The Year of Alabama Music at Hoole! Sounds Like Alabama

The Alabama Tourism Department has named 2011 the “Year of Alabama Music” and the W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library is jumping on the celebration band wagon. Our new exhibit is opening soon -- one that will that will show music of all genres and from all corners of the state of Alabama that are held in our collections. We're calling it Sounds Like Alabama: Alabama's Contributions to American Popular Music from the Hoole Library's Collections.
You can learn more about Alabama music and the exhibit through a series of Twitter (@coolathoole) and on the Cool@Hoole Facebook page (Like Cool@Hoole: The Blog of the W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library) posts, we will feature songs written by Alabama natives that have gone #1 on the Billboard charts, along with tidbits about various artists and songwriters. So follow us daily to get your toes tappin’ to some true Alabama sounds of every conceivable stripe.

Here’s a preview of just a few of the songs from the past century that might be featured in our tweets and posts! Enjoy!!!

Here’s a preview of just a few of the songs from the past century that might be featured in our tweets and posts! Enjoy!!!

1920: St. Louis Blues, written by W.C. Handy and performed by Marian Harris:

1944: Smoke on the Water, written by Zeke Clements and Earl Nunn, performed by Red Foley. This song also went #1 when performed by Bob Wills in 1945.



1955: Wallflower, written by Hank Ballard, performed by Etta James.

1966: When a Man Loves a Woman, written by Calvin Lewis and Andrew Wright, performed by Percy Sledge. This song also went #1 in 1991 when Michael Bolton covered it.

1978: Too Hot Ta Trot, written by Lionel Richie, performed by the Commodores.

1980: Tennessee River, written by Randy Owen, performed by the band, Alabama.

1993: Nuthin’ But A G Thang, written by Frederick Knight, performed by Dr. Dre and Snoop Doggy Dogg

2002: The Good Stuff, written by Craig Wiseman, performed by Kenny Chesney.

Love, and the Year of Alabama Music

In honor of Valentines Day, and of course, in celebration of the Year of Alabama Music! Love Will Keep Us Together, by the Captain and Tennille, A&M Records, 1975, from the Wade Hall Sound Recordings Collection at the Hoole Library. So, here's Alabama's own Toni Tennille -- of the Captain and Tennille!

Cathryn Antoinette Toni Tennille was born in Montgomery on May 8, 1940. Part of a musical family, her dad, Frank Tennille, was the singer for Bob Crosby and the Bobcats, a local big band ensemble. Her mom, Catherine, was the host of Montgomery's first daytime talk show. Toni studied at Auburn University and went on to worldwide fame as part of this musical duo.

Love Will Keep Us Together was written by Howard Carpenter, and was the title track of their A&M Records debut album in 1975. The song had been covered by Neil Sedaka on his 1974 album Sedaka's Back. Just one year later, Love will keep us Together the first of many #1 hits for Captain & Tennille, topping the Adult Contemporary Chart. Love Will Keep Us Together was also the first of two of their songs to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Enjoy!