Perhaps it's the captivating nonconformist outlaw image, but throughout the history of country music, rugged solo artist have overshasdowed most duets and groups. At least that was the case until Alabama burst on the scene and forever changed the way that country music bands would be viewed.

The band has been honored many times by the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (AMC). The CMA presented them with the prestigious Entertainer Of The Year in 1982, 1983 and 1984 while the CMA named them Entertainer of The Year from 1982 through 1986. Alabama has won a couple of Grammy Awaards and from 1980 through 1987 notched 21 number one singles.

Alabama came together in Fort Payne Alabama a valley village of about 12,000 people at the foot of the Lookout Mountains. Socks not music had been Fort Payne's best known product until Alabama rose to fame. Lead singer Randy Owen, keyboardist and lead guitarist Jeff Cook, and bass guitarist Teddy Gentry are cousins, but they didn't start palying together until 1969. Their first band was the ZZ Top inspired Wild Country. Another cousin, Jackie Owen, was the group's drummer at one time in 1979, nonrelative Mark Herndon became Alabama's current drummer. Alabama's earliest shows were at Canyonland amusement park outside of Fort Payne.

In March 1973, Alabama left Fort Payne for Myrtle Beach South Carolina. Thanks in part to the rapid turnover of the resort crowds, Alabama was able to perform an eclectic repertoire, including cober of rock hits by Bachman Turner Overdrive and Van Morrison, as well as rocking versions of country hits by George Jones and Merle Haggard.

By 1980 the group was leaning more heavily on original material, and had established its trademark polished harmonies. Randy Owens's lead vocals, reminiscent of Glen Frey of the Eagles, caught the ear of several record companies. Eventually, Alabama signed with RCA Records and in 1980 their first album "My Homes In Alabama," was released to great popular success.

Alabama sold 45 million records in the 1980's partly because of the band's youth appeal. By the time the 1990's rolled in the group sounded more like a pop-rock band than a country band, especially in the acoustice of the big arenas in which they played. No longer as novel as they once were. Alabama has seen some of its rock-oriented appeal diminished by the advent of solo acts like Garth Brooks and Clint Black who utilized rock 'n' roll style lighting stageing and songs to cross over from country in search of a wider audience.