The first successful oil well in Alabama was drilled at Gilbertown in 1944, with oil and gas becoming the county's most important industry. This industry waned by the 1970s as the wells lost profitability.
Joey Martin mÐµt Rory Feek lÐ°tÐµ in 2001, Ðµight months lÐ°tÐµr Ð¾n June 15, 2002 thÐµÑ gÐ¾t married. Joey Ð°nd Rory decided tÐ¾ work tÐ¾gÐµthÐµr Ð°nd ÑÐ¾ Joey+Rory wÐ°Ñ born. In 2014, Joey was diagnosed with cervical cancer three months after giving birth to Indiana. She underwent a hysterectomy to remove the cancer and surrounding areas.
Although both musicians had spent years focusing on their individual careers, they proved to be a strong duo and ultimately finished third in the competition, laying the groundwork for a collaborative career. Kansas-born Rory Feek had originally hit Nashville in 1995, hoping to hawk his songs. A meeting with legendary songwriter Harlan Howard resulted in a publishing deal, and Feek served as his lone staff writer through 2000, at which point he moved over to Clint Black's Blacktop Music.