"We just said, 'We've got to do something. It was just a consensus," lead singer Randy Owen said. As they called friends in the music business, ideas for a benefit show came together quickly. Alabama is headlining a sold-out show at Birmingham's civic center arena to raise money for tornado relief and remind people that survivors are still hurting over the physical and emotional damage from the nation's worst tornado outbreak in decades.

"The weather is better and people tend to forget unless they are directly affected," guitar player Jeff Cook said as he and his band-mates were interviewed by The Associated Press before the show. "So it's important that we tell the rest of the people who were luckier in that situation that the need is not over."

The show, called Bama Rising, was being staged just a few miles from ravaged communities where nearly two- dozen people died in the twisters on April 27. A rush of support poured into Alabama in the tornadoes' aftermath, but some organizations are now reporting fewer volunteers and dwindling donations. Bama Rising, however, sold out quickly except for a few $1,000 VIP packages. Proceeds will go through the Community Foundation of Greater Birmingham to a new Bama Rising fund established for relief statewide.