In the small mountain town of Fort Payne, Alabama, where four young dreamers once picked up instruments and changed the sound of country music forever, a powerful tribute now stands — cast in bronze and etched inLife-size statues of Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, Jeff Cook, and Mark Herndon, the founding members of the iconic band Alabama, have been unveiled just steps from where their journey began.
For fans, the unveiling was more than a ceremony — it was an emotional homecoming. Locals and lifelong listeners stood quietly, some with tears in their eyes, as the covers were lifted to reveal strikingly lifelike figures, frozen in a moment of unity. Instruments in hand, heads held high, the statues reflect the strength, humility, and musical brotherhood that defined Alabama’s legacy.
Situated near the Alabama Fan Club and Museum, the monument isn’t just a tourist attraction — it’s a sacred space. A place where fans can walk up, stand beside their heroes, and remember the songs that soundtracked their lives. Whether it was “Mountain Music,” “Dixieland Delight,” or “Angels Among Us,” the band gave voice to generations of working-class Americans who saw themselves in every lyric.
But for Fort Payne, this monument is even more personal. These weren’t just famous musicians — they were hometown boys. Randy, Teddy, Jeff, and Mark grew up right here, played local stages, went to the same schools, and never forgot where they came from. Their success didn’t take them away — it brought the world to them.
In honoring them with bronze, the town of Fort Payne has done more than celebrate a band. It has enshrined a legacy of music, faith, family, and perseverance — values that Alabama carried from their first small gigs to sold-out stadiums across the globe.
As Randy Owen said during the unveiling, “We started here. And it means everything that this is where we’re remembered.”
