Alabama's Randy Owen Goes Solo

September 18, 2007 — After Alabama's farewell tour in 2003, singer and primary songwriter Randy Owen knew that wasn't the last fans would see of him.

"I just wanted to take a year off and really not be involved with music," Randy tells The Tennessean. Since then, he's recorded two Inspirational albums with Alabama and served as a judge on "Nashville Star." But fans will see a new side of Randy with the upcoming release of his first solo album, produced by John Rich of Big & Rich.

John admits he took on the project with some trepidation. "Alabama, his voice, that band, was a major impact on every artist that exists in country music from the time the band showed up to present day," he says. "When he approached me about recording a solo album on him, it was an intimidating request, honestly. I feel like I can make a great record on him, and I'm in the process of making a great record on him, but it's a big responsibility."

As for working with John, Randy says he sees similarities between Alabama in 1980 and Big & Rich in 2007. "I have lived my career on the edge, as far as the songs and the way they've been cut," he says. "I couldn't even get anyone to listen to 'Tennessee River' or 'Mountain Music' or 'Feels So Right, because it didn't have a bridge. Talking to John, it reminded me so much of our experience. People say, 'You can't do that,' and he says 'Why not?' That's the way I made my career, continually questioning myself and the industry, 'Why Not?' "

Randy was unsure at first about playing onstage without the other members of Alabama, but after a couple of dates on the road, he discovered it was a more comfortable fit than he anticipated.

"It took a lot of thinking on my part to get the thought of Randy Owen going on stage by himself into my head," he says. "I wanted to see if people would accept me for being me. That was something that I was really humbled by and grateful for."