Alabama

Cousins Randy Owen (lead vocalist/ guitar), and Teddy Gentry (backing vocals/ bass) formed the band, and together they recruited their other cousin Jeff Cook (guitar/ fiddle/ keyboard) in 1969. In 1972 the band got a gig playing as the opening act for various other artists at Canyonland Theme Park, however it was not enough to make a living out of, so the three members pursued various other jobs, putting the band on the backburner.

In March 1973 the band decided to pursue music professionally and the trip moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and performed six nights a week at the Bowery. They also took out a loan in order to record and release their own album to sell at their shows, and to send out as demos to labels. In 1977 the band caught a break with GRT Records signing them, but when the label declared bankruptcy after releasing the one record in their contract, the band was also contractually forbidden to record with another label.

It wasn’t until 1979 when the band was able to self-record and release another album entitled “Alabama Band No. 3;” additionally, Mark Herndon stepped in as drummer to replace Rick Scott. They self-promoted their single “I Wanna Come Over” and eventually the band was able to grab the attention of Dallas based label, MDJ Records. Their second single “My House’s In Alabama” was extremely successful as well, reaching mainstream attention reaching the top 20. It also caught the attention of RCA records, with whom they signed a contract with in 1980.

While with RCA, Alabama had the luxury of creative freedom, and was able to tour extensively after the successful release of more singles. Their release of “Mountain Magic” in 1982 was found with HUGE success, going quadruple platinum with over 6 million copies sold, consequently launching the band into super stardom. By January 1986 the band had a number of hits, allowing RCA to release a Greatest Hits compilation.

Despite their albums still reaching gold and silver statuses, and selling millions of copies, the band’s popularity started to decline in the 1990s. Despite the decline, however, the band was still finding continued success with sales of their singles and shows. By May 2002 the band announced a farewell tour, collecting over $15 million in ticket sales alone.

The band was originally formed by another country band called Wally Fowler and the Georgia Clodhoppers, who were booked to play a show at a nuclear research plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee for the staff and their families. The group went down so well that they were invited back time and time again, until the band decided to pay tribute to them and changed their name to The Oak Ridge Quartet. By 1947, this new, acapella incarnation group had made such a name for themselves that they had performed their first slot at the Grand Ole Opry, and been invited into the studio for album releases and radio sessions. However, this didn't stop every member of the band save for Fowler himself leaving in 1949 to set up their own group Curley Kinsey and the Tennessee Ridge Runners.

After hiring an existing vocal troupe, the Calvary Quartet, to carry on as The Oak Ridge Quartet, Fowler retired from the band in 1952, and then sold the rights to the name The Oak Ridge Quartet in 1957 to group member Smitty Gatlin. However, it wasn't until 1962, the change of their name to The Oak Ridge Boys their first album on Warner Bros. Records “With Sounds Of Nashville” that the band broke through into the mainstream. Ever since then, the irony of The Oak Ridge Boys has been that while the music has continued to stay pretty much the same over the course of their near-70 year history, the band's line up has shifted radically, with 32 separate singers coming and going over the course of their career.

Their lead singer, Duane Allen, has lead the band since 1966, however, in one of the greatest runs in the history of popular music, the band continues to delight audiences to this very day. For being one of the very few legendary acts that live up to their status time and time again, The Oak Ridge Boys come highly recommended.