Introduction:
It’s hard to imagine that one of America’s most iconic country bands began their journey in a small Myrtle Beach bar known as the Bowery. Yet for the members of Alabama, that smoky little room became the proving ground that shaped their sound, sharpened their skills, and laid the foundation for a historic career. As the band reflects on their early days, their memories paint a vivid picture of grit, determination, and the kind of hard work that only true passion can sustain.
The band first discovered the Bowery thanks to their original drummer, John “Bennett” Vartanian, who had performed there years earlier with another Fort Payne band called the Malibus. Because Bennett already knew Bowery owner Dick Larry, he and Randy Owen drove to Myrtle Beach in December of 1972 to ask for a chance to play. Dick remembered Bennett and the strong reputation the Malibus had built, so the offer came quickly: a summer gig sounded good to him.
Encouraged, the band quit their day jobs in March 1973 and headed toward Myrtle Beach. But when they walked into the Bowery for the first time and saw another band already set up on stage, their hearts sank. Had they traveled all this way for nothing? Relief came only moments later when they learned the truth—the band onstage was the “day band,” a separate group that played afternoon shows.
Alabama immediately asked what the day band earned. When they heard it was only $75 a week, they volunteered to play both afternoon and night shifts. And with that bold decision, the band locked themselves into a grueling schedule: four to five hours every afternoon, then another six hours each night, six nights a week, with no breaks. If someone needed to slip away for a moment, another member would step forward to talk to the crowd, offer a toast, or simply keep the energy alive.
The pay was low, but the lessons were priceless. Because tips made up such a large part of their income, the band had to learn how to play virtually every style of music their audience requested: bluegrass for West Virginia travelers, Southern rock for regional visitors, old-time rock and roll for nostalgic crowds. Over time, they cycled through an astonishing rotation of 900 to 1,000 songs in a two-month period.
Yet amid those long nights and beer-soaked floors, the Bowery gave Alabama something far greater than a paycheck—it gave them a stage to refine their own original music. Songs like Tennessee River, Mountain Music, Feels So Right, and My Lady were performed live at the Bowery years before they ever became hits. By the time the band left Myrtle Beach in 1980, they had built a deep catalog of material and were ready for success when it finally arrived.
That success, of course, was monumental: 41 number-one hits, a record few artists in history have achieved. But behind every chart-topper was the same relentless work ethic formed during those exhausting years at the Bowery.
Today, as Alabama looks back, their journey stands as a testament to perseverance, passion, and the belief that big dreams often begin in the most unlikely places.