Helen Keller and Muscle Shoal's (10/22)

I am very excited to visit the birth place of Helen Keller. As a child I read everything I could find on her after seeing the movie "The Miracle Worker".  I didn't know that she was born that close to where Joe grew up.  It is a short drive from where we are staying.  Once inside we get the tour of the downstairs and are left to explore the upstairs and outside on our own.  The original pump where it all comes together for her is still here as well as the little cottage that she lived in with Anne Sullivan while learning to sign, talk and write.

 The type writer is a braille typewriter.

The bed is the actual bed she slept on growing up.

 This is the cottage the Helen Keller and Anne Sullivan lived in and Helen was actually born in this cottage.



I was really enjoyed this tour and the history that goes with it.  Helen died at age 87 after traveling around the world and being a huge influence on so many people.

Once we are done here we go to the Muscle Shoal's music studio.  Joe has always wanted to be able to go inside this historical studio where so much great music was made.  It isn't very big and it is hard to imagine that groups like Lenard Skynyrd, the Rolling Stones, Linda Ronstadt, to name a few, recorded here.  The recording rooms are very small and

then there is the basement where it is said all the partying took place.  Eventually the studio was moved and renamed Fame Recording Studio.

Now for lunch. We ate at Rick's BBQ.  Man what good food.  I had the ribs and they were so tender they just fell off the bones.  Joe had his BBQ pork sandwich but ended up eating part of my ribs because it was to much for me to finish.  He won't be hungry for a few days after all he ate.  LOL!

We decided that the day wouldn't be complete without going to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.  We were so glad we did.  So much music history in one building.  I did not know so many artist came from Alabama. All the greats, Nat King Cole, Hank Williams Sr,Lionel Richie, to name a few.  Sun Records' Sam Phillips helped so many get their start here, like Elvis Presley.


They have the country band, Alabama's, touring bus and you get to go inside it.  They have six bunk beds in the middle for the band to sit and a music/TV area in the back of the bus.  The ceiling is even padded.

It was cool to see the songs written on the paper they were originally written on. Many of the original instruments were also on display.  On one cool car that had guns for the door handles.










Now it is time to head home I am tired and by back is really hurting today.  We stop at the visitor center and buy me a Sweet Home Alabama dirt shirt and Joe got a Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers shirt.  He takes me home and heads back to Muscle Shoals to tour the Fame recording studio at 4pm.  You will have to read is page to find out about the Fame recording studio.

Tomorrow we head to Memphis for 4 or 5 days.  Lot's to see and do there.