Alabama at the Vibrant Arena at the MARK -- May 19.
Sunday, May 19, 7 p.m.
Vibrant Arena at the MARK, 1201 River Drive, Moline IL
Members of the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum who are also the first-time recipients of the institution's Lifetime Achievement Award, the country- and Southern-rock artists of Alabama headline a May 19 concert at Moline's Vibrant Arena at the MARK, the group's accomplishments including 40 number-one hit singles on a variety of industry charts and a dozen top-10 albums, including 10 that topped Billboard's Top Country Albums chart.
Formed in Fort Payne, Alabama, in 1969, the band was founded by Randy Owen (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and his cousin Teddy Gentry (bass, backing vocals), who were soon joined by another cousin, Jeff Cook (lead guitar, fiddle, and keyboards). First operating under the name Wildcountry, the group toured the Southeast bar circuit in the early 1970s, and began writing original songs. They changed their name to Alabama in 1977, and following the chart success of two singles, were approached by RCA Records for a recording deal.
Alabama's biggest success came in the 1980s, when the band boasted more than 27 number-one hits and seven multi-platinum albums, and also received numerous accolades including a pair of Grammys, wo People's Choice Awards, and nine American Music Awards (winning another nine in the '90s.) Alabama's first single on RCA Records, "Tennessee River," began a streak of 21 number-one singles, including: "Love in the First Degree" (1981); "Mountain Music" (1982); "Dixieland Delight" (1983); "If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)" (1984); and "Song of the South" (1988). Alabama initially disbanded in 2004 following a farewell tour and two albums of inspirational music, but its musicians reunited in 2010 and have continued to record and tour worldwide ever since.
The group's blend of traditional country music and Southern rock combined with elements of bluegrass, folk, and pop music gave it a crossover appeal that helped lead to their success. They also toured extensively and incorporated production elements such as lighting and sets inspired by rock concerts into their shows. Alabama has over 41 number-one country records on the Billboard charts to their credit and have sold in excess of 75 million records, making them the most successful band in country music history. AllMusic credited the ensemble with popularizing the idea of a country band, writing that "It's unlikely that any other country group will be able to surpass the success of Alabama." The group was also inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 2005 and the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2019.
Alabama plays their Moline-amphitheater engagement on May 19 alongside special guests the Bellamy Brothers, admission to the 7 p.m. concert event is $29.75-129.75, and tickets are available by calling (800)745-3000 and visiting VibrantArena.com.
