2011: Year ofMusic

The hit song “Sweet Home Alabama” is not only a tribute to the state, but is one of the best examples of Southern Rock. Hank Williams, a country music pioneer, W.C. Handy, the “Fa-ther of the Blues” and Dinah Washington, the “Queen of the Blues” were all born in Alabama. Singer and songwriter Jimmy Buffett grew up in Mobile.

Music studios in Muscle Shoals offer tours where international superstars like Aretha Franklin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cher, Otis Redding and the Rolling Stones recorded hits. Sam Phillips, who discovered Elvis and is credited with recording the first rock ‘n roll song, is a Native Alabamian.

Alabama’s many music festivals and local music venues that provide nightly entertainment will be spotlighted as the state celebrates “The Year of Alabama Music” in 2011.

Alabama’s MusicYou can experience where the rhythms of the blues, gospel, R&B and country and western music combined to form Rock ‘n Roll across Alabama. Take a musical road trip through the state – beginning in north Alabama and ending at the white, sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico.

Muscle Shoals AreaYour journey begins in the northwest towns of Florence, Tus-cumbia, Sheffield and Muscles Shoals, located just two hours southeast of Elvis’ Graceland home in Memphis.

The “Father of the Blues,” W.C. Handy, was born in Florence where the annual Handy Music Festival is held each summer. The Elvis contract between Sam Phillips and RCA is located in the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in nearby Tuscumbia. FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound are two of the recording studios located in these quaint Alabama cities where international superstars like Aretha Franklin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Percy Sledge and the Rolling Stones recorded great hits in the 60s.

Muscle Shoals area music festivals include Sam Phillips Music Festival in January and the W.C. Handy Music Festival the last week of July.

HuntsvilleHuntsville is home to one of the state’s largest music events, Big Spring Jam, which is held in September in Big Spring Park. The city’s downtown area hosts Washington Square, a mini entertainment district with live music. Just eight min-utes away you can take a gondola boat ride at Bridge Street Town Centre.

Along with Big Spring Jam, smaller music events in Huntsville include Huntsville Sacred Harp Singing – Saturday be-fore the First Sunday in May, North Alabama “Down Home” Blues Festival in May and the Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention – first Friday and Saturday in October (Athens).

FAME Studios - Florence

The Alabama Music Hall of Fame - Muscle Shoals area

Bama Jam - Enterprise

BirminghamIn Birmingham, you can still hear jazz echoing from downtown nightclubs such as Ona’s Music Room. Other downtown music attractions include The Jazz Hall of Fame.

Birmingham area music festivals include the National Sacred Harp Convention Thursday- Saturday before the third Sunday in June, The Preserve Jazz Festival in June, Freedom Creek Blues Festival – Last weekend in May (Aliceville), Horsepens 40 – Spring, Fall Bluegrass Festival (Steele) and Schaeffer Crawfish Boil (Birmingham).

In nearby Tuscaloosa, music can be enjoyed at the Crawfish & Blues Festival – May and Black Belt Folk Roots Festival Ol’ Timey Blues Show – August (Eutaw).

MontgomeryContinue your trip southward to Alabama’s capital city of Mont-gomery, the central point in the Hank Williams legend. Hank was country music’s first superstar, selling 10 million records from 1947 to 1953. Hank’s final resting spot is located one mile from the Hank Williams Museum which houses Hank artifacts includ-ing the powder-blue Cadillac he was riding in when he died. Just south of Montgomery in Georgiana is Hank Williams’ boyhood home which is open for tours.

Montgomery area music festivals include Jubilee CityFest – May. Smaller music events in and near Montgomery include Capitol Rotunda Singing – Saturday before the first Sunday in February, Hank Williams Birthday Celebration – September, and Hank Wil-liams Festival – first weekend in June (Georgiana).

Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddler’s Convention - Athens

Ona’s Music Room - Birmingham

Humphrey’s - Huntsville

2011: Year of Alabama Music

BayFest - MobileBayFest - Mobile

MobileThe music highway continues south to Mobile, hometown of Jimmy Buffett and where the historic port city of Mobile features delicious seafood and an array of bars, restaurants and live music venues. Dau-phin Street houses many nightclubs that have nightly performances such as Boo Radley’s, Soul Kitchen, The Blind Mule and the Hurricane Brewing Company.

A few miles away, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach are resort towns with 32 miles of white sandy beaches on the Gulf of Mexico. Live bands perform at entertainment venues including The Hangout and the Flora-Bama; the famous roadhouse beach bar right on the Alabama-Florida state line.

