BMI Icon

BMI announced this week that Alabama frontman Randy Owen will be celebrated as a BMI Icon during the 72nd annual BMI Country Awards on Nov. 19 at the BMI office in Nashville. The award has previously been bestowed on such country greats as Matraca Berg, Toby Keith, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Dolly Parton, Kris Kristofferson, Dean Dillon and Hank Williams Jr.
Owen wrote such signature Alabama hits as “Tennessee River,” “Feels So Right,” “Mountain Music” and “Lady Down on Love.” He was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2013.

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Alabama, of course, is one of the most successful country groups in history. They had 33 No. 1 hits on Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, stretching from “Tennessee River” in August 1980 to “Old Alabama,” a collab with Brad Paisley, in June 2011.

Alabama was the first act to win entertainer of the year three times at the CMA Awards. They won in that category five times at the ACM Awards. They were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005, becoming just the third group (defined as more than two people) to be so honored, following The Carter Family, Sons of the Pioneers and The Jordanaires.

Remarkably, Alabama hit No. 1 on Hot Country Songs with 21 consecutive singles, discounting a holiday song (“Christmas in Dixie) and another artist’s single on which they were featured (Lionel Richie’s “Deep River Woman”). Their longest-running No. 1, “Jukebox in My Mind,” remained on top for four weeks in September 1990.

One of Alabama’s No. 1 country hits, “Touch Me When We’re Dancing,” had been a No. 1 hit on Billboard’s Adult Contemporary chart in 1981 for the Carpenters. Another, “Face to Face,” featured an uncredited guest vocal by K.T. Oslin.

Now it’s your turn to weigh in: Which is your favorite of Alabama’s No. 1 hits on Hot Country Songs? Vote here!