Alabama Music Hall of Fame

Hall of Fame Story

The Alabama Music Hall of Fame was a dream and goal of the Muscle Shoals Music Association, a Shoals area based professional organization of recording studio owners, producers, musicians, songwriters and other music professionals. In 1980, through their efforts, the State legislature, with leadership of State Senator Bobby Denton, created a state agency, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board, with a mandate to honor all of this state's great music achievers, and to build a facility in which to showcase these talented individuals and their accomplishments.

In 1987 the citizens of Alabama passed a state-wide referendum for the construction of Phase One of the project, a 12,500 square foot exhibit hall - The Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Grand opening ceremonies were held July 26, 1990 with over 35,000 music lovers on hand to celebrate and enjoy the music provided by many of Alabama's finest talents. Every year, since the opening, we have had thousands of tourists, school children, historians and general music fan tour our facility to see, hear and learn of the many contributions made to music by Alabamians.

The accomplishments of these people are not limited to any single style of music, nor are they restricted to just the realm of performance. Their achievements span the complete spectrum from sophisticated classical composition to humble gospel songs sun without accompaniment. From performance to song writing, and from management to publishing, Alabamians have contributed in many ways to make the industry of music what it is today.

At the Alabama Music Hall of Fame we honor these Music Achievers in three ways:

	by information and exhibits illustrating their accomplishments,
	placement of permanent bronze star in our walk of fame,
	and by induction to the Hall of Fame.

Phase Two of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame will be the creation of a 1500 seat, state of the art, audio/video recording auditorium.

Phase Three will be a research library on Southern Music with an emphasis on the State of Alabama.

About the Georgia Music Hall of Fame Phone
(800) 239-2643
FAX: 256-381-1031
email: info@alamhof.org
Website: www.alamhof.org

Address
617 Highway 72, West

P.O. Box 740405
Tuscumbia, AL 35674

Executive Director: David Johnson

Alabama Music Hall of Fame Board of Directors

Mr. Jimmy Johnson

Sheffield, AL

Mr. Rodney Hall

Muscle Shoals, AL

Mr. Buel Springer

Florence, AL

Mr. Harvey Thompson

Florence, AL

Mr. Ralph Burke

Rainsville, AL

Mr. Joe Thrasher

Birmingham, AL

2008/2009 Scheduled Board Meeting Dates:

October 24, 2008-- January 23, 2009-- April 23, 2009-- July 24, 2009

Visiting the Hall of Fame:

ADMISSION

Adults $8.00
Students (13-18) $7.00
Seniors (55 & older) $7.00
Children (6-12) $5.00
Children (5 & under) Free

DIRECTIONS
The Alabama Music Hall of Fame is conveniently located at 617 Highway 72 West in Tuscumbia, Alabama (the Northwest corner of the state). Only 2½ hours from Nashville, 2 1/2 hours from Memphis, 2 hours from Birmingham, and only 1 hour from Huntsville.

GPS Coordinates:
North 34 degrees 42.787'
West 87 degrees 42.407'

PARKING
The Alabama Music Hall of Fame offers plentiful free, on-site parking, including for buses/motorcoaches with an unloading zone located next to the museum entrance.

HOURS
9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Mon. - Sat.
1 - 5 p.m. Sun. May through October
(Closed on Sunday's from November through April)
Museum Closed on: New Years Day - Easter Sunday - Thanksgiving & Friday after Thanksgiving - Week of Christmas

TOURS
Groups of 10 or more qualify for reduced rates. Call Dixie to book your group - 800-239-2643. Call and book your club or group! Tour guide available for groups.

MEMBERS
Join the Fan Club, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame's membership program, and receive unlimited admission, as well as a variety of other benefits. For a membership brochure, call 800-239-2643.

What you'll find inside the Alabama Music Hall of Fame:

When visitors enter the lobby a music controlled color chandelier provides a light show that bounces off of the bronze stars of music achievers scattered about the floor. Much like the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the lobby serves as the Walk of Fame for the Museum. Permanently imbedded bronze stars cover the floor, each engraved with the name of one of Alabama's more outstanding Music Achievers.

Leaving the lobby, visitors enter the Hall of Fame Gallery, which features portraits of the Inductees painted by Tuskegee artist Ronald McDowell. Induction is reserved for a select few who have made exceptional contributions throughout their careers. Induction Banquets began in 1985 and have been held every other year since that time. At each banquet, inductions are made in the Performing, Non-Performing and Pioneer categories. At this time there are 32 Inductees to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

As visitors leave the Gallery, they encounter lifelike plaster casts of Alabama, Lionel Richie and Hank Williams, Jr.

The Popular Music section is the beginning of the main exhibit hall. It is marked by a 12 foot jukebox playing pop, classical and opera tunes by Alabamians. A wax figure of Nat "King" Cole is seated at a piano. On display also is recording equipment used in Sam Phillip's Memphis Music Service and the contract between Sam Phillips and RCA when the Alabamian sold his rights to the soon to be superstar Elvis Presley. Tommy Shaw of Styx fame, has his shirt and guitar on display, along with Ransom Wilson's flute, Jim Nabors' Gomer Pyle outfit and stage outfits, Emmylou Harris, Donna Godchaux, Bobby Goldsboro, Lionel Richie, The Commodores and others.

The tour continues through a 16 foot guitar into the Country Music section and to more showcases Personal memorabilia belonging to Sonny James, Tammy Wynette, Vern Gosdin, Jeanne Pruett, Freddie Hart, Rose Maddox and others. A wax figure of Hank Williams, Sr., bears his original stage suit. The 1960 "Golden Country Car" has 500 silver dollars and silver guns mounted on it topped off with Texas Longhorns mounted on front. There are numerous instruments belonging to country stars. The highlight of this section is the group Alabama's Southern Star tour bus.

As visitors exit the bus, they may step into a brick sided nightclub where the Rhythm and Blues section is belting out music. Therein is Erskine Hawkins's trumpet, Martha Reeves' and Eddie Kendricks' stage outfits, gold records by Wilson Pickett and Percy Sledge, the 1935 official portrait of W.C. Handy and many other historical artifacts.

When you leave the nightclub, you enter the Muscle Shoals section, which highlights the studios that made Northwest Alabama world famous. A video recaps the history of the Shoals music industry. The artifacts include the console Rick Hall used to record Arthur Alexander's hit "You Better Move On" and the instruments of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section.

Next is a Recording Studio where a would be star may select a music track and record a personal cassette or make a video recording right in the Museum!

Across from the studio is the Gospel Showcase, where among the artifacts are outfits, pictures, and awards from such notables as Jake Hess, Gold City, The Speer Family and The Sullivan Family.

The newest addition to the museum exhibits features the Songwriters of Alabama. The Wurlitzer jukebox provides hundreds of chart topping songs by Alabama songwriters. Billy Sherrill composer of Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man" anchors one end of the exhibit while Curly Putman, who gave us "Green, Green Grass of Home" and "He Stopped Loving Her Today" anchors the other side.

The tour then leads to the Gift Shop, where various music related items are on sale.

Directions
The Alabama Music Hall of Fame is conveniently located at 617 Highway 72 West in Tuscumbia, Alabama (the Northwest corner of the state). Only 2½ hours from Nashville, 2 1/2 hours from Memphis, 2 hours from Birmingham, and only 1 hour from Huntsville.

LINKS! - More Music and Some Alabama Sites You Might Enjoy!