News Release: 5/27/2026

May 27, 2026

CommunityPress ReleaseHuman Interest

SkyDog: The Shoals Experience to Launch Aug. 28-30, 2026 in the Birthplace of Southern Rock

Exclusive event in Florence, Alabama brings major artists, Shoals legends, and a weekend of music, food, film, and Southern culture

FLORENCE, Ala., (April 14, 2026) SkyDog: The Shoals Experience, a new music-driven destination event, debuts Aug. 28-30, 2026, in Florence, Ala., one of America’s most storied recording communities. The premiere of SkyDog Shoals brings highly curated live music, food, film, and storytelling to the Renaissance Shoals Resort and Convention Center. The best packages are available to the presale list, and signup is open here. Additional ticketing, hotel packages, and programming details will be released publicly through official event channels on April 14, 2026.

Artists currently on tap for SkyDog Shoals are Jackson Dean, Wet Willie featuring Jimmy Hall, Maggie Rose, The FAME Gang, Mike Farris, Gary Nichols, Spooner Oldham, Scott Sharrard of Little Feat, Peter Levin of the Gregg Allman Band, and Sons of Legion, along with a collective of legendary Muscle Shoals session players who helped create some of the biggest hits in history.

SkyDog, endearing nickname of the iconic Duane Allman, honors The Shoals as the Birthplace of Southern rock, and celebrates the popular genre as one of Southern culture’s most enduring music forms.

“This is the fruition of a dream I’ve talked about for a long time,” Rodney Hall, co-owner and president, FAME Publishing and FAME Studios, said. “I’ve always wanted to create something that shines a light on this region as the birthplace of Southern rock and as a place where music history still lives. My father, Rick Hall, was part of building that foundation, and Duane Allman earned the name SkyDog within that story. When Duane talked Wilson Pickett and Rick Hall into laying down those legendary tracks on ‘Hey Jude’ at FAME, it marked one of those moments that changed music. This event is about honoring that legacy and giving people an elevated way to experience the Shoals.”

SkyDog Shoals is built around the wide, creative legacy of Muscle Shoals: the songs, players, studios, and cultural pull that made the region one of the most influential music centers in the country. Organizers describe the concept as a “cruise ship on land,” with the hotel, convention center, outdoor staging, and surrounding experiences designed to function as one immersive weekend.

“I’ve spent my career in hospitality, and I’m also an avid concert goer,” Larry Bowser, general manager of Renaissance Shoals Resort & Spa, said. “The best music weekends are about more than the set times. They’re about atmosphere, discovery, comfort, and the feeling that you’re somewhere with a real story. SkyDog Shoals is being shaped with that in mind. The Shoals already has the music, the history, and the soul. This is about bringing those elements together in a way people can fully step into.”

Beyond the music, SkyDog Shoals will feature regional food, books, film, storytelling, and other cultural programming across the property. VIP offerings will include experiences tied to the celebrated onsite Caution! Stones Ahead Rolling Stones Museum, and the weekend will close with a Sunday gospel brunch.

At a time when audiences are increasingly drawn to experiences with identity and a strong sense of place, SkyDog Shoals aims to offer a weekend that could only happen in Muscle Shoals.

Presented by Muscle Shoals Music Group, SkyDog Shoals is launched with the founding support of One Louder and Visit The Shoals. Early sponsors are TNT Fireworks and maybe you! Inquire about sponsorship and activations here.

###

About Muscle Shoals Music Group

Muscle Shoals Music Group is part of the FAME Music Group portfolio and is focused on developing music-driven cultural experiences rooted in the history, identity, and ongoing creative life of the Shoals. SkyDog™ The Shoals Experience, also affectionately referred to as SkyDog Shoals, is produced in collaboration with Lotos Nile and Beese Design. Together, the team is shaping a new destination event that reflects the legacy, energy, and the cultural character of Muscle Shoals.

About One Louder

One Louder is a hospitality and experience partner focused on live music, travel and destination-driven event programming in Florence and The Shoals. With members from the local hospitality industry, One Louder supports experiences that connect visitors to the music, culture and character of The Shoals.

About CAUTION! Stones Ahead

CAUTION! Stones Ahead is home to the largest public exhibition of Rolling Stones memorabilia, celebrating the most influential rock band in music history. Located in Florence, Alabama, the museum offers fans a rare opportunity to experience an extraordinary collection of artifacts that capture the spirit, history, and cultural impact of The Rolling Stones.