Many of the states we've looked at so far - and will look at later on - are represented by musicians who have come along recently, or are in the prime of their careers. Alabama is a little different. Wilson Pickett has always been 'the man' in Alabama, and there's never been any real sign of a threat to his throne. Our younger readers might not recognize him from either his name or his photo, but if we say, 'Mustang Sally,' then you'll suddenly realize that you're very familiar with his most famous song.
Pickett is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but rock and roll was never really his genre. He's credited with being one of the leading lights of the American soul music movement during the 1950s and 1960s, being among the first soul stars to break out and start seeing significant success in the mainstream charts. He carried on touring almost all the way up to his death in 2006.