Beech Tree News Network

Alabama is a group that has been a staple in country music for 30+ years.  Even though their heyday has long since passed, the group is and forever will be the standard-bearer for all groups in country.  I got my first taste of Alabama music at a very early age.  When their first album, My Home’s In Alabama, was released in 1980, I was 1 year-old.  “Why Lady Why”, one of the best country heartbreak songs ever, was on that album.  They released an album every year up until their 20th Century compilation in 1999.  They would then go 2-3 years between albums.
My “singing debut”, as it were, would come in 1981.  The Oak Ridge Boys had just come out with “Elvira”.  Apparently I would sing that song to death.  I’m fairly certain my favorite part of that song was “Giddy Up oom poppa oom poppa mow mow”.  I had a little cowboy hat and a little guitar.  Now I have a grown-up cowboy hat and a big-boy guitar (a Martin, of course).  I wish I could say I sing better now than I did when I was a tyke.  Let’s just say I won’t be going to Nashville (or anywhere else) to record anytime soon!
When you join a group, though, singing will eventually be done.  My group with whom I used to play music at the Butler County Extension Office met every two weeks.  None of us would tell you we were on the fast track, or any track, to a recording contract.  It was just for fun.  We sang and played lots of different songs, Alabama songs being chief among the line-up.  Now that he reads this story, I’m sure Greg Drake is kicking himself for not getting me to sing “Elvira”.  Maybe I’ll break it out someday.  Maybe not.