Alabama frontman leads strong lineup at country music festival

Two things come across when talking with country music legend Randy Owen.

1. He loves making music.

2. He believes children — both sick and healthy — are the future of this country.

And when he takes the stage at the 16th annual Oregon Jamboree at 8:45 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 2, concertgoers will get to hear some of the Alabama classics that made Owen famous. The former lead-man will also perform songs from his first solo album, which is due out this fall.

“It will be a really energetic, high-powered show,” Owen said recently during a phone interview while on his way to a show in Pennsylvania. “It’s a fun time for me in my life to play music and sing songs.”

Owen spent 30 years as the lead singer for Alabama, a group he formed with cousins Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook in 1973. Mark Herndon played drums most of the quartet’s career, which came to a close in 2003.

Since then, Owen has stayed busy. He and the guys got back together for two inspirational albums, which Owen produced. This fall he’ll release his first solo album, “One on One,” and his autobiography, “Born Country.” Both will come out Nov. 11.

The book stems from his desire to share his story with other people.

“It’s been an interesting life. I want to share it in a positive way, especially with the young people,” Owen said. “Nobody can be raised any poorer than me.”

He may have been raised poor, but Owen has fared well over his career, and has used some of his wealth to help keep the country the way he remembers it. He currently has about 2,000 acres on Lookout Mountain in Northeastern Alabama.

“I’m trying to preserve our culture and way of life. It gives me a sense of reality and a firm footing on this Earth,” he said. “The scenic beauty is unmatched anywhere.”

Owen raises mostly polled Hereford and black angus cows, and also has horses, goats and chickens. He’s also very supportive of 4-H and FFA programs.

“We spend very little money to encourage (young people) to be farmers and ranchers,” Owen said. “I would love to see far-reaching programs to encourage kids to stay on the family farm.”

Owen has also spent many years helping raise money for St. Jude Children’s Hospital. In 1989, he challenged country music to help with the cause. To date, the industry has generated more than $340 million. Locally, KRKT was the first station in Oregon to do the Country Cares for Kids radiothon and has raised $460,288 over six years, including $128,061 this year.

In fact, 100 percent of the proceeds from “Braid My Hair,” the first single from the new album, go to St. Jude.

“I enjoy using my talents to help people in need,” Owen said.

Also on the bill

Williams and Ree

Popular music and comedy duo, Bruce Williams and Terry Ree, often referred to as “The Indian and the White Guy,” have sustained a career over 30 years packing casinos, clubs, and arenas from Niagara Falls to Las Vegas with their ever-changing routine that — more times than not — steers away from the off-color Indian jokes that originally established the duo.

Western Underground

After 16 years as the driving, rodeo rock ’n’ roll sound behind legendary Chris LeDoux, Western Underground hits the road to create their own identity, and to pay tribute to their longtime boss, mentor and friend. Filled with LeDoux’s powerful and energetic music, the show reaches out to fans and gathers everyone in for a night of great sounds, good memories, and a glimpse of the future.

Trent Tomlinson

Trent Tomlinson’s debut album, “Country is My Rock,” was released in 2006.

To date, the album has produced three top 30 singles on the Billboard charts.

Sugarland

Sugarland (Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush) won CMA’s 2007 Vocal duo of the year, breaking a six-year winning streak by Brooks & Dunn. In addition, Sugarland has sold 3 million copies of their Mercury Nashville debut, “Twice The Speed Of Life,” an American Music Award for Favorite Breakthrough Artist, an Academy of Country Music Award for New Duo/Group of the Year, a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist and six CMA nods. In 2006 the duo toured with Kenny Chesney, Nettles scored a No. 1 duet with Bon Jovi (“Who Says You Can’t Go Home”), and they released “Enjoy The Ride,” which has been certified double platinum.

Confederate Railroad

Confederate Railroad is a mix of high-energy honky-tonk rocker, sensitive ballads and offbeat humor. They created a unique identity that has brought them chart success, multi-platinum sales and continued popularity as a road band.

Rissi Palmer

Rissi Palmer turned down a pop record deal to follow her heart — country music — and has released a self-titled album that debuted at number 56 on country charts and quickly rose to the top 10 on iTunes Country.

Kellie Pickler

Kellie Pickler finished sixth on the fifth season of TV series “American Idol.” Her debut album, “Small Town Girl,” released late in 2006, has been certified gold.

Joe Nichols

Joe Nichols first earned recognition in 2003 with the release of his second album “Man With a Memory,” which exploded into country music with two multi-week No. 1 singles.

“Brokenheartsville” and “The Impossible” quickly pushed album sales to gold and beyond, and garnered four Grammy nominations, the Academy of Country Music’s “Top Male Vocalist,” and a CMA Horizon Award. 2004 brought the release of “Revelation,” which offered two top-10 hits.

Glen Campbell featuring Debby Campbell

During his 45 years in show business, Glen Campbell has released more than 70 albums. He has sold 45 million records and racked up 12 RIAA gold albums, four platinum albums and one double-platinum album. Of his 75 trips up the charts, 27 landed in the Top 10. His oldest daughter, Debby, joined his stage show in 1987 and has toured with him ever since.

Phil Stacey

Phil Stacey was a top-six finalist on the sixth season of “American Idol.” He released an EP last year and his current single is “If You Didn’t Love Me.”

Neal McCoy

Neal McCoy is back for his fourth performance at the Jamboree. He is known for such hits as “No Doubt About It,” “Wink” and “Billy’s Got His Beer Goggles On.”

Trace Adkins

Trace Adkins has been a presence in the country music industry since 1996. His body of work has been marked by both good-time anthems (“Honky-Tonk Badonkadonk”) and thougt-provoking slices of life (“Arlington”).

Adkins is long known for his skills as a voice-over announcer both for documentaries and for TV commercials, for his repartee on the nation’s televised talk-show circuit and as the author of “Personal Stand: Observations and Opinions from a Freethinking Roughneck.”

CHECK IT OUT

WHAT: The Oregon Jamboree

WHERE: Sankey Park, Sweet Home

WHEN: Aug. 1-3

TICKETS: Adult, three-day general admission, $115; one-day GA, $75. Kids, three-day GA, $25; one-day GA, $12.

JAMBOREE SCHEDULE

Friday, Aug. 1

1:30 p.m. — Gates open

3 p.m. — Williams and Ree

5 p.m. — Western Underground

7 p.m. — Trent Tomlinson

9:15 p.m. — Sugarland

Saturday, Aug. 2

10:30 a.m. — Gates open

Noon — Confederate Railroad

2 p.m. — Rissi Palmer

4:15 p.m. — Kellie Pickler

6:30 p.m. — Joe Nichols

8:45 p.m. — Randy Owen

Sunday, Aug. 3

10:30 a.m. — Gates open

Noon — Phil Stacey

2 p.m. — Glen Campbell featuring Debby Campbell

4:15 p.m. — Neal McCoy

6:30 p.m. — Trace Adkins