Legendary country group Alabama will be taking it back to where it all began this spring with their recently announced Back to the Bowery Tour.

The tour will find them celebrating 40 years as a band by returning to Myrtle Beach, S.C., the city where they landed their first musical residency in the summer of 1973. Alabama will play two kickoff shows at Myrtle Beach's Alabama Theater April 5 and 6, and run through October. This is the band's first tour since 2002, and tickets for select markets go on sale Friday, Feb. 15.

"We still love one another, have played music together all these years and are blessed to still be around," says Alabama frontman Randy Owen. "Most importantly, we are ever grateful for the fans, many having been with us since we used to play for tips, so to be able to go back out and play for them will make this a very special year."

Alabama—comprised of Randy, Teddy Gentry and Jeff Cook—also has plans for an album release later in the year, as well as their first musical cruise to the Bahamas in October.