2016 Customer Service & Communications Conference
 
"Have you ever gone to a place you've already been only to find it completely different than you remembered? That's what happened when we took a recent visit to the Shoals in preparation for this year's jointly held Customer Service & Communications and Human Resource Management Conferences. We asked the folks there to, "help reinvent this area for us" – boy did they!"
                           – Tim Daugherty, TVPPA Conferences Manager

THE SWAMPERS

The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, aka 'The Swampers' were an important part of many songs we all grew up with. While at the conference, you'll find Swampers Bar & Grill located in the Marriott Shoals with numerous photos of The Swampers along with artists they recorded with such as Wilson Pickett, Bonnie Raitt, Aretha Franklin and many, many more. 

To kick off this year's conference, we're excited to have Judy Hood, wife of original Swamper, David Hood, on-hand to help convey that "vibe" that we felt when the Shoals was reinvented to us. But that's not all! We're really excited to have Swamper, Will McFarlane, to not only entertain us during Thursday's reception, but to help explain a bit about the Swampers and his role in the very rich music history that took place in the Muscle Shoals area. 


Will McFarlane

Swamper Will McFarlane


Judy Hood
"Swampette" Judy Hood

THERE'S A LOT MORE THAN YOU MAY REMEMBER!

The Rosenbaum House
The ONLY Frank Lloyd Wright house in the state of Alabama is located just outside of downtown Florence, AL. Built in 1939/40, the house is a fantastic example of Wright's Usonian design – an architectural style taking advantage of the surrounding landscape and very popular in his designs in other parts of the country. Tours are available Tues.-Saturday from 10am - 4pm.   



Florence Main Street
Florence, AL, has a vibrant and alive downtown and is just a short drive from the hotel (there may also be shuttles available so check with the front desk). 

You'll find plenty of places to shop and eat. From a variety of food choices to coffee and even wine, there's something for everyone. A couple of TVPPA staff favorites are Ricatoni's Italian Grill and City Hardware. 

There's also the W.C. Handy "Father of the Blues" and Helen Keller homes but many people know about those already. We challenge you to take in the music history this year and visit FAME Recording Studio, drive by the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and wrap up with a more in-depth visit to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. Be sure to check out all their website for additional information as there's a wealth of information out there. And, if you are really curious, get your hands on the DVD "The Muscle Shoals Sound" and get a real in-depth view of all the wonderful music that has come out of this little known part of our country.