ALABAMA Legend Randy Owen Honored at Jacksonville State

A Homecoming Worthy of a Legend

Jacksonville State University opened the Randy Owen Center for the Performing Arts with the kind of celebration only country music could deliver: a sold-out tribute concert filled with surprise guests, emotional moments, and songs that helped define generations.

The new state-of-the-art venue, named for Jax State alumnus Randy Owen, officially opened last Wednesday night in Jacksonville, Alabama. Owen, best known as the iconic lead singer of the country supergroup ALABAMA, was honored by some of the biggest names in music during Live in Concert: Randy Owen and Friends.

The evening was more than a concert. It was a homecoming, a tribute, and a reminder of how one artist’s roots can continue shaping the future.

A Surprise Lineup of Country Music Royalty

The performers were kept secret from Owen ahead of the event, turning the night into a series of heartfelt surprises. Artists who took the stage included Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Riley Green, Jamey Johnson, Pam Tillis, The Oak Ridge Boys, Mark Wills, Drake White, The Isaacs, Gordon Mote, and ALABAMA’s own Teddy Gentry.

Together, the artists performed songs spanning ALABAMA’s Hall of Fame career, celebrating not only the band’s music but Owen’s influence on country artists across multiple generations.

For fans in attendance, it was a rare chance to see legends and modern stars come together in one place. For Owen, it was a deeply personal tribute to a career built on faith, hard work, loyalty, and a lifelong connection to his home state.

A Center Built for the Next Generation

The Randy Owen Center for the Performing Arts is designed to serve as a cultural hub for Jacksonville State University and the broader Northeast Alabama community. The facility will host concerts, touring productions, student performances, educational programming, university events, and community gatherings.

It will also provide a learning environment for students pursuing careers in music, theater, production, and the performing arts.

Jax State President Dr. Don C. Killingsworth, Jr. said the night reflected what Owen has meant to both the university and the country music industry.

“What took place says everything about what Randy Owen means to Jacksonville State University and to the country music industry,” Killingsworth said. “When artists and friends of this caliber come together to honor one person, it speaks to the respect Randy has earned through his career, his character, and the way he has invested in others throughout his life.”

Killingsworth added that Owen “has never forgotten where he came from,” and said the new center will inspire future generations of students to “dream bigger, create boldly, and share their talents with the world.”

From Fort Payne to Country Music History

Owen’s story is deeply tied to the American promise of persistence and possibility. More than 50 years ago, Owen, Teddy Gentry, and Jeff Cook left the cotton farms of Fort Payne, Alabama, and spent a summer playing music at The Bowery in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

For years, ALABAMA built its following through tip jars, long nights, and word-of-mouth support. Once the band earned its major label deal, it helped reshape country music.

Known for hits including “Mountain Music,” “Roll On,” “Dixieland Delight,” and “If You’re Gonna Play In Texas (You Gotta Have A Fiddle In The Band),” ALABAMA became one of the most successful acts in country music history. The group has sold more than 80 million albums, charted 43 No. 1 hits, and was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2005.

A Dream That Keeps Going

For Owen, the new center is not just a building with his name on it. It is a symbol of what can happen when talent meets determination and when people remember where they came from.

“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. I’ve been so blessed to be here, and this is one day that I’ll never forget.”

With the opening of the Randy Owen Center for the Performing Arts, Jacksonville State University is honoring one of its most famous alumni while investing in the artists, performers, and dreamers of tomorrow.

And for a night in Jacksonville, Alabama, country music came home to say thank you.