Alabama House Speaker Nathaniel Ledbetter (R-Rainsville) presented longtime friend and country music legend Randy Owen with the Alabama Humanities Fellow award Oct. 19 at Birmingham’s Lyric Theatre.
The Alabama Humanities Alliance describes the fellowship as Alabama’s highest humanities honor. Owen was recognized for sharing Southern storytelling around the world through his songs with Alabama.
For Ledbetter, the presentation was also an opportunity to recognize the Fort Payne native’s commitment to helping others.
“It was an absolute honor to present my great friend Randy Owen with his Alabama Humanities Fellow award this evening,” Ledbetter wrote on X. “43 #1 hits, 75 million records sold, over 200 major awards—and he’s still the same down-home, humble son of a sharecropper who proudly calls Northeast Alabama home.”
“What sticks out to me is that, of all those accolades, being good to people and giving back is what he’s most proud of. Congratulations, Randy. I’m so proud to call you my friend.”
It was an absolute honor to present my great friend Randy Owen with his Alabama Humanities Fellow award this evening. 43 #1 hits, 75 million records sold, over 200 major awards—and he’s still the same down-home, humble son of a sharecropper who proudly calls Northeast Alabama home. What sticks out to me is that, of all those accolades, being good to people and giving back is what he’s most proud of. Congratulations, Randy. I’m so proud to call you my friend.
— Nathaniel Ledbetter (@RepLedbetter) October 20, 2026
Owen was among four musicians selected for recognition at the event, “Celebrating the Music of America, Made in Alabama.” The other honorees were Emmylou Harris, Will Kimbrough and Fred Wesley.
The reach of Owen’s music was familiar to Fort Payne archivist Caity Bell, who wrote about him in a profile published by the Alabama Humanities Alliance. Away from home, she found that introducing herself as being from Fort Payne often brought an immediate connection: People recognized it as the hometown of Alabama.
Bell credited Owen with helping share the region’s history, traditions and culture with the world. She also described how he continued supporting the community through service on the board of trustees for Landmarks of DeKalb County and the band’s decision to hold June Jam in Fort Payne, allowing its hometown to benefit from its success.
That commitment to giving back has also been part of Owen’s friendship with Ledbetter. As Yellowhammer News previously reported, the two DeKalb County natives first met at a campaign meet-and-greet at Adamsburg Fire Hall.
Owen grew up on Lookout Mountain and Ledbetter on Sand Mountain. Years later, they worked together to help create opportunities for another generation through the Randy Owen Center for the Performing Arts at Jacksonville State University.
Ledbetter helped secure $15 million in legislative funding for the center, named for the Alabama frontman, JSU graduate and university trustee. The two attended its groundbreaking in 2024 and celebrated its opening earlier this year.
The facility provides space for performances, arts education and recording instruction while bringing concerts and other programs to northeast Alabama. At its opening, Owen spoke about what he hoped it would mean for students.
“My wishes, and my hopes, and my dreams are that someday some kid will come through here, like me, and when they leave here, they have a dream,” Owen said. “Because if I can make it, anybody can.”
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
