“Play me some mountain music, like grandma and grandpa used to play.” One of the most successful and primarily loved country groups of all time, Alabama is coming to Chicago.
The Alabama reunion tour is on. Fans of the legendary country group are excited to hear Alabama plans to tour again during 2013.
On Tuesday, February 19, 2013 the group announced their extensive lineup of tour dates.
The “Back To The Bowery” tour will launch on April 5 in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Alabama will play at Chicago’s Ravinia Festival this summer.
Mark the calendar. Tickets go on sale April 24, 2013 for Alabama’s Ravinia Concert to be held August 30, 2013.
Founding members Randy Owen and cousins Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook are reuniting. It was Jeff Cook who mentioned in 2011, the ‘Farewell Tour’ didn't end quite right and hinted at a possibility of a reunion and new album for 2012. The band did reunite with Brad Paisley in 2011 to play on his single, “Old Alabama” but without drummer Mark Herndon who parted ways in 2008 after a lawsuit.
With hits like, “Roll On (Eighteen Wheeler)”, “Dixieland Delight”, “The Closer You Get”, “There’s No Way”, and “40 Hour Week (For a Livin)” Alabama made country music extremely popular during the 80s and 90s. But in 2002 the band announced its farewell tour.
During most of 2003 the group was saying good-bye to their fans as their “Farewell Tour” performances crossed the United States.
Now, ten years later, the legendary country group is reuniting for their “Back To The Bowery Tour” and celebrating 40 years together.
The country music and southern rock band hails from Fort Payne, Alabama and it all started back in March 1973 playing in a club in Myrtle Beach, SC.
Randy Owen told Billboard, “That was a time that was really special to me. It was the first time I had left Jacksonville State University, and went to Myrtle Beach.”
Though the tour commemorates the group’s four decades of performances, the history of the cousins playing together goes back to 1969. Owen, Cook, and Gentry, along with another cousin played music together and won a local talent contest. Their prize was a trip to Nashville. Now over forty years later, the legendary group reunites to give country fans the music they have loved.
So this reunion tour begs the question. Will this reunion on the road lead to some new music this year? Randy Owen hinted "I think there's a possibility of some new things coming out, maybe some new recordings."
Chicago’s Ravinia festival is located in Highland Park. Events from classical music to jazz to musical theater run June through September and attract about 600,000 listeners to Ravinia each season.
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