The musical group Alabama was honored on TV on CMT Giants: Alabama on August 15, but there was a void in the band that cannot be filled. Missing from their ranks was cousin and member Jeff Cook, who passed away at 73 from Parkinson's disease in 2022.
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This Tradition Began In 2006 To Pay Tribute To The Finest Country Music Artists Like Alabama
The accolade's previous honorees include Alan Jackson, Charley Pride, Vince Gill, and Kenny Rogers. They represent some of the best of the best.
The CMT homage to Alabama was announced in January 2024, according to a press release on the band's website. It featured top-tier performers like Jason Aldean, Brad Paisley, and Little Big Town. There were also appreciative remarks by country music greats such as Martina McBride, Vince Gill, and Luke Bryan.
Alabama Still Misses Jeff Cook
They Have Been Together Making Music For Fifty Years
It was a hardscrabble climb up the ladder for these guys. No cushy gigs for them, at least to start. Their web site states, "It took Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook six long years of tip jars and word of mouth to earn the major label deal they'd been dreaming of, but then seemingly no time at all to change the face of country music."
Change it, they did." Then, two years ago, they lost Jeff Cook. It was a very painful tragedy for band members Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry.
After Cook died, they shared their grief publicly. From Randy Owen: "He lived to play our music we created together. He could play any instrument he chose, but his harmonies I'll miss the most. I'm thankful we got to create music together for over 50 years. Wish we could play 'My Home's in Alabama' one more time."
Gentry's expression of bereavement was similarly wistful. "Jeff, along with me and Randy, experienced the highs of undreamed success, as well as some very tough early years. None of us were perfect, but together we had something so special it will never die. No other guitar player I've known had the range of styles Jeff had. No one can take your place. Ever. Rest in peace till we get to jam again."
