I'll Be Away This Evening

[VaBeachGuy 12]

The Alabama concert is tonight so I'll be leaving in a few minutes but will be back around midnight (eastern time).

 

I've left word to look out for coups... :) B) :lol: :)

[Takara_Soong 4]

Have a great time at the concert VBG. Don't worry the boards are safe with us. RC and I will make sure nobody tries to usurp you while you're away.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Have a good time :lol: ! *sets phaser to heavy stun*

[RikerChick 5]

RC and I will make sure nobody tries to usurp you while you're away. 

I mean....uh....

[Data 0]

Have a great time.

[removed 0]

HAVE FUN VBG! WE KNOW HOW MUCH YOU LOVE COUNTRY!

[ensign_beedrill 0]

Wow, that's really cool! I like Alabama! It's a little too late to say this, but have a great time. I'm sure you will.

[Kyalia 0]

WE'LL MISS YOU!!!

 

 

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Thanks everyone, the show was great. Started at 7:40pm and ended at 10:45pm (with a 20 minute intermission).

 

I'll be posting a Mood of the moment shortly... lol

[RikerChick 5]

Glad you had a great time! Wish I could've gone with you.

[Kyalia 0]

Thanks everyone, the show was great. Started at 7:40pm and ended at 10:45pm (with a 20 minute intermission).

 

I'll be posting a Mood of the moment shortly... lol

The Mood of the moment's are in offtopic stuff, right? I think I saw one...

Anyways, glad you had a good time! Ears still ringing?

[VaBeachGuy 12]

A little but it was great.

 

For anyone that knows anything about Alabama they know who Randy Owen is (He's the lead singer). After about 3 songs he stopped everything and pulled his cell phone out. Everyone sat quietly waiting to see what was going on. After a second Randy explained to everyone that in the past 25+ years he has had to be on the road a lot and his missed many birthdays. Today was his youngest daughter's (Randa) birthday. He wanted to do something special for her because he couldn't be there so he told her that he would have 20,000+ people sing happy birthday to her. So he asked us to sing happy birthday to her while he held the phone out for her to hear.

 

It was pretty cool, I've been a fan of Alabama since about 1981 and I remember when Randa was born (from the news), I just never thought I'd be singing Happy Birthday to her... lol

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Just wanted to add a few details from the concert.

 

For anyone that may not be familiar with Alabama they have been around for quite some time. In their present form they have been singing and playing together since 1979 Rand, Teddy and Jeff started in 1969 and in 1979 Mark joined them as their Drummer.

 

Below is a list of some of the honors they have earned with their music I placed it in a spoiler because it's a pretty long list.

 

Alabama has had more number 1 hits then any group in history. More then Elvis, more then the Beatles or the Rolling Stones or Led Zepplin. They have had 42 #1 hits and they hold the record for consecutive #1's at 21 in a row.

 

 

 

 

 

1. 1980 Cash Box - New Vocal Group Of The Year - Singles
    
   
2. 1980 Cash Box - New Vocal Group Of The Year - Albums
    
   
3. 1981 Country Music Association Vocal Group Of The Year
    
   
4. 1981 Country Music Association Instrumental Group Of The Year
    
   
5. 1981 Academy Of Country Music Vocal Group Of The Year
    
   
6. 1981 Billboard - New Group Of The Year
    
   
7. 1981 Radio & Records - Group Of The Year
    
   
8. 1981 Radio & Records - Album Of The Year - "Feels So Right"
    
   
9. 1981 Cashbox - Top Vocal Group Of The Year - Singles
    
   
10. 1981 Cashbox - Top Vocal Group Of The Year - Albums
     
    
11. 1981 Cashbox - Top Group - Singles
     
    
12. 1981 National Association Of Record Merchandisers Gift Of Music Award - Best Selling Country Album by Group -
     
    "Feels So Right"
     
    
13. 1982 Country Music Association Entertainer Of The Year
     
    
14. 1982 Country Music Association Vocal Group Of The Year
     
    
15. 1982 Country Music Association Instrumental Group Of The Year
     
    
16. 1982 Academy Of Country Music Entertainer Of The Year
     
    
17. 1982 Academy Of Country Music Group Of The Year
     
    
18. 1982 Academy Of Country Music Album Of The Year - "Feels So Right"
     
    
19. 1982 US Magazine Award - Favorite Country Group
     
    
20. 1982 Billboard Breakthrough Award - Country To Pop
     
    
21. 1982 Billboard Top Album - "Feels So Right"
     
