Alabama live

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Alabama live

AVA Amphitheatre

Tucson, AZ

June 29,2023

by Mary Andrews

The band, Alabama, has been churning out country hits for over 50 years. The band originated in Fort Payne, Alabama, in the late 1970s. By 1980 they had a recording contract with RCA records. Since that time, they have released 21 gold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums, 42 singles that topped the charts at number one, and sold over 75 million records in total. They have a lot of material to draw from for a 90 minute concert.

They have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and were named the Academy of Country Music‘s Artist of the Decade in 1989, and the Recording Industry Association of America‘s Country Group of the Century in 1999. In 2005, the band was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Fans showed up in droves at Casino del Sol to see and sing some of their favorite country songs. Alabama’s music is a mix of country, pop, gospel, and bluegrass. Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry are the only original members left of the band. That said, Alabama still is a sizable band.

The band walked out to a patriotic tribute video featuring officers in full dress uniforms, shots of Arlington cemetery and lots of flags. This seemd more appropriate since this is the 4th of July weekend. Their 50th Anniversary Tour delivered a majority of their hits. They dropped crowd pleasers like “Feels So Right” and “Dixieland Delight” without making much effort. The crowd got revved up early on with a lightning-fast version of “If You’re Gonna Play In Texas (“You Gotta Have A Fiddle In The Band).” “High Cotton” was dedicated to Owen’s mother whom he lost approximately a year ago.

Owen brought up the subject of the night’s temperature several times during the evening with it still being 98 degrees at eight pm. He mentioned that their last gig was in South Dakota and it was 61 degrees. He also mentioned that everyone in the band has had Covid and pulled though without a hitch giving credit to the love in their ‘family.’ The band’s musical precision is equalled only by their stage charisma. The show felt very intimate even though there were 4,000 people present. The group took a final bow and danced off the stage, proving that over 50 years of performing hasn’t slowed them down.

Setlist

Pass It on Down
If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)
The Closer You Get
Sad Lookin’ Moon
Song of the South
Feels So Right
Can’t Keep a Good Man Down
High Cotton
As Long as There’s Love
Dixieland Delight
“You’ve Got” the Touch
Born Country
Angels Among Us
Orange Blossom Special
(Rouse Brothers cover)
Tennessee River
Take Me Down
Mountain Music