40 Years Ago: Alabama Records Ode to The Fiddle & Texas
It’s a bit ironic that it’s a band from Alabama that most famously explained the importance of the fiddle to music from Texas, but few if anyone will complain how they did it. 40 years ago today (November 3rd, 1983), Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, Jeff Cook (RIP), and Mark Herndon stepped into the Cook Sound Studio in Fort Payne, Alabama, and recorded “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas (You Gotta Have a Fiddle in the Band).” It would go on to become one of Alabama’s top songs, and one of the most legendary and widely-recognized songs in country music history.
This is top praise for a song that wasn’t even supposed to be a featured single. When Alabama released their 1984 album Roll On, they didn’t have the song pegged as one of the album’s best. The third single from the album was called “I’m Not That Way Anymore,” and that’s what everyone thought would be the next hit. They even recorded a video for “I’m Not That Way” at Fort Payne High School near the studio.
Meanwhile when “I’m Not That Way Anymore” was sent to radio stations, it had “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas” stamped on the B-side. That’s what all the DJs started playing, and listeners loved what they heard. Soon, requests started pouring in like crazy. Next thing you knew Alabama had their next #1 song, and their 14th in a row in a string of 21 of them. Few people could name all or most of Alabama’s #1’s during that era. But everyone knows “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas.”
One of the things that makes the song the quintessential Alabama track is how it utilized the multi-instrumental capabilities of founding member Jeff Cook. Cook was the band’s lead guitar player, and a damn fine one at the that. When Alabama started out they kept it pretty traditional country, but as time went on they began to define the rock side of country with the attack Jeff Cook brought to the guitar position.
To perform “If You’re Gonna Play In Texas” though, you needed a hot fiddle player too. Lucky for Alabama, Jeff Cook fit the bill as well, and this is what allowed the band to select the song for their catalog. Cook started the song on guitar, and finished with the fiddle and bow. Jeff Cook could also play mandolin, banjo, keys, bass, and just about anything else. He passed away in November of 2022.
“If You’re Gonna Play In Texas” was written by Murry Kellum who is known for performing “Long Tall Texan.” Kellum co-wrote the song with Dan Mitchell. The song isn’t a name-dropper per se, but it does mention the iconic fiddle songs “Faded Love” by Bob Wills, Doug Kershaw’s “Louisiana Man,” and the classic “Cotton Eye Joe.” The full version also starts with a piano intro that incorporates “The Eyes of Texas” in it.
When the band released the album Alabama Live in 1988, “If You’re Gonna Play in Texas” was one of the featured tracks, and gave the song renewed life. Today, it’s very common to hear contemporary bands covering the song, especially when touring through the Lone Star State, and if they have a fiddle in the band.
Alabama will always be country’s favorite boys from The Yellowhammer State. But folks down in Texas and fans of the fiddle owe a debt of gratitude to those Alabama boys for so beautifully explaining the importance of the fiddle in song.
November 3, 2023 @ 8:03 am
my favorite part of this whole story of Alabama recording this song is that the writers wrote it specifically for Alabama based on their previous experiences in Texas.
November 3, 2023 @ 8:19 am
Jeff Cook did not play fiddle on the studio version, it was Blaine Sprouse….just FYI
November 3, 2023 @ 9:16 am
I don’t own any Alabama albums, though they’ve recorded plenty of songs I like, including this one. Does Jeff (and the rest of the band) play on most of their studio recordings? Any of them? Or do studio musicians usually do their job? I know their lush romantic ballads use Nashville string sections, but what about the drums, guitars and fiddles on their songs?
November 3, 2023 @ 10:34 am
Almost all of their stuff was studio guys
November 4, 2023 @ 7:06 am
Trigger, I have often wondered why some country bands used studio musicians instead of playing on their albums themselves. Do you have any knowledge on this?
November 4, 2023 @ 7:56 am
I don’t know who KP is so I don’t want to distrust their expertise. Perhaps they brought someone in that wasn’t Jeff Cook to play the fiddle part in the studio for this song. But Jeff Cook certainly played the song live thousands of times and was great at it. So saying he didn’t play the song in the studio may characterize Cook as a subpar musician which really isn’t fair.
It’s been a practice in country music since the formation of the genre to bring in ringer studio musicians to help with recordings that can play it right the first time every time to save money on studio time. This practice was implemented since major labels were all based on the two coasts, and had to keep tight budgets on Nashville-based projects through mid-level producers/executives such as Chet Atkins. This is what Willie and Waylon fought against in the mid ’70s, and it’s a practice that is most certainly still happening today.
I would have been completely customary in 1984 to being other musicians into the sessions to record an Alabama album, just as it would for any artist or band. Again, I don’t want to say that it’s untrue. But I also think it can come across as misleading like Alabama was the country form of The Monkees if that info is not properly contextualized. Alabama wrote many of their own songs, and played their own instruments. Like everyone in country music, sure, they also brought in studio musicians to play certain parts.
November 4, 2023 @ 11:11 am
The credits for the “Roll On” album, as reported on Wikipedia (notoriously inaccurate, so don’t take them as gospel), have Cook playing only guitar and organ on the album. The lone fiddler listed is, yes, Sprouse. There are also tons of other guitarists, bassists, keyboardists and drums/percussion players listed besides the men who were members of Alabama, Unfortunately, the credits don’t indicate who played on what tracks. Since Cook didn’t have “fiddle” next to his name, the assumption is that Sprouse was on the track in question.
However, if you want to know which tracks Mark Herndon drummed on, you’re out of luck. The credits list Milton Sledge (drums) and Farrell Morris (percussion), so it could be any one of three musicians. Acoustic guitar: Apparently nobody in Alabama was entrusted with that instrument on the album. The producer brought in THREE interchangeable acoustic guitarists.
