'' (1981)
- ''Take Me Down'' (1982)
- ''Close Enough To Perfect'' (1982)
- ''Dixieland Delight'' (1983)
- ''The Closer You Get'' (1983)
- ''Lady Down On Love'' (1983)
- ''Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)'' (1984)
- ''When We Make Love'' (1984)
- ''If You're Gonna Play In Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)'' (1984)
- ''(There's A) Fire In The Night'' (1984)
- ''There's No Way'' (1985)
- ''40 Hr. Week (For a Livin')'' (1985)
- ''Can't Keep A Good Man Down'' (1985)
- ''She and I'' (1985)
- ''Touch Me When We're Dancing'' (1986)
- ''You've Got The Touch'' (1987)
- ''Tar Top'' (1987)
- ''Face To Face'' (1987)
- ''Fallin' Again'' (1988)
- ''Song Of The South'' (1988)
- ''If I Had You'' (1989)
- ''High Cotton'' (1989)
- ''Southern Star'' (1989)
- ''Pass It On Down'' (1990)
- ''Jukebox in My Mind'' (1990)
- ''Forever's As Far As I'll Go'' (1990)
- ''Down Home'' (1991)
- ''Here We Are'' (1991)
- ''Then Again'' (1991)
- ''Born Country'' (1991)
- ''Take A Little Trip'' (1992)
- ''I'm In A Hurry (And Don't Know Why)'' (1992)
- ''Once Upon A Lifetime'' (1992)
- ''Hometown Honeymoon'' (1993)
- ''Reckless'' (1993)
- ''T.L.C.A.S.A.P.'' (1994)
- ''Cheap Seats'' (1994)
- ''We Can't Love Like This Anymore'' (1994)
- ''Angels Among Us'' (1994)
- ''Give Me One More Shot'' (1995)
- ''She Ain't Your Ordinary Girl'' (1995)
- ''In Pictures'' (1995)
- ''It Works'' (1996)
- ''Say I'' (1996)
- ''The Maker Said Take Her'' (1996)
- ''Sad Lookin' Moon'' (1997)
- ''Dancin', Shaggin' On The Boulevard'' (1997)
- ''Of Course I'm Alright'' (1997)
- ''She's Got That Look In Her Eyes'' (1998)
- ''How Do You Fall In Love'' (1998)
- ''Keepin' Up'' (1998)
- ''God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You'' (1999)
- ''Small Stuff'' (1999)
- ''Twentieth Century/New Year's Eve 1999'' (1999)
- ''When It All Goes South'' (2000)
- ''Will You Marry Me'' (2001)
- ''The Woman He Loves'' (2001)
- ''I'm In The Mood'' (2002)
- ''I'm In The Mood''( Tyler Dunphy kardance mix) (2002)
Alabama Discography
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