Alabama Nods to New Country Efforts to Change It Up – Reminds Us They Were Once ‘Different’

Alabama offered up a free concert, last night, as part of a 10-week virtual concert series, for Camping World.  It’s called “Taking the Highways Across America.”   Since the these “boys” from Myrtle Beach came on the country music scene, about half a century ago, they have sold over 73 million albums, and been inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and imprinted upon the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

That said, they offered their praise for today’s country artists, who continue to bring new sounds to the genre; as they believe they did, when they first hit country radio.  Host Shawn Parr asked questions like that one, on behalf of concert attendees, who texted in questions, over the live stream.  Some wrote messages like “this was my every year concert, from (age) 15-24.”  Some got political.  Some simply sent love.

The show appeared on the Camping World website – the first and only concert Alabama is scheduled to do this year.  (Full Story)

Lead singer Randy Owen blew a kiss, as he offered this:  “It’s love; it’s love, it’s love.  Goodnight, y’all!”  Then he led the legendary band in a stirring, live rendition of “Mountain Music.”  The song is still sung with the words “skinnin’ cats” – but it could be a euphemism.  He and Teddy Gentry asked fans to continue to pray for fellow band member, Jeff Cook, who struggles with Parkinson’s Disease.  Each of the three founding members of Alabama has battled prostate cancer.

Then, to finish, Owen said they were gonna play a song (they had never done before (“As Long As There’s Love”), and offered a quote, before it.  He said it was from Bible scripture:  “God is love.”

Lyrics included, “I wanna be that missing link, that brings about all-word peace.  I wanna be that doctor (man), who wipes out disease, from all our land.”  

See the full line-up, here:  CampingWorld

More concerts are coming to the Camping World stream.  Martina McBride is next, September 22nd.  Chris Young is the 29th.  Ricky Scaggs and Steven Curtis Chapman perform October 6th.  Sugarland headlines the 13th.  Zac Brown Band takes the stage, October 20th, with Lady A on the 27th.  Brett Young belts it out, November 10th.  Then, the 17th is Little Big Town; and the 24th will showcase superstar duo Amy Grant (who has just recovered from heart surgery), and her husband, country legend, Vince Gill.