Nashville producers would drive their talent two hours south to Muscle Shoals, hearing of its reputation and welcoming atmosphere.īy the 1990s, everyone who was everyone in blues, soul, R&B and country music had recorded at the Muscle Shoals FAME studios, or had some involvement with their founders. It was one of the only music studios at the time which invited all races to record in a safe place in perfect harmony. With legendary artists such as Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Rolling Stones and Percy Sledge recording at the studios, it soon became one of the hottest music spots in the Alabama. FAME Studios Source: amanderson2 / Flickr | CC BY FAME StudiosįAME Studios were founded by Billy Sherrill, Tom Stafford and Rick Hall in 1959, however it in was the mid-1960s that the studios, housed in a former tobacco warehouse, really began to prosper. Take a guided tour of her family homestead, visit the famous well-pump where she learned over 600 words in under a year.ĭuring the summer months visitors can see the play ‘The Miracle Worker’ re-enacted in the grounds of ‘Ivy Green’, and an annual festival is held in the city to commemorate her achievements in educating and improving situations for deaf and blind people worldwide.ĥ. Her home ‘Ivy Green’ is located in Tuscumbia, across the Tennessee River. Helen Keller lost her vision and hearing at a young age through scarlet fever, but incredibly, she still learned to read and speak. Visit the Birthplace of Helen Keller Source: Wayne James / shutterstock Helen Keller Birthplace Here’s our list of 15 best things to do in Florence, Alabama. Many visitors to Florence enjoy its abundant outdoor pursuits, but there’s also several historical museums, local breweries and independent shops to entertain and entice travellers.

It’s a city with vast Native American heritage and deep musical roots. It may be world’s away from its Tuscan counterpart, but make no mistake, Florence, Alabama has its own unique brand of southern charm.įlorence is the perfect place to kick back and relax after touring the cities of Birmingham and Nashville. It’s part of a region known as The Shoals – four close-knit cities incorporating Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia and Muscle Shoals. In the northwest corner of Alabama lies the historic city of Florence.

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