ALABAMA and Former Drummer Mark Herndon Reunite for the First Time in Over 20 Years
“I felt like a little kid all day,” Herndon shared.
Mark Herndon Jams with ALABAMA for First Time in Over Two Decades; Photo by Josh Weichman
Legendary country band ALABAMA reunited with former drummer Mark Herndon over the weekend, marking their first time sharing the stage in more than two decades.
The Country Music Hall of Famers headlined the Orion Amphitheater in Huntsville, Alabama, on Saturday (August 23) and stunned the sold-out crowd when Herndon appeared just before the night’s final song.
Together, they performed “Mountain Music,” with Herndon delivering his iconic drum solo, a moment that had the crowd on its feet.
“It just fell together,” ALABAMA’s Teddy Gentry shared. “The good Lord blesses us sometimes to do things that we can’t do. All we can do is kind of be in the wings and kind of hope for things. Like I said, we make plans, and he laughs. But there’s nothing he can’t do.”
“I felt like a little kid all day,” Herndon added. “It was so cathartic for everybody. I think it was on God’s time, I really do. It was magic all over again.”
@braydenwmusic1 MARK HERNDON plays with ALABAMA again! #Alabama #mountainmusic #markherndon #countrymusic ♬ original sound – Brayden Williamson
Herndon first joined ALABAMA as their full-time drummer in the late 1970s, performing alongside Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, and the late Jeff Cook for nearly three decades before stepping away following the band’s 2004 Farewell Tour.
As country music’s first superstar band, ALABAMA rose to fame with megahits like “Roll On,” “Dixieland Delight,” and “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band).”
Over their career, they sold more than 80 million albums and notched 43 No. 1 singles, cementing their place as the most successful band in country music history. ALABAMA has gone on to inspire a new generation of country stars, including Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, and Riley Green.
After the passing of Jeff Cook in 2022, Randy Owen and Teddy Gentry have continued to tour in his honor. Their Live in Concert 25 Tour runs through the end of the year.
The band has upcoming shows in Allentown, PA, Roanoke, VA, St. Louis, MO, and more. Click HERE to view a complete list of upcoming ALABAMA tour dates.
Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.
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