TUSCUMBIA – By late 2016, with the publicity Muscle Shoals was getting off the Muscle Shoals documentary both domestically and internationally, the staff of the Colbert County Tourism and Convention Bureau, representing the Muscle Shoals area, realized they had to have collateral materials to give the visitors who were already coming to the Muscle Shoals area seeking maps and print materials on the music and history of Muscle Shoals. Guests from all over the world were showing up and there was little to give them in the way of promotional literature.
This began the quest to develop a printed piece that not only would give the history of Muscle Shoals music but also give them information on the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and all the studios that were open to the public and a map that would help them find their way.
Hence, the “We Rocked the World” Muscle Shoals Music brochure was released in the early Summer of 2017.
They flew out of brochure racks across Alabama – they were picked up from Welcome Centers around the state and from brochure racks in hotels and attractions within the state. They were taken to travel shows around the southeast and mailed to over 12,000 individuals who requested them from ads they saw or from just “word of mouth”.
This project expanded some three months later when the “We Rocked the World” Muscle Shoals Music Audio Tour was released in September 2017
The Colbert County Tourism Office is delighted to announce the release of a unique, audio driving tour to assist visitors and music fans in navigating local attractions with the help of an audio guide titled, “We Rocked the World” Muscle Shoals Music.
This audio guide is in a CD format and was produced in conjunction with Tony Raine, a founder of Sounds of the Shoals. Raine has been a frequent visitor to the Shoals since 2007 and is now a resident.
The project was co-produced and funded by the Colbert County Tourism and Convention Bureau, which is led by President and CEO Susann Hamlin.
“This guided driving tour, written specifically for visiting music fans from around the world, primarily those who fly or drive into our area,” Hamlin said. “Following the release of the documentary on Muscle Shoals, more and more people, who were coming to our area to connect with the music, had asked us for a tour guide. This audio tour plus our comprehensive “We Rocked the World” music brochure has been a huge help in moving people throughout the entire area to see our music attractions.”
The tour begins at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and guides visitors to the recording studios and music sites in Muscle Shoals, Sheffield and Tuscumbia and to other attractions. The content includes local history and provides an informative narrative about the renowned musicians, events and recordings.
Raine said, “As a first time visitor to the area in 2007, I toured the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and enjoyed the wealth of information and the exhibits. However, upon leaving the Hall of Fame, I was lost when I tried to navigate the area and look for the other sites.” Raine, originally from England, is a veteran of the music industry and has been involved in similar projects.
The Muscle Shoals Self-Driving Audio Tour is narrated by local radio personality Marie Tomlinson Lewey and features an introduction by local music legend Travis Wammack with background music by Billy Lawson and Will McFarlane.
The scenic self-driving tour takes the visitor around the county and recommends stops at all local attractions and features a bonus chapter with directions and information on Red Bay, including the Red Bay Museum, Tiffin Motor Homes, and other, outlying locales.
The audio guide will also be released online and a mobile phone app is in development. You may purchase a CD copy at the tourism office, 719 U.S. Highway 72 W., Tuscumbia, AL 35674 or at any of the studios and the Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia. The cost for the CD is $10.
For more information about the audio self-driving tour or the attractions included on the tour, contact the tourism office at (256) 383-0783 or by e-mail at colberttourism@comcast.net.