    
22. 1982 Billboard Top Singles Group
     
    
23. 1982 Billboard Top Album Artist
     
    
24. 1982 Billboard Top Group Of The Year - Album and Singles
     
    
25. 1982 Billboard Top Artists Of The Year - Album and Singles
     
    
26. 1982 Radio & Records Performers Of The Year
     
    
27. 1982 Radio & Records Group Of The Year
     
    
28. 1982 Radio & Records Album Of The Year "Mountain Music"
     
    
29. 1982 Cashbox Programmers Choice Awards - Vocal Group Of The Year ear
     
    
30. 1982 Cashbox Programmers Choice Awards - Album Of The Year
     
    
31. 1982 Cashbox Top Group Of The Year - Albums
     
    
32. 1982 Cashbox Top Group Of The Year - Singles
     
    
33. 1982 Cashbox Male Entertainer of The Year
     
    
34. 1982 National Association Of Record Merchandisers Gift Of Music Winner - Best-Selling Country Album By Group -
     
    "Mountain Music"
     
    
35. 1982 Amusement & Music Operators Of America - Most Popular Artist Of The Year
     
    
36. 1982 Music City News Band Of The Year
     
    
37. 1982 Music City News Album Of The Year
     
    
38. 1983 Grammy Award - Mountain Music
     
    
39. 1983 Country Music Association Entertainer Of The Year
     
    
40. 1983 Country Music Association Vocal Group Of The Year
     
    
41. 1983 Country Music Association Album Of The Year - "The Closer You Get"
     
    
42. 1983 Academy Of Country Music Entertainer Of The Year
     
    
43. 1983 Academy Of Country Music Vocal Group Of The Year
     
    
44. 1983 American Music Award - Favorite Country Group
     
    
45. 1983 Billboard - Overall Top Artist
     
    
46. 1983 Billboard - Overall Top Group
     
    
47. 1983 Billboard - Top Album Artist
     
    
48. 1983 Billboard - Top Album Group
     
    
49. 1983 Billboard - Top Album "Mountain Music"
     
    
50. 1983 Radio & Records Performer Of The Year
     
    
51. 1983 Radio & Records Album Of The Year - "The Closer You Get"
     
    
52. 1983 US Magazine Award - Favorite Country Group
     
    
53. 1983 Cashbox Programmers Choice Awards Group Of The Year
     
    
54. 1983 Cashbox Programmers Choice Awards Album Of The Year
     
    
55. 1983 Cashbox Single Of The Year
     
    
56. 1983 Cashbox Group Of The Year
     
    
57. 1983 Cashbox Vocal Group Of The Year - Singles
     
    
58. 1983 Cashbox Vocal Group Of The Year - Albums
     
    
59. 1983 National Association Of Record Merchandisers Gift Of Music Award - Best Selling Country Album by Group -The Closer You Get"
     
    
60. 1983 Music City News Band Of The Year
     
    
61. 1983 Music City News Vocal Group Of The Year
     
    
62. 1984 Grammy Award - "The Closer You Get"
     
    
63. 1984 Country Music Association Entertainer Of The Year
     
    
64. 1984 Academy Of Country Music Entertainer Of The Year
     
    
65. 1984 Academy Of Country Music Vocal Group Of The Year
     
    
66. 1984 Academy Of Country Music Album Of The Year "The Closer You Get"
     
    
67. 1984 American Music Award - Group Of The Year
     
    
68. 1984 American Music Award - Country Album Of The Year "The Closer You Get
     
    
69. 1984 American Music Award - Favorite Video - 'Dixieland Delight"
     
    
70. 1984 Billboard - Overall Top Country Artist - Albums and Singles
     
    
71. 1984 Billboard - Overall Top Country Group - Albums and Singles
     
    
72. 1984 Billboard Top Album Group
     
    
73. 1984 Billboard Top Album Artist
     
    
74. 1984 Billboard Top Singles Group
     
    
75. 1984 Billboard - Bill Williams Artist Of The Year
     
    
76. 1984 Radio & Records Performer Of The Year
     
    
77. 1984 Radio & Records Album Of The Year "Roll On"
     
    
78. 1984 Cashbox Country Singles Award - Vocal Group
     
    
79. 1984 Cashbox Country Album Award - Vocal Group
     
    
80. 1984 Cashbox Top 50 Country Album - #1 "Roll On"
     
    
81. 1984 National Association Of Record Merchandisers Gift Of Music Award - Best Selling Country Album by Group "Roll On"
     
    
82. 1984 Music City News Band Of The Year
     
    
83. 1984 Music City News Album Of The Year "The Closer You Get"
     
    
84. 1985 Academy Of Country Music Entertainer Of The Year
     
    
85. 1985 Academy Of Country Music Vocal Group Of The Year
     
    
86. 1985 Academy Of Country Music Album Of The Year "Roll On"
     
