Alabama's Teddy Gentry Arrested on Drug Charge: What to Know

Teddy Gentry, one of the founding members of the band Alabama, was arrested on drug charges in Cherokee County, Alabama on Sept. 12. Gentry plays bass for the band, which has scored hits with "Love in the First Degree," "Mountain Music," "If You're Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band)," and "Song of the South." The band has two more September tour dates planned.

Gentry, 70, was arrested and booked on misdemeanor marijuana and drug paraphernalia charges, reports AL.com. The musician was booked into the Cherokee County Jail at 10:38 a.m. on Sept. 12 and released about 30 minutes later. Jail records do not list his bond amount. Cherokee County Sheriff Jeff Shaver told AL.com that Gentry was arrested during a traffic stop.

The band's spokesman, Don Murry Grubbs, told the Associated Press he knew of the incident, but there was no immediate comment. Since Gentry's arrest, the group published a reminder for their next tour dates on Instagram. They are scheduled to perform at Ball Arena on Sept. 23 in Denver and at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas on Sept. 25.

Alabama is one of the best-selling bands in country music history and was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in 2019. The group was formed in Fort Payne, Alabama by guitarists Randy Owen and Jeff Cook, and Gentry, who are all cousins. They became a professional band in 1972, but they struggled to find a recording contract until 1977. Their first single was "I Want to Be with You Tonight," which found little success. In 1979, they scored their first radio hit with "I Wanna Come Over." The song was included on their major-label debut album, My Home's In Alabama, which included their first two songs to top Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, "Tennessee River" and "Why Lady Why." The title track was also a big hit for the band.

The group released 21 number-one singles, reaching the height of its popularity in the 1980s. Their popularity waned in the 1990s, but they continued to release occasional hit singles. They broke up in 2004 after a farewell tour, but they reunited in 2010. Alabama has been touring ever since. Their most recent number one single is "Old Alabama," which they recorded with Brad Paisley. Cook was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2017 but he continues performing with the band.

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