‘Sweet Home Alabama’ welcomes travelers

…Sweet home Alabama, where the skies are so blue. Sweet home Alabama, Lord, I’m coming home to you…

Lynyrd Skynyrd first sung those lyrics forty years ago and the song has been embraced by the state ever since. The catchy tune likely played a part in Alabama Legislature approving a bill selecting “Sweet Home Alabama” as its official marketing slogan.

The slogan “Welcome to Sweet Home Alabama” will be placed on green and white signs to be posted on interstate highways at the state line. Smaller versions of the highway signs will be placed on the grounds of eight welcome centers for Alabama Tourism as the perfect backdrop for people wanting to take photos.

Since 2003 the state’s welcome signs featured the phrase “Alabama the Beautiful.” It will cost the tourism department $61,000 to replace the signs.