RANDY OWEN

Guitarist Jeff Cook, who co-founded the successful country group Alabama, has died.

Guitarist Jeff Cook, who co-founded the successful country group Alabama, has died.

Alabama singer's mother dies: The mother of Alabama lead singer Randy Owen died Thursday in Fort Payne, Alabama. (Ben Hasty/MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images)FORT PAYNE, Ala. — The mother of Alabama lead singer Randy Owen died Thursday, the group announced on social media, adding that the band is canceling a pair of concerts scheduled for this weekend. >> Read more trending newsMartha Alice Teague Owen, a native of Fort Payne, Alabama, died surrounded by family members, the group wrote in a Twitter post. Randy Owen founded the country music group along with his cousins, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook. Randy Owen called his mother “the hardest working person I’ve ever known.”“One of the vivid memories I have of my mother was when she was pregnant with my baby sister Rachel, and it was about 100 degrees outside, and she and we were out picking peppers,” Randy Owen told AL.com.