Me? I’m fine with the session guys for solo artists, although many have very good touring bands. But when I buy an album by a band, I expect to hear the instrumentalists. I have no idea why a producer would allow members of Alabama to play on some tracks but replace them with session musicians on others. Maybe the producer wanted to get the project wrapped up quickly and therefore preferred seasoned studio professionals who, being the best technically at their craft, get it right the first time.
November 4, 2023 @ 2:57 pm
The “Mark Herndon not recording on albums” bit is one of Randy Owen’s arguments for why he didn’t consider Mark to be a full member of the band.
However, Mark appearing in album art, music videos, tours, merchandise, and awards shows, along with appearing on their Country Music Hall of Fame plaque AND having his own statue in Ft. Payne along with Randy, Teddy, and Jeff… that’s hard-to-contradict evidence that the band didn’t seem to mind until Mark started asking for more money.
November 8, 2023 @ 2:44 pm
“them Texans raised the roof when Jeff opened up his case”
November 3, 2023 @ 8:32 am
I always wondered why a song about Texas mentioned a Louisiana man and never realized he said “Faded Love.” I could never make out that stretch of lyrics.
Turnpike does a good cover of the song, but Felker can’t match the pure energy of Alabama’s vocalist.
It reminds one of the best songs in country music history. It is always a fun romp.
November 3, 2023 @ 9:46 am
Reference to the Mel McDaniel song “ Louisiana Saturday Night” which came out three years before in 1981 which talks about playing a fiddle and dancing in the kitchen.
November 3, 2023 @ 12:36 pm
I’ve always thought it was talking about “Louisiana Man,” the signature song of fiddler Doug Kershaw.
November 6, 2023 @ 8:08 am
I have to respectfully disagree. I think Felker and the whole band knocked this one out of the park.
It’s one of a few points my wife and I “agree to disagree” on.
Either way, a great song. It being a b-side make me wonder how many hits(and flops) surprised the creators.
November 6, 2023 @ 7:53 pm
I agree about TT version.
November 6, 2023 @ 11:15 pm
And, Kyle Nix absolutely does justice to the fiddle solo.
November 3, 2023 @ 11:24 am
It is a great toe tapping song. One of my all time favourites.
November 3, 2023 @ 12:11 pm
I love Alabama, and I love the American flag, but that’s not the real cover to that album.
November 3, 2023 @ 2:39 pm
Murry Kellum who is also known for writing “Long Tall Texan” and other novelty songs.
Not so, Nashville studio bass legend Henry Strzelecki wrote Long Tall Texan.
November 3, 2023 @ 3:08 pm
Should have said “performed” “Long Tall Texan” as opposed to “wrote” it. Apologies. Thanks for the correction.
November 3, 2023 @ 2:40 pm
Good Afternoon Trigger, This is slightly off-topic, but the Houston area has lost its major classic country station 97.1 to a Christian Station in a format change. So Alabama and other acts will no longer be heard in the Houston area. I just wanted to pass this along.
November 3, 2023 @ 7:09 pm
Jeff cook had a weight problem earlier in his career. He’s usually pictured holding the double necked guitar in their group photo. Was he not the image their marketing team wanted to portray? For whatever the reason he was underutilized. Talented as randy was he and alabama became stale. They needed a fresh infusion of talent and they didn’t need to look far for Jeff cook. He should have been more prominently featured. He could have done for Alabama what George Harrison did for the Beatles. Or Peter cetera. Or Christine mcvie. Also rans who developed into singer/songwriter powerhouses. Instead Alabama became the randy Owen show with a couple of props who might as well have been the village people. Alabama was a financial cash cow who never achieved their potential
November 3, 2023 @ 7:53 pm
Jeff Cook was one of the friends anyone could have or want to know. I knew him during the days of June jams. I asked him about his guitar picking. He said grab a guitar I will show you. I still play the songs he taught me. The whole group a great bunch of guys. Alabama music will live FOREVER!
November 4, 2023 @ 8:49 am
I still have my cassette tape of that album.
One of my first albums as I recall as a kid, good stuff.
Alabama was great, live and this song was a lot of fun.
November 4, 2023 @ 9:39 pm
You may still have it, but the question is Can it still play?
November 4, 2023 @ 9:56 pm
Just shows how much these guys kicked ass. This was real talent. Brilliant songs musicianship and singing. Now the country landscape is so barren this guy now raves about Trailer park dropout Zach Bryan doing a banal song using F, C , Am and G as if it is something brilliiant
November 6, 2023 @ 2:32 pm
“Trailer park dropout Zach Bryan”
That’s a weird way to say “Multi-generational Navy Veteran”. There’s plenty of valid criticisms of him, trailer park dropout is not one of them.
November 8, 2023 @ 5:56 am
He isn’t going to sleep with you.
November 8, 2023 @ 7:53 am
Sorry I respect veterans. You should try it, especially with Saturday in mind. I even said there are valid criticisms of him, why does your NPC brain always jump to the same tired response?
November 8, 2023 @ 2:52 pm
Someone being a veteran doesn’t immediately mean you have to simp for them.
Plenty of criminals and other disagreeable folks served.
Bryan stans just can’t handle any criticism of their deity.
November 8, 2023 @ 4:06 pm
When did I simp for him? You keep ignoring the part where I said there’s plenty of reasons to criticize him. But he joined the Navy at 17, his father was in the Navy and doesn’t seem disagreeable, so how was he a trailer park drop out? How do you think that’s a valid criticism of him?