Which Alabama city made ‘The South’s Best Music Towns’ list?

Despite having a population that is roughly half the size of a typical Taylor Swift stadium crowd, Florence, Alabama, is punching well above its weight class. The city’s undeniable musical legacy has earned it a spot on Garden & Gun’s latest list of The South’s Best Music Towns, featured in the magazine’s June/July issue.

A Musical Powerhouse

Florence stands alongside other notable regional music hubs including St. Augustine, Florida; Macon, Georgia; Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia; Clarksdale, Mississippi; Lafayette, Louisiana; Kerrville, Texas; Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee; and Greensboro, North Carolina. While the list also features sidebars titled “A Bigger Beat” to acknowledge major industry giants like Nashville, Atlanta, and New Orleans, Florence is recognized for its unique, localized impact.

Athens, Georgia—a legendary nursery for acts like R.E.M., Widespread Panic, and Drive-By Truckers—is also highlighted in the issue through a dedicated oral history, despite missing the main top-ten list.

The Shoals Sound

Mississippi-based journalist Jim Beaugez, who has written for outlets such as Rolling Stone and Guitar World, penned the Florence feature. He spotlights Sun Drop Studio, a hub co-owned by Grammy winner John Paul White and Alabama Shakes keyboardist Ben Tanner. Tanner notes that the 2013 documentary film “Muscle Shoals” served as a catalyst for renewed interest in the area's history, remarking, “People started to realize they needed to tell the story.”

The feature captures the Shoals area’s broader influence, pulling in the legendary FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound. It honors icons like Wilson Pickett, Etta James, and Percy Sledge, while also highlighting the W.C. Handy Birthplace, Museum and Library and the new Rolling Stones exhibit at the Renaissance Shoals Resort.

Culture, Cuisine, and Community

Beyond the studio walls, the local culture thrives at spots like Lava Room, Swampers Bar & Grille, and FloBama. Beaugez captures the local essence, noting that visitors grabbing barbecue or an overstuffed spud at FloBama are likely to see world-class studio musicians performing on any given weeknight. The area is also home to Shoals Fest, the festival established by folk-rocker Jason Isbell and manager Traci Thomas.

Food lovers and travelers are directed to Odette, Bunyan’s Bar-B-Q, and Trowbridge’s Ice Cream & Sandwich Shop, while the GunRunner boutique hotel offers accommodations that pay homage to local legends like Sam Phillips.

This latest recognition reinforces Florence’s status as a premier destination, adding to its previous accolades as one of the “Best-Kept Secrets in Every State” by MSN/Reader’s Digest and a top small college town according to USA Today, which also recognized Jacksonville, Alabama.