Alabama have certainly earned the right to be known as one of the best country bands of all time, with 21 Gold, Platinum, and multi-Platinum albums, 43 No. 1 singles, eight Entertainer of the Year Awards, and over 73 million records sold. It's been 40 years since their start, and they'll be combining their legendary greatness with some of country's biggest stars for a collaborative album called 'Alabama & Friends.'

Billboard reports that Luke Bryan, Kenny Chesney and Toby Keith will appear on the forthcoming tribute to the legendary group, which will be released by Show Dog-Universal Music. Other top-notch artists include Jason AldeanTim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Eli Young Band and Trisha Yearwood.

Some of the tracks on the record will feature Alabama in duets with the other artists, but as Show Dog-Universal Music president Mark Wright states, “Alabama isn’t on every track. They’ll come and do some harmonies just to put the flavor on there, but it’s kind of hard when you have Rascal Flatts and Eli Young [Band], people who have their own band. It’s hard to put a band with a band."

Indeed, when you have that many music greats participating in one album, one of the logistical complications is everybody's hectic touring schedules. Alabama themselves recently embarked on their 40th anniversary tour, which is their first extended period on the road since 2002.

The upcoming album will also include two new Alabama tracks, but fans may need wait a while for a full-length album of brand-new songs from the now-trio, as they'll be on the road through the beginning of November.

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