SkyDog: The Shoals Experience

Start: Friday, August 28, 2026 6:00PM
End: Sunday, August 30, 2026 1:00PM

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. More information and ticket bundles are available here. Additional programming details will be released publicly through official event channels throughout the summer, leading up to the Aug. 28-30, 2026 weekend. Artists currently on tap for SkyDog Shoals are Jackson Dean, Wet Willie featuring Jimmy Hall, Maggie Rose, Marcus King, 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.” “Gregg Allman once said, ‘There is no such thing as Southern rock; all rock is Southern,’” said Scott Sharrard, guitarist, vocalist and musical director for the SkyDog Shoals all-star sets. “This show is about honoring Gregg’s brother Duane and his pioneering musical soul and visionary spirit. I will be tirelessly curating a show to honor the Allman family's signature rock-and-roll fusion of the Southern-born music that we all love. Performing this concert with the help and talent of my good friends from FAME studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, one of the true cradles of American roots music in all its forms, is an added bonus that will truly bring the music back home. We will have some very talented friends along for the ride as well, who embody the storytelling and musical adventure that is intrinsic to great rock and roll, soul, blues and all its tributaries for generations. I have no doubt that Gregg and Duane will be smiling down as we hit the note in The Shoals one more time." 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 community partners Singing River Automotive and Visit The Shoals. ###