Alabama Performs “Mountain Music” for CMT Special Honoring Their Legacy
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CMT honors the monumental career of the award-winning country group Alabama
Country Music Television has created a special showcase designed to celebrate the achievements and impact of the iconic music group Alabama. CMT Giants: Alabama brought together top talent in the industry for special performances and will showcase rare photos, performance footage, and interviews from the vault.
In addition to the guests of honor, the lineup features Blake Shelton, Brad Paisley, Evander Holyfield, Jamey Johnson, Jason Aldean, Lionel Richie, Little Big Town, Lorrie Morgan, Luke Bryan, Martina McBride, Old Dominion, Pam Tillis, Riley Green, Sam Hunt, Steve Wariner, and Vince Gill.
Previous CMT Giants specials have honored legends Vince Gill, Kenny Rogers, Charley Pride, Alan Jackson, Reba McEntire, and Hank Williams Jr.
Alabama’s Legacy
Founded in 1969, Alabama originally performed under the name Wildcountry before adopting their current moniker in 1977. The group proved to have a longevity that few other musical groups have ever experienced. Over the five decades that they have been creating music, Alabama has had 41 number-one hits on the Billboard charts and has sold over 75 million records worldwide.
They are largely regarded as the most successful group in country music history. In 2019, Alabama was awarded the first-ever Life Time Achievement Award from the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, and at the same time, they were inducted into the ranks.
The band’s lineup changed a few times over the years, and Alabama disbanded in 2004. Jeff Cook, Teddy Gentry, and Randy Owen reunited in 2010, but tragically, Cook passed away in 2022 due to complications from Parkinson’s disease.
Owen and Gentry still perform as Alabama today, keeping Cook’s legacy alive.
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Alabama performs “Mountain Music” for CMT Giants: Alabama
Of course, the night would not be complete without the honorees performing one of their most beloved hits. “Mountain Music” was released in 1982 as the lead single from their album by the same name.
In his book Born Country, Randy Owen recalls that the song took him three years to write and how his childhood experiences inspired the lyrics.
“Mountain Music” topped both the United States and Canadian charts and was certified platinum by the RIAA.
The full special CMT Giants: Alabama will premiere on Thursday, August 15, at 8/7c on CMT. Watch Alabama’s performance of “Mountain Music” below!
