Jeff Cook Of Alabama Band Reveals Shocking Details About His Health, Takes Break From Band

Jeff Cook of Alabama Band shocked the world after he recently revealed that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Cook is the guitarist as well as the fiddle player for the iconic band and the announcement about his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. The announcement about the disease was devastating news for the award winning band as well as their fans. He also revealed that he will no longer be able to attend the frequent tours that the band makes.

Jeff’s health condition will certainly have a huge impact on the Alabama band

Cook’s absence from the band is a huge blow to the rest of the band. However, his health is much more important which is why he decided to take some time off so that he can rest. However, he confirmed that he is not quitting the band, just that he will not manage to attend all the tours that the band will be making.

“I do not want the music to stop nor the party to end, and that won’t change no matter what. Let me say I’m not calling it quits, but sometimes our bodies dictate what we have to do, and mine is telling me it’s time to take a break and heal,” said Cook.

Cook’s health condition is not exactly new to him or the band

It was also revealed that Jeff was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease years ago. Four years ago to be exact and the rest of the Alabama band members also knew about it. However, the opted to keep it secret and only recently decided to reveal the news to the rest of the world during an interview with the Tennessean.

The 67-year-old guitarist has been part of the Alabama band for decades. The band members have practically become family which is why Jeff’s absence from the band on some of their tours will have such a huge impact. Some of the symptoms of the disease had started manifesting and people were noticing. Some people even thought that he was behaving differently due to substance abuse. Unfortunately, those were just the symptoms. Parkinson’s disease causes loss of balance and coordination and even tremors. It is, therefore, easy for it to be mistaken with substance abuse.

@KellyandMichael #livevacation in fortpayne al @jeff cook of Alabama band castle love Alabama pic.twitter.com/TGVYyLgx3k

— i love alabama band (@Luvbamaboys) August 8, 2014

“That’s the part that hurts so bad, for people to think that he’s intoxicated or something. He’s not, and me and Teddy wanted to say a lot of things to these people,” the lead vocalist for the band pointed out.

Cook’s health condition has therefore been robbing him of the ability to play with as much effectiveness as he used to before he was diagnosed. Taking time off is also part of his strategy to avoid letting the band down. He plans to officially stop attending the tours on April 29 but still wants the best for the band, especially its continued operation even in his absence.

The rest of the band members feel equally sentimental about Jeff. The Alabama band founders Teddy Gentry and Randy Owen stated that they can never replace Cook. They even stated that there will always be a place for him if he wants to go back to the band. The guitarist is still expected to play for the band on numerous occasions including one on May 27 and another fan event that will take place a month after that.

Despite being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, the 68-year-old has been trying his best to cope and manage it. Luckily, he has been receiving a lot of support from his family as well as his fellow band members. The news about Jeff of the Alabama band and his deteriorating health condition certainly saddens the fans of the band but hopefully all will be well.

[Featured Image by Ethan Miller/Getty Images]