    
87. 1985 American Music Award Country Group Of The Year
     
    
88. 1985 Billboard Top Artist for Singles and Albums
     
    
89. 1985 Billboard Top Group for Singles and Albums
     
    
90. 1985 Billboard Top Singles Artist
     
    
91. 1985 Billboard Top Group for Singles
     
    
92. 1985 Billboard Top Group for Albums
     
    
93. 1985 Radio & Records Performers Of Tile Year
     
    
94. 1985 Radio & Records Group Of The Year
     
    
95. 1985 Radio & Records Performer Of The Year (readers)
     
    
96. 1985 Radio & Records Best Group
     
    
97. 1985 Radio & Records Album Of The Year "Roll On"
     
    
98. 1985 Radio & Records Best Album
     
    
99. 1985 Cashbox Programmers Choice Award
     
    
100. 1985 Cashbox - #1 Group
      
     
101. 1985 Cashbox - #1 Album
      
     
102. 1985 National Association Of Record Merchandisers Gift Of Music Award - Best Selling Country Album by Group -"40 Hr. Week"
      
     
103. 1985 Alabama Music Hall Of Fame - Country Group
      
     
104. 1986 Academy Of Country Music Entertainer Of The Year
      
     
105. 1986 Academy Of Country Music Vocal Group Of The Year
      
     
106. 1986 American Music Award - Country Group Of The Year
      
     
107. 1986 American Music Award - Country Album Of The Year "40 Hr. Week"
      
     
108. 1986 Billboard - Top Overall Vocal Group - Singles and Albums
      
     
109. 1986 Billboard - Top Overall Album Artist
      
     
110. 1986 Billboard - Top Overall Album Group
      
     
111. 1986 Cashbox - Entertainer Of The Year
      
     
112. 1986 Cashbox - Album - Group Of The Year
      
     
113. 1986 National Association Of Record Merchandisers Gift Of Music Award - Best Selling Country Album By Group -"Greatest Hits"
      
     
114. 1987 Peoples Choice - Favorite Musical Group
      
     
115. 1987 Bob Hope Humanitarian Award - For Public Service Work and Contributions Involving Children
      
     
116. 1987 American Music Awards Best Country Group
      
     
117. 1987 American Music Awards Best Country Video
      
     
118. 1987 American Music Awards Best Country Album "Greatest Hits"
      
     
119. 1987 Ampex Golden Reel Award - "The Touch"
      
     
120. 1987 Cashbox Country Vocal Group Of The Year
      
     
121. 1987Alabama Music Hall Of Fame - Governor's Sustaining Achievement Award For Popular Music
      
     
122. 1987 National Association For Campus Activities - Favorite Country Music Performer
      
     
123. 1988 American Music Awards - Favorite Country Group
      
     
124. 1988 Alabama Music Hall Of Fame - Distinguished Service Award
      
     
125. 1988 Ampex Golden Reel Award - "Just Us"
      
     
126. 1988 National Association For Campus Activities - Vocal Group Of The Year
      
     
127. 1989 Academy Of Country Music Artist Of The Decade
      
     
128. 1989 American Music Award Favorite Country Group
      
     
129. 1989 Broadcast Music Inc. Song Of The Year "Fallin' Again"
      
     
130. 1989 BMG Global Achievement Award
      
     
131. 1989Cashbox Artist Of The Decade
      
     
132. 1989 Cashbox Entertainer Of The Year
      
     
133. 1989 Billboard - Country Artist of the 80's
      
     
134. 1990 Country Radio Broadcasters - Humanitarian Award
      
     
135. 1990 Playboy - Top Group/Country Award
      
     
136. 1990 Playboy - Country Album Of The Year "Southern Star"
      
     
137. 1990 Highest Grossing Country Music Show - Riverside Centroplex - Baton Rouge, LA 1O~4-90
      
     
138. 1990 Prince Matchabelli National Hero Award - Music
      
     
139. 1990 Alabama Music Hall of Fame - Service Award
      
     
140. 1990 American Music Award - Country Group of the Year
      
     
141. 1991 Playboy - Top Country Group
      
     
142. 1991 American Music Award - Favorite Country Group
      
     
143. 1992 Top 10 C.M.T. Video Award - "I'm In A Hurry"
      
     
144. 1992 American Music Award - Favorite Country Group
      
     
145. 1993 Alabama Music Hall of Fame - Life Work Award For Performing Achievement
      