Alabama Gulf Coast music festivals include Mobile Bayfest – October. Other music events in and around Mobile include Mardi Gras – Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, Frank Brown Songwriters Festival – 10-day event in November (Gulf Shores, Orange Beach), Crawfish Festival – April (Faunsdale).

Music festivals on the beach include The Hangout Music Festival — May, the National Shrimp Festival – second full weekend in October (Gulf Shores) and the Mullet Toss – the last full weekend in April at the Flora-Bama. (Orange Beach). Weekend concerts are regularly held at “The Wharf,” an entertainment venue with shops and restaurants.

Other sites in Alabama include:Livingston – Live music program featuring artists from West Alabama and East Mississippi, the Sucarnochee Revue is taped for radio broadcast across America. Ideal for groups or individuals looking for a 2 ½ hour show filled with dozens of acts performing inside a small southern college auditorium.

Enterprise – BamaJam is 3-day 3-night country music extravaganza held in June. Big name country music entertainers perform on three stages. 2011 will mark the third year of the event.

Old Memphis, near Aliceville – Willie King’s annual Freedom Creek Blues Festival is held each May.

Fort Payne – The music group, ALABAMA, has their official fan club headquarters located in their hometown.

1048 Jazz and Blues - Montgomery

Hank Williams Museum - Montgomery

Ed’s Seafood Shed - Mobile

2011: Year of Alabama Music

Birmingham

Huntsville

Montgomery

Mobile

Dothan

Ariton

Decatur

Tuscumbia Florence/Muscle Shoals

Florence-Memphis:2 hours 45 minutes

Huntsville-Nashville:2 hours

Mobile-New Orleans:2 hours 30 minutes

Montgomery-Atlanta:2 hours 30 minutes

Birmingham-Atlanta:2 hours 30 minutes

Atlanta

Cullman

Gadsden

Fort Payne Section

Limestone County

Hartselle

Madison

Tuscaloosa

Hackleburg

Prattville/Autaugaville Tuskegee

Auburn

Monroeville

Georgiana

Atmore

Daphne

Bay Minette

Fairhope

Foley

Dauphin Island Gulf Shores Orange Beach

Evergreen

Attractions/Venues:

America’s Oldest Mardi Gras, LoDa Entertainment District Music Legends:

Jimmy Buffett, The Excelsior

Attractions/Venues:

The Hangout, Pink Pony

Club, Flora-Bama, Shrimp

Festival, Mullet Toss,

The Wharf

Attractions/Venues:

Hank Williams Museum/Festival, Jubilee CityFest, Downtown Alleyway Music Legends:

Nat King Cole, Eddie Floyd, Bama State Collegians & Clarence Carter

Wilson Pickett & Georgia “Wild Child” Butler

Louvin Brothers

Delmore Brothers

Percy Sledge

Sonny James

Eutaw Clarence Bluesman Davis

Talladega Blind Boys of Alabama

Anniston Cow Cow Davenport

Old Memphis Willie King

Payneville Adele “Vera” Hall

LivingstonSucarnochee Revue

Crawfish FestivalFaunsdale

Ft. Deposit Ed Bell

Red Bay

Leighton

Tammy Wynette

Alabama

Jerry McCain

Cleburne County Denson Brothers

Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton

Hank Williams

Enterprise Don “Lil” Jimmy Reed Atkins,

Curly Chalker

Commodores, Lionel Richie, Golden Voices Choir

Auburn Knights Orchestra

Attractions/Venues:

Downtown Entertainment District

Music Legends:

Dinah Washington, John “Johnny”

Shines, Jimmy Day

Attractions/Venues:

Washington Square, Big Spring Jam, Bridge Street

Attractions/Venues:

AL Music Hall of Fame, the W.C. Handy Home, FAME Studios, Jackson Highway Studio Music Legends:

W.C. Handy, Sam Phillips, Muscle Shoals Studio Musicians

Attractions/Venues:

Jazz Hall of Fame, 5 Points South, Lakeview, Ona’s Music Room

Music Legends:

Odetta Holmes, Lucille Bogan, Leola “Coot” Grant, Clarence “Pinetop” Smith,

Sam Lay, Erskine Hawkins, Sun Ra, Frank Adams, Eric Essix, Emmylou Harris,

the Temptations & Birmingham Sunlights

2011: Year of Alabama Music