Muscle Shoals Sound Studio is the place where some of the greatest musicians have recorded
SWEET ALABAMA: For music fans, sweet Alabama is an obvious destination. Here you’ll find stories spanning jazz, blues, country music, rock and roll, and Southern soul. This state boasts a rich musical heritage, having produced jazz singer Nat King Cole, “Father of the Blues” W.C. Handy, and country star Hank Williams. Icons like Cher, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones have also recorded music here.
Sweet Alabama is the state to visit when you want to experience music history, from jazz and blues to country music, rock and roll, and soul. Visit the studio that Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones called “Rock and Roll Heaven.”
Music Hall of Fame
Alabama has played a significant role in shaping various music genres, from jazz and blues to country, rock and roll, and Southern soul. At the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia, you can experience no less than 1,200 of the state’s musicians. View unique artifacts like Elvis Presley’s original RCA contract, step aboard a tour bus previously used by the country group Alabama, or play your favorite tune on a classic Wurlitzer jukebox.
Southern Soul in the Shoals
At Muscle Shoals Sound Studio on 3614 Jackson Highway, you can experience the atmosphere of a studio where some of the greatest musicians have recorded. Founded in 1969 by four members of FAME’s Rhythm Section, known as “The Swampers,” the studio has hosted artists like Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Aretha Franklin, and Paul Simon. Music enthusiasts visit this place that Keith Richards dubbed “Rock and Roll Heaven.”
READ THIS: OBESE AND HEAVY WEIGHT
(Alabama Tourism Department, Jamie Martin)
Reopened Jazz Museum
In Birmingham, jazz lovers can visit the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, reopening this fall after renovation. Experience instruments and costumes from famous jazz artists and unique vintage posters. Birmingham has nurtured several jazz legends, including trumpet player and big band leader Erskine Hawkins, whose famous hit “Tuxedo Junction” refers to the trolley stop at the intersection of Ensley Avenue and 20th Street. Birmingham is also the birthplace of Sun Ra, who led the experimental jazz movement.
The Blues Father’s Home
W.C. Handy, known as the “Father of the Blues,” was born in a wooden cabin in Florence in 1773. Today, his childhood home houses the W.C. Handy Museum, where you can see the piano on which he composed the classic “St. Louis Blues,” his trumpet, and handwritten notes. Handy was one of the first musicians to transcribe bird songs into musical notation and create sheet music from blues sounds. He is honored each summer at The W.C. Handy Music Festival in the Shoals area, a two-week celebration featuring some of the region’s finest musicians.
Country in Georgiana
In Georgiana, you can visit the childhood home of famous country singer and songwriter Hank Williams, where he learned to play guitar from street musician Rufus “Tee-Tot” Payne. To get even closer to the artist known for hits like “Hey Good Lookin'” and “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” visit the Hank Williams Museum to see his stage costumes, guitars, and the car in which he died. Nearby at Oakwood Cemetery, you can visit his grave, marked with a small cowboy hat.
Rock and Roll Roots
Alabama is also home to several rock artists, including Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton, known for hits like “Hound Dog” (later recorded by Elvis Presley) and “Ball and Chain” (made famous by Janis Joplin in 1968). The legendary producer Sam Phillips was born in Alabama before founding Sun Records and Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee. Phillips is known for producing one of the first rock and roll records, “Rocket 88,” by Jackie Brenston & His Delta Cats. At Big River Broadcasting Radio Station in Florence, there’s a tribute to Phillips explaining how he shaped music history by recording artists like Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Roy Orbison.