     
146. 1993 The People's Choice - Favorite Musical Group
      
     
147. 1993 American Music Awards - Favorite Country Group
      
     
148. 1994 American Music Awards - Favorite Country Group
      
     
149. 1995 American Music Awards - Favorite Country Group
      
     
150. 1997 American Music Awards - Favorite Country Band or Duo
      
     
151. 1998 Cammy Awards - Beach Music Song of the Year - "Dancin' Shaggin' on the Boulevard
      
     
152. 1998 Entertainment Radio Network - Best Group or Duo
      
     
153. 1998 American Music Awards - Favorite Country Group
      
     
154. 1998 Hollywood Walk of Fame
      
     
155. 1999 American Music Awards - Favorite Country Group
      
     
156. 1999 R.I.A.A. - Country Group of the Century
      
     
157. 2000 TNN Awards - Minnie Pearl Humanitarian Award
      
     
158. 2000 BMI President's Award
      
     
159. 2003 American Music Awards Show - Award of Merit
      
     
160. 2003 Academy of Country Music Pioneer Award
      
     
161. 2003 American Music Awards - Favorite Country Group
      
     
162. 2003 Auburn University International Quality of Life Award
      
     
163. 2003 Spirit of Alabama medal
      
     
164. 2003 USO Rising Star Award
      
     
165. 2003 Pentagon 9/11 Medallion
      
     
166. 2003 Country Weekly, Fan Favorite Award, Favorite Group (2002)
      
     
167. 2004 Country Radio Broadcasters Career Achievement Award
      
     
168. 2004 USO-Metropolitan Washington Merit Award
      
     
169. 2005 Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame
     

That's quite a list, if you didn't read them all there are many that would stand out but I will point out a couple of pretty big ones.

• 1989 Academy Of Country Music Artist Of The Decade
   
  
• 1989 Cashbox Artist Of The Decade
   
  
• 1989 Billboard - Country Artist of the 80's
   
  
• 1999 R.I.A.A. - Country Group of the Century
   
  
• 2005 Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame
  

Awesome awards for a small town band from a small town in Alabama.

 

Some of the musical highlights of the show on Saturday:

 

The singing of the song America. It's hard to describe the feeling of hearing 15,000-20,000 people singing America together. It was a great moment (one of many).

 

For most of the show the audience sang along with just about every song. I can't say how it is for other concerts by other groups but for the ones I've been to there are times when the audience will sing along. This was different though. Everyone sang along with almost everything in a loud way. Watching people that ranged in age from 5 to 65 and every age in between standing on their feet, waving their hands singing and screaming at the tops of their lungs and jumping up and down dancing to the music was a great thing. The age range isn't exaggerated either, and 65 may even be on the young side for the older fans that were there. I read one review by another person that was there who sat next to a Grandmother, Mother and daughter trio. I too saw many groups of people that looked to make up several generations of the same family.

 

I don't know of many other groups that could bring so many generations together in such a celebration of music then Alabama.

 

Picture it in your mind... You are in your concert seat looking down on the stage and the audience. A fast paced "Country-Rock" song like such as Mountain Music or Tennessee River with a great beat and the fiddle jamming, electric guitars, a piano and great singing is playing so lout that you can't hear anything else. It's so loud that a bomb could go off and you wouldn't hear it. Now that you have that in your mind picture looking a few rows in front of you at some of the other fans, you see a teenaged girl that is probably 15 or 16 thrusting her fists in the air, singing and dancing along with the music. Next to her is her mother of 40 to 45 years old, picture her thrusting her fists in the air, singing and dancing along with the music. Next to her is her mother maybe 65 to 70 years old, thrusting her fists into the air, singing and dancing along with the music. That was the scene all over the place. Just one giant celebration of a career that has spanned more then 25 years and changed music in America.

 

It was awesome! I just wish I could see more shows, but sadly (for me) this was the last time I would have a chance to see them live. It was a great show for the last one!

 

Ok, I return control of your computer back to you now...

 

Roll On Alabama! Roll On!!

[VaBeachGuy 12]

Here's a few pictures that were taken by another fan that was at the show.

 

Thanks Southernstarr from Jeff Cook's message board (Jeff is Alabama's lead guitarist) for letting me share these:

 

 

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

Randy Owen to the left in black and Teddy Gentry to the right in the white shirt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

Randy holding his Cell phone out after calling his teenage daughter Randa because it was her Birthday and he wanted the audience to sing to her.

 

 

 

 

 

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

Jeff Cook playing guitar and singing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

» Click to show Spoiler - click again to hide... «

Teddy Gentry singing and playing Bass.

 

 

 

 

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Mark Herndon pounding out a beat on the drums.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[trekzone 0]

nice pics VBG, glad you had fun...now i know something about you!