Randy Owen Under Doctor’s Care After Canceled Alabama Shows
Alabama's manager is opening up about the health of frontman Randy Owen after the 69-year-old singer forced the band to cancel two shows scheduled for this weekend.
Friday night's (July 19) show in Ottawa, Can., and Saturday's show at the Big Sky Music Festival in Oro-Medonte, Ont. were both canceled. Manager Tony Conway confirmed reports that Owen is suffering from severe vertigo and migraines. A statement to Taste of Country reads in part:
"Randy is currently under doctor’s care and being treated. We hope to return to both Ottawa and Oro-Medonte soon and apologize to all of the fans for not being able to perform."
Alabama are midway through their 50th Anniversary Tour, set to wrap in Nashville in November. In total the Country Music Hall of Famers will play 50 dates across nine months. Owen and Gentry are on stage for all shows and Jeff Cook joins when he can, as he's battling Parkinson's disease. Taste of Country was there for the group's June show at Country Jam in Grand Junction, Colo.
WATCH: Randy Owen Moved to Tears by This Powerful Artist Tribute:
For the most part, Owen has been a durable lead singer for the band across five decades, however he did have a major health scare in 2010. A prostate cancer diagnosis became serious enough that he wondered if he'd live, but he did beat cancer with treatment. When he's not touring Owen is the face of the Country Cares fundraising program at St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. For 30-plus years he's been instrumental in raising more than $800 million for the research hospital.
50 Essential '80s Country Songs: