Secretary of State Cord Byrd launches Florida’s Backroad Country music tour to highlight the state’s contributions to country music history
Tallahassee, Florida – Florida’s musical landscape has a new addition as Secretary of State Cord Byrd unveiled Florida’s Backroad Country, the latest music tour on FloridaMusicTours.com. The tour celebrates the Sunshine State’s long-standing role in shaping country music and highlights the paths of influential musicians who got their start in Florida. From Slim Whitman to Brian Kelley, Florida has nurtured some of the genre’s most recognized names.
“Country music has a rich and important history in Florida, with many pioneering musicians who have helped shape the music we love today,” Secretary Byrd said. “Through Florida’s Backroad Country music tour on Florida Music Tours, we are able to share that rich history with country music lovers across the state.”
Florida’s Backroad Country officially launched alongside a free Florida Folklife Artist-in-Residence concert on Saturday, September 27, featuring performances by Matthew Sabatella and the Rambling String Band. The artists performed a medley of classic and contemporary country hits, demonstrating how Florida’s musical heritage continues to resonate today. Discussing the genre’s roots, Sabatella said, “Country music resulted from the blending of traditions from different cultures, including early European Immigrants, Black Americans, and Indigenous Americans; it is quintessentially American.”
The tour, available through FloridaMusicTours.com, offers an interactive and educational experience for visitors and music enthusiasts. Users can explore Florida’s musical history, tracing the origins of country music across the state, discovering where it developed, and learning where it can still be heard today. The website aims to promote Florida as a top destination for music tourism while providing a deeper understanding of its contributions to American music.
FloridaMusicTours.com has been building a rich catalog of music-focused tours since its debut in 2017. The first tour, Florida’s Got the Blues, highlighted the history of blues music in the state and its connections to gospel, jazz, and rhythm and blues. The Florida Rocks! tour, launched in 2018, explored the state’s influence on rock and roll, while ¡La Sonada Florida!, introduced in 2023, spotlighted the contributions of Latin musical talent. Each tour provides an immersive look into the musicians, venues, and stories that shaped these genres in Florida.
Alongside the Backroad Country tour, the State also launched a series of playlists on Spotify, covering the genres highlighted on the website. These playlists allow music lovers to experience the soundtracks of Florida’s musical past and present, from the early pioneers of country music to today’s rising stars.
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By launching Florida’s Backroad Country, Secretary Byrd and the Department of State hope to shine a light on a part of Florida’s history that is often overlooked. The tour is designed to inspire travelers, music enthusiasts, and students alike to explore the state, learn about its musical heritage, and celebrate the artists who have left a lasting mark on the country music landscape.
Florida’s Backroad Country is more than a tour—it is a tribute to the state’s musical roots, a celebration of cultural blending, and an invitation to explore the places and people that continue to shape country music today.
