Introduction:
It’s hard to believe that four decades have passed, yet the legendary band Alabama is heading back to the Bowery—returning to the very place where their journey first took shape. As they prepare to kick off a summer filled with nationwide tour dates, the excitement is unmistakable. “Are we ready?” Jeff laughs. “We better be—because it’s happening either way.”
Next week, Alabama will launch their anniversary tour with a free show in Myrtle Beach, a heartfelt tribute to the roots that shaped their sound. For Randy, the return feels especially meaningful. “It was my idea,” he jokes, before reflecting more seriously. “We actually started in ’69 as a group, but in 1973 we went to the Bowery after spending that winter negotiating our spot there. Back then, all we wanted was the chance to write and perform our own music. That was the dream.”
Yet the early days were anything but easy. The band faced an audience that had never seen anything quite like them—a blend of country, country rock, and whatever else the night required. They sang for tips, adjusting effortlessly to whoever walked through the door. “One night it was college kids, the next night coal miners from West Virginia,” Randy recalls. “You’d sing ‘Country Roads’ fifteen times if that’s what kept the tips coming.”
Their adaptability became part of their identity. They learned songs on the fly, even playing them “backwards”—a trick where they simply turned their backs to the audience to earn an extra tip. Jeff laughs remembering one unforgettable night: “A lady came in with a bra full of hundred-dollar bills and paid us to sing ‘Room Full of Roses.’ We learned it real quick.”
From those gritty, unpredictable nights emerged the foundation of Alabama’s signature sound. Teddy explains, “We covered every new hit—country, rock, whatever was on the charts—because someone would request it. That helped us define who we were.” The band’s willingness to embrace every genre, every request, and every audience became the key to their evolution.
Today, 40 years later, Alabama’s music remains as timeless and beloved as ever. Their fan base spans generations, from five-year-olds to lifelong listeners in their nineties. As they prepare to perform in more intimate venues across the country, the band sees this tour as a chance to reconnect with longtime fans while inviting new ones into the fold. “We’re going to bring back memories for the people who’ve been with us from the start,” Jeff says, “and we’re going to help a new generation create memories of their own.”
The anniversary celebration doesn’t end on land. After touring throughout the summer, Alabama will take their music to the open seas with a special fan cruise in October. And as the band jokingly extends an invitation—“You can stay with me!”—it’s clear that the warmth, humor, and authenticity that defined their early years remain unchanged.
From Myrtle Beach to the world, Alabama continues to honor their past while embracing the future—with heart, humility, and a sound that has stood the test of time.