Alabama Honored for Their Greatest Hits

Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook of Alabama will receive the Greatest Hits award during the upcoming American Country Awards ceremony, commemorating the band's significant impact on country music through radio airplay. The award, given to an act with an impressive catalog of No. 1 singles, highlights the veteran band's 43 chart-toppers earned throughout their 30-year career. Alabama has had more No. 1 singles and sold more concert tickets than any other band in country music history.

Additionally, the iconic trio have been added to the star-studded list of performers for the Dec. 5 award ceremony, which includes 'American Idol' champ Scotty McCreery, Blake Shelton, Pistol Annies, Thompson Square, Eli Young Band, the Band Perry and show co-hosts Trace Adkins and Kristin Chenoweth. Despite wrapping their farewell tour in 2004, Alabama founding member Jeff Cook says their prime-time performance slot may be just a taste of future plans for the legendary band.

"We're talking about doing maybe 20 shows next year," Jeff tells Bradenton.com. The Country Music Hall of Fame members ended their farewell tour in the capital of North Dakota, which is a decision he still regrets. "I never felt it was right that a band called Alabama should end their career in Bismarck," he notes. "It should have ended in Birmingham or Huntsville."

Randy admits to looking ahead to Alabama's next recording project. "For me, I want kick [butt] stuff that's present day that's probably going to [tick] off people ... At this point in my life I'm just so happy to be here, I want to be able to turn my guitar up and play some music that really gets down," the singer tells Nashville's Tennessean newspaper. "I'm sure, like always, we're all three looking for totally different stuff," he jokes.

The American Country Awards will be broadcasted live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. on Dec. 5 at 8:00 PM ET on FOX. Click here for a full list of performers, presenters and nominees.