News for October 23rd 2010

Alabama Tourism department kicks off “Year of Alabama Music”

The Alabama Tourism Department today unveiled “Alabama Jamma,” a customized guitar that will be the official symbol of its 2011 The Year of Alabama Music campaign.

Birmingham musician John Kulinich played the guitar, shaped like the state of Alabama, during a noon press conference today at the Rogue Tavern in the 2300 block of Second Avenue North in downtown Birmingham.

Grey Brennan, marketing director of the Alabama Tourism Department, said the Year of Alabama Music campaign will highlight hundreds of venues like Rogue Tavern, museums like the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in Birmingham and music festivals statewide. The goal is to promote Alabama’s music legacy that produced such artists as The Commodores and American Idols Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks, and the role music can play in the state’s $9 billion tourism industry, Brennan said.

Ed Mizzell of Birmingham advertising firm Luckie & Co. said the “Alabama Jamma” design was derived by the agency’s Rich Albright and Bob Harrison. Luckie is overseeing the state tourism department’s Year of Music campaign.

Come stay at an Alabama Bed and Breakfast like Treasure Island Bed and Breakfast www.treasureislandbedandbreakfast.com and enjoy the music.

Edited: October 23rd, 2010