It was supposed to be a routine clean-out of an old storage shed on the Owen family ranch — dusty boxes, faded photos, yellowed receipts from cattle auctions long forgotten. But hidden beneath a weather-worn stack of school papers and early report cards, a small, leather-bound notebook from 1968 has just been uncovered.
Inside it?
Randy Owen’s very first handwritten song.
A song he wrote at the age of 14, long before Alabama, long before stadium crowds, long before the world ever heard the voice that would define a generation.
And what those early lyrics reveal has left even the oldest fans and historians speechless.
THE DISCOVERY THAT SHOULDN’T HAVE SURVIVED
The notebook — fragile, soft at the edges, and nearly falling apart — was found by a relative helping prepare items for a family archive. Tucked inside the back pocket was a folded, yellowed sheet of notebook paper. Written in pencil, the title reads:
“Mama, I Hear the Wind Calling Home.”
— Randy Owen, 1968
When the family realized what they were holding, they reportedly broke into tears.
THE LYRICS: A 14-YEAR-OLD WHO ALREADY KNEW HOW TO BREAK HEARTS
What stunned everyone wasn’t just that Randy wrote a song so young — it was the emotional depth inside those lines. Even as a teenager living on a small farm in DeKalb County, Randy was already writing with the soul of a man far older.
Early lines from the song read:
“Mama, I hear the wind calling home again,
Like a voice from the porch when the day grows thin.”
Another verse reveals something even more striking — a glimpse into Randy’s lifelong longing for simplicity, family, and the peace of the land:
“The world feels big when you’re small and alone,
But the hills tell me gently, ‘Son, you’ll always belong.’”
Fans who’ve been shown the lyrics say they can hear the early foundation of ‘My Home’s in Alabama’, written more than a decade later.
One historian said:
“This isn’t just an early draft.
It’s the seed of Randy’s entire songwriting identity.”
THE MOST HEARTBREAKING LINE OF ALL
But there is one final, scribbled line — erased twice, rewritten in shaky pencil — now sending chills across the country music world:
“If I ever sing for people, I hope they feel home too.”
To read that line now, knowing Alabama would go on to become one of the most beloved bands in country history, is almost too emotional to bear.
This wasn’t a teenager dreaming of fame.
This was a boy longing to comfort people — the same mission Randy Owen has carried through his entire life.
RANDY’S FAMILY RESPONDS
When the discovery was brought to Randy, witnesses described him going completely quiet. He held the page for several minutes, running his thumb across the faded pencil marks.
Then, in a soft voice, he said:
“I remember writing this. I didn’t think anybody would ever see it.”
Randy’s wife Kelly reportedly wiped tears as she read the final line aloud.