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Blake Shelton, Little Big Town and More Pay Tribute to Alabama for ‘CMT Giants’

Some of country’s biggest names are coming together to celebrate the music of Alabama.

The iconic country band — comprised mainly of Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry and the late Jeff Cook — is the latest subject of CMT Giants, a star-studded series of televised tribute concerts, and PEOPLE can share exclusive photos from the event at Belmont’s Fisher Center in Nashville.

The group photos feature Jimi Westbrook, Phillip Sweet, Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town, Jamey Johnson, Jason Aldean, Riley Green, Blake Shelton, Sam Hunt, Brad Tursi, Geoff Sprung, Matthew Ramsey and Trevor Rosen of Old Dominion, Lorrie Morgan, Pam Tillis and Steve Wariner, as well as Alabama’s Gentry and Owen.

‘CMT Giants: Alabama’ featuring Jimi Westbrook, Phillip Sweet, Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town, Jamey Johnson, Jason Aldean, Riley Green, Blake Shelton, Sam Hunt, Brad Tursi, Geoff Sprung, Matthew Ramsey and Trevor Rosen of Old Dominion, Lorrie Morgan, Pam Tillis and Steve Wariner, as well as Teddy Gentry and Randy Owen of Alabama.

Catherine Powell/Getty for CMT

Alabama’s CMT Giants special — airing Thursday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. ET on CMT — features Gentry and Owen performing the band’s “Mountain Music” and “My Home’s in Alabama” as well as many cover renditions of the group’s songs from fellow artists in the genre.

Cover performances will include Shelton, Wariner and Kara Britz with “Old Flame,” Brad Paisley with “Old Alabama,” Johnson with “Angels Among Us,” Aldean with “Love in the First Degree,” Little Big Town with “The Closer You Get,” Old Dominion with “Roll On,” Tillis and Morgan with “Feels So Right,” Green with “Dixieland Delight” and Hunt with “Song of the South.”

Additionally, the show will feature appearances from Evander Holyfield, Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan, Martina McBride and Vince Gill — as well as a brand-new interview with the members of Alabama.

Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook of Alabama.

David Redfern / Getty Images

Gentry and Owen formed Alabama in 1969, and Cook joined the group shortly afterwards. They rose to mainstream fame in the ’80s and earned a whopping 27 chart-topping country hits in the United States throughout the decade, followed by another five No. 1s in the ’90s.

Since embarking on a farewell tour in the mid-2000s, the band has reunited multiple times and even released a comeback album in 2015 with Southern Drawl.

In 2017, Cook revealed he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease four years prior. The musician died of complications related to the disease on Nov. 7, 2022.

Owen said in a statement at the time, “He lived to play our music we created together. He could play any instrument he chose, but his harmonies I’ll miss the most. I’m thankful we got to create music together for over 50 years! Wish we could play ‘My Home’s in Alabama’ one more time.”

“I’m hurt in a way I can’t describe! To Lisa, thanks for loving him and being there for him to the end. Play on, Jeff,” continued Owen. “Love you!”

Gentry added, “Closer than brothers, we lived together more than with our immediate families. Don’t think I’ve known anyone who loved playing more. Jeff, along with me and Randy, experienced the highs of undreamed success, as well as some very tough early years. None of us were perfect, but together we had something so special it will never die. No other guitar player I’ve known had the range of styles Jeff had. No one can take your place. Ever. Rest in peace till we get to jam again.”

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Publish date : 2024-08-14 10:00:00

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