Nearly five decades after Randy Owen‘s voice helped put Fort Payne on the world stage, a new documentary is bringing his story back home.
“My Home’s in Alabama: The Randy Owen Story” premieres Saturday, Aug. 8, at 7 p.m. on Alabama Public Television, offering viewers an intimate look at the life of the Country Music Hall of Fame member and ALABAMA co-founder whose journey began in the small DeKalb County community of Adamsburg.
Produced by Jacksonville State University’s Longleaf Studios, the documentary traces Owen’s path from a farm boy growing up in northeast Alabama to the unmistakable voice behind one of country music’s most successful bands. Rather than focusing solely on chart-topping hits and awards, the film explores the faith, family and community that have shaped Owen throughout his life.
“I never imagined a kid from Fort Payne, Alabama would one day stand here, guitar in hand,” Owen says in the documentary.
The film combines sweeping views of Alabama with personal reflections from Owen and conversations with family, friends and fellow artists. It also features appearances by ALABAMA co-founder Teddy Gentry, singer-songwriter Jamey Johnson, country star Riley Green and others who share their perspectives on Owen’s influence both on and off the stage.
Yellowhammer News previously chronicled Owen’s lifelong friendship with Alabama Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter, highlighting the values the two men share after growing up just a few miles apart in DeKalb County. Owen has often spoken about lessons learned while working on his family’s farm, helping keep records for his parents’ cotton operation and watching his mother bring neighbors together through music and community events.
Those same themes are woven throughout the documentary, which focuses on the people and places that continue to define him decades after ALABAMA became a household name.
As the band’s lead singer, Owen helped deliver enduring hits including “Mountain Music,” “My Home’s in Alabama,” “Feels So Right,” “Love in the First Degree,” “Song of the South,” “Tennessee River,” “Dixieland Delight” and “The Closer You Get.” Along the way, ALABAMA earned 43 No. 1 singles and became one of country music’s most influential acts.
Owen is also a Jacksonville State alumnus and serves on the university’s Board of Trustees, making Longleaf Studios a fitting producer for a documentary centered on one of the state’s best-known ambassadors. The documentary was first screened during the grand opening celebration of the Randy Owen Center for the Performing Arts before its statewide television premiere.
Viewers can watch the documentary on their local Alabama Public Television station, stream it through the free PBS Video App on supported devices or watch online through Alabama Public Television’s website.
For generations of fans, Randy Owen’s music has helped tell Alabama’s story. Now, through his own words, viewers will get a closer look at the man behind the songs and the hometown that never stopped shaping him.
Sherri Blevins is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You may contact her at [email protected].
