Florence named among South’s best music towns in new Garden & Gun list

ShoalsFest returned to the banks of the river in Florence in 2025. (Caleb Turrentine / The Bama Buzz)

Music scenes across Alabama are growing but there’s little debate which city has led the way over the last several decades.

Garden & Gun recently recognized Florence as one of 13 cities on its list of the South’s Best Music Towns. The publication recognized the city’s history along with places to explore while enjoying the music scene.

“Around northwest Alabama, recent history splits into before and after the release of Muscle Shoals, a 2013 documentary that revealed the region’s musical legacy to a new generation of fans… before the film brought those stories to a broader audience, much of the area’s history felt like local lore. Now the Shoals region, which includes Florence and Sheffield, readily welcomes those making the pilgrimage.”
Jim Beaugez, Garden & Gun

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The Shoals recognized for music + culture

shoals theatre 2 — Shoals Theatre (The Bama Buzz)

Garden & Gun point to different era’s of the region’s musical influence from W.C. Handy to Lynyrd Skynyrd.

The article specifically points to Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” single, which rose to No. 1 on the charts in 1966. Of course, FAME studios and the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio also got shoutouts.

The Rocker Gallery was also showcased, mentioning photographs featuring stars like Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Wilco and more.

Now, annual events like W.C. Handy Fest and ShoalsFest highlight the music community’s past, present and future.

But it’s not just the music that helped Florence make the list. Garden & Gun also pointed to the growing tourism industry.

Some of the local places mentioned include:

Odette: “blue-plate staples like catfish and the Bear Creek Meatloaf with pimento cheese grits”
Trowbridge’s Ice Cream
Bunyan’s Bar-B-Q: “don’t overlook the slaw dog, with its tangy, mustardy topping”
Lava Room: “ramen bowls made with birria beef and tender chashu pork belly”
FloBama: “catch one of the region’s active studio musicians”
Renaissance Shoals Resort & Spa: “Caution! Stones Ahead, an exhibition of the world’s largest private collection of Rolling Stones memorabilia”
GunRunner: “the rooms are named for locals such as native son and Sun Records impresario Sam Phillips”