A Southern Road Trip Through The Unsung Towns That Inspired America's Biggest Music Icons

For many Americans, road trips are the best way to explore the country. When planning for one of these adventures, it's imperative to know what destinations to stop at along the way to make the journey as memorable as possible. For example, if you want to experience a diverse selection of the country's history and culture, you can take the ultimate American road trip, visiting all the most iconic sites.

If you're a music lover, the American Southeast has plenty of options to satisfy your ears. Cities like Nashville, Memphis, and New Orleans are perfect for discovering new artists and songs while enjoying some of the best attractions in the nation. However, for those who appreciate the unsung heroes of music history, this Southern road trip will hit cities that might not immediately come to mind, but are just as important.

Starting in Texas and weaving through Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia, this road trip is perfect for music aficionados who want to see where some of music's biggest icons got their start. Better yet, because these cities are not as famous as Nashville or NOLA, they're less crowded and more affordable. So, pack the trunk and get your ears ready for some delightful tunes.

Situated in western Texas, Lubbock is commonly known as "Hub City" because it connects many roads and towns in the region. Lubbock is also the city where the spirit of the Wild West lives on, and cowboy culture is still strong. However, for music lovers, the city is the home of Buddy Holly, and if you visit, you'll see his influences everywhere.

Although Holly's music career only spanned a few years, from 1955 to 1959, his legacy is remarkable. At just 22 years old, his musical talents inspired various artists and bands, including (but not limited to) the Beatles, Don McLean, and Weezer, among others. Holly was even inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.

As mentioned, Holly's legacy is practically baked into the modern city of Lubbock. Some of the notable attractions related to the singer include the Buddy Holly Center, a museum dedicated to his life, the Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences, which hosts concerts and events, and even Buddy Holly Avenue. You can also dine at the Midnight Shift Restaurant and Bar, which is named after one of Holly's songs. Overall, even if you're just a moderate fan of the singer, visiting Lubbock can help you appreciate his short-lived impact on the world of music.

From Lubbock, the next stop on the music tour is the lakeside city of Shreveport. The route takes about eight hours, and along the way, you'll pass by Texas' "rose capital of America," Tyler. As the third-largest city in Louisiana, Shreveport has a lot of attractions and amenities, including casinos, world-class Cajun restaurants, and plenty of parks and outdoor activities.

But, for travelers on a musical road trip, this city is also home to the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium, which used to host a live radio show called the Louisiana Hayride. From 1948 to 1960, this three-hour show helped launch the careers of some of music's biggest names, including Hank Williams, Slim Whitman, Johnny Cash, and Elvis Presley. Yes, that Elvis.

In fact, according to legend, one of the main reasons Presley became such a household name was because of the Hayride. At the time, in 1954, his swagger and musical style were not well-received at the Hayride's largest competitor, the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. So, Presley went to the Hayride instead and built a massive following by 1956. As an interesting side note, Presley's final performance at the Hayride is what prompted the now-famous line, "Elvis has left the building." Today, the Municipal Theater still hosts shows and live entertainment, and you can learn more about the Hayride and its musical history via vibrant displays and plaques.

After learning about Elvis' roots in Shreveport, the next stop is about a 4.5-hour drive northeast in the small but crucial music town of Clarksdale, Mississippi. One of the most important people to come out of this city is the legendary Blues guitarist Robert Johnson. According to the local legends, Johnson had his heart set on playing the guitar, but was never very good at it. However, after a chance encounter with the devil at a dark crossroads in Clarksdale (which you can visit today), Johnson became a musical powerhouse. While the truth is likely much less sordid, the myth has inspired other fictional characters, like Tommy Johnson in the movie "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and, more recently, Sammie Moore in the film "Sinners."

Beyond visiting those hallowed grounds, the best place to learn about Clarksdale and its connection to the Blues is at the Delta Blues Museum. Or, for a more interactive experience, you can listen to local blues musicians at bars and clubs throughout town, like Ground Zero Blues Club, the Bad Apple Blues Club, or Red's. Also, if you happen to roll through town in April, Clarksdale hosts the annual Juke Joint Festival, which celebrates the musical style and helps revitalize the downtown district.

Clarksdale is a unique spot on this musical road trip because you can incorporate music history into your overnight stay. The Shack Up Inn on the southern edge of town is steeped in Blues and southern charm, and is a favorite in Mississippi among movie stars and musicians.

At just over three hours, the route from Clarksdale to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, is the shortest leg of the entire trip. Muscle Shoals is the self-proclaimed "hit recording capital of the world," thanks to two recording studios: FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound. You can even visit both spots and learn more about their history and contributions to music.

FAME, which stands for Florence Alabama Music Enterprises (based on the company's original location), was the first studio in Muscle Shoals. Founder Rick Hall opened his doors in 1960. The next year, he helped produce the hit songs "You Better Move On" by Arthur Alexander and "Steal Away" by Jimmy Hughes. Over the years, the studio has been graced by legendary musicians like Etta James, Aretha Franklin, and more recent luminaries like Demi Lovato and Alicia Keys. In fact, according to FAME's official site, the studio is where Aretha Franklin found her sound, helping to propel her to international acclaim.

FAME is also how Muscle Shoals Sound came to be, albeit indirectly. This studio opened in 1969 as a joint effort by the band The Swampers. They worked with artists at FAME studios and decided to spin off and form their own studio. One of the first artists to record there was Cher, who even named her debut solo album after the studio's address, 3614 Jackson Highway. From there, MSS has recorded acts like the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Art Garfunkel, and Rod Stewart, among many others.

The last stop on this musically-inspired road trip is the wildly underrated Georgia city known as the birthplace of Southern Rock, Macon. This city is about five hours away from Muscle Shoals and is located between I-75 and I-475 in southern Georgia. Macon is also just over an hour from the Atlanta airport, in case you need to fly back home after driving for so long.

Macon is the birthplace of two iconic music legends. First is Little Richard, who is credited as being the "architect of Rock' n' Roll" on Visit Macon's site. Second is Otis Redding, who they call the "King of Soul." Redding's presence is much more prevalent throughout the city, most notably at the Otis Redding Museum, which is sandwiched between the Piedmont Grand Opera House and the Macon City Auditorium. That whole area is practically steeped in music, making it a vibrant final destination.

The Allman Brothers, who helped create the style of music known as Southern Rock, also called Macon home, although they weren't born in the city. Instead, they were in Macon from 1970 to 1973, honing their musical talents and crafting songs that would help propel them into the limelight. You can even tour the home they rented, which has been converted into the Big House Museum.