Issue link: https://alabamapower.uberflip.com/i/673072
7 The group features, once again, Christian Gann, joined by another Alabama Power employee, Michael J. Reid. "I started playing when I was 13," said Reid, a database administrator at Corporate Headquarters. "Back in the '80s, I toured the country, spending about three years on the road living the rock 'n' roll lifestyle. Then I got smart, came home and got a real job. Thank you, Southern Company!" Gann explained how he got his start. "I had a wonderful music director in church who really pushed me," he said. "I fought it at first but he kept pushing me and encouraging me. And what pushes me now is to express myself." The band has no trouble expressing itself in this honky-tonk atmosphere. The audience sings and dances to old favorites like Hank Williams Jr.'s "Family Tradition," Tom Petty's "Last Dance with Mary Jane" and Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues" (side note: Folsom was the first prison in the U.S. to use electricity). "We've all been playing for a really long time, and we just get up there and wing it sometimes," said Reid, the band's bassist. "Alabama Power stresses teamwork, and that's exactly what it takes here," added Gann. "At Jasper Engineering, if I help my fellow co-workers to be successful, then in turn I'm successful. Same thing here." Adam Stacks, Gann entertain crowd at Los Reyes Grill in Jasper. Larry Key plays drums during set at Golddiggers. Photo by Bernard Troncale Photo by Ted Tucker