On This Day in 1980, Alabama Released the First of 21 Consecutive No. 1 Singles

On this day (May 16) in 1980, Alabama released “Tennessee River” as the second single from their debut album My Home’s in Alabama. The song became the group’s first No. 1 and kicked off a long string of hit singles.

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Few artists in the history of country music have found the level of success that Alabama had during the 1980s and ’90s. After signing with RCA Records, they released My Home’s in Alabama and launched a string of hit singles and albums. They released nine studio albums and one holiday album in the 1980s. Seven of their studio albums went to No. 1. Their debut peaked at No. 3. Christmas albums usually don’t perform as well as other releases. The group’s first holiday release peaked at No. 8, further cementing them as one of the best-selling bands of the era.

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“Tennessee River” was the beginning of a long run of No. 1 singles for the band. Excluding a holiday single, every song the band released between 1980 and 1986 went to the top of the country chart. They notched 21 chart-toppers before releasing “Tar Top” from Just Us in 1987, which peaked at No. 7. Then, they finished the decade with a string of six more No. 1 singles.

Randy Owen’s Childhood Experiences Inspired Alabama’s First No. 1

Randy Owen wrote “Tennessee River” as an adult. However, he reached into his past to find inspiration for the hit single. Happy memories from his childhood in Fort Payne, Alabama, inspired him to pen the heartfelt ode to his homeland.

“Beginning when I was about three or four, Daddy used to drive me over to Scottsboro, Alabama, about thirty miles from home, every first Monday for a big open sale called First Monday,” Owen recalled. “They sold and swapped everything–dogs, cows, cats, goats, sheep, hunting knives–you name it. People would come from all over, and even area politicians would show up at First Monday to press the flesh,” he added.

“Coming off of Sand Mountain near Scottsboro, you could see the majestic Tennessee River flowing by. That’s where the song of the same name, “Tennessee River,” came from–taking in that view on the way to First Monday,” Owen explained.

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