Article Contributed by 117 Enterainment Group
Published on December 3, 2025
Photo Courtesy of Country Music Hall of Fame
One of music’s most well respected singers, songwriters, and musicians, Mac McAnally is featured in the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s newest exhibit, “Muscle Shoals: Low Rhythm Rising,” open now through March 2028. Dedicated to the songs and musicians who came out of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the exhibit honors the legendary recording studios that became havens for aspiring artists and songwriters. McAnally became a studio musician in Muscle Shoals during his teenage years, hailing from nearby Mississippi. He notably played a 1967 Martin D-18 Acoustic Guitar, which is featured in the exhibit. He also participated in a filmed interview with museum curators, which is played on video screens and interactive elements throughout the exhibit, along with his songs.
The exhibit is open now and houses 5000+ square feet of artifacts from fellow Muscle Shoals artists including Aretha Franklin, Duane Allman, Pops Staples, and many more. For more information on the museum’s “Muscle Shoals: Low Rhythm Rising” exhibit, visit countrymusichalloffame.org.
“One of the great blessings of my life is the fact that the professional part of my musical career began (and continues) in Muscle Shoals. The legendary magic of the music coming from there doesn’t need or require any more validation from me, but I owe so much to the place and its amazing cast of characters that I’m gonna preach its praises as long as I’m breathing,” says McAnally.
McAnally was awarded the Academy of Country Music’s Poet’s Award earlier this year for his monumental impact on lyrics and music throughout his six-decade career. In 2025, he’s spent 74 dates on the road, proving there’s no slowing him down. The unprecedented 10-time CMA Musician of the Year remains steadfast in his love for music and storytelling, and continues to inspire the next generation of musicians with his heart, charm, and timeless words that have shaped American music from the very beginning.
A member of five Hall of Fames, McAnally struck gold alongside his studio musician work, becoming one of the most respected singer/songwriters in the history of the genre. He’s penned hits for top acts including Alabama, Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffett, while also lending his art to projects by Toby Keith, Dolly Parton, Keith Whitley, Hank Williams Jr., and George Strait, just to name a few.
About Mac McAnally
Mac McAnally’s journey is one of divine providence and musical mastery. With an astonishing 10 Country Music Association Musician of the Year awards and a place in the Nashville Songwriters Hall, the Mississippi Musicians Hall and the Alabama Music Hall of Fames, McAnally’s contributions to the world of music are nearly unparalleled. Born into a family of Gospel musicians in a dry county, McAnally’s early years were steeped in the rich traditions of Southern music, sacred and secular. Those humble beginnings paved the way for a career marked by extraordinary talent, deep humility and unwavering dedication. As a songwriter, McAnally has penned chart-topping hits for Alabama, Kenny Chesney and Jimmy Buffett, while his musical abilities have enriched albums by Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Toby Keith, Dolly Parton, Keith Whitley and George Strait. Despite the numerous accolades and collaborations with music royalty, McAnally remains grounded in his love for the art itself. For the soft-spoken creative force, music is not a career, but a calling—a testament to the joy of melody and the power of storytelling. With each note he plays and every lyric he writes, McAnally continues to inspire and uplift people around the world, leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of American music. For additional information, visit MacMcAnally.com.
