Alabama’s Teddy Gentry Arrested on Possession of Marijuana, Drug Paraphernalia
Founding Alabama band member Teddy Gentry was arrested on drug charges on Monday (Sept. 12) in Cherokee County, Ala., according to local news station WHNT.
The 70-year-old bassist and backing vocalist was charged with misdemeanor second-degree unlawful possession of marijuana as well as unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia.
Gentry, who lives in Fort Payne, was booked into jail at 10:38AM local time and released at 11:06AM, per the Cherokee County jail log. A bond amount was not immediately released.
According to the Associated Press, a representative for the band said they were aware of the incident, but had no comment.
Together with lead singer Randy Owen, Gentry founded Alabama — then called Wild Country — in 1969 in Fort Payne, and lead guitarist and fiddle player Jeff Cook joined the group soon after. They toured and released music throughout the 1970s, but it wasn't until the '80s that they began to see the highest peaks of country music success, thanks to the release of hits such as "Mountain Music," "Dixieland Delight" and more.
The group have been semi-retired for more than a decade, but they continue to play shows and make appearances, particularly through Randy Owen's charitable efforts with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
Most recently, the Alabama bandmates presented a $25,000 check to the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky ahead of their performance in Sharpsburg, Ky.; the donation was a response to this summer's devastating flooding in eastern Kentucky.
No information regarding whether or not Gentry's arrest will impact upcoming Alabama shows is immediately available.