A typical Art Deco-styled American diner, Mickey’s prides itself on serving "the best pancakes in town and the best milkshakes in the country".

Inside Paisley Park, home to Minneapolis native and pop icon: Prince

Detroit, Michigan, was the next stop on Northern-Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance's musical tour of the US. Best known as the home of the automobile and of Motown, he discovered there was far more to this vibrant city "of resourceful people."

Detroit, Michigan: from Motown to Jazz town

Acclaimed Northern-Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance travelled around the US on the trail of music, history and culture. When he washed up in Seattle, Washington, he discovered a city with a distinctly independent spirit.

Northern-Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance couldn't visit Seattle, Washington, without seeing its “heart and soul” and top visitor attraction: Pike Place Market.

Most of the stops on acclaimed Northern-Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance's whistlestop US road trip were places he'd played in before. When he rolled into Santa Fe, it was his first time in the New Mexican city. And he was smitten.

For Northern-Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance, visiting Santa Fe in New Mexico was an unforgettable experience. It was also the location of the highlight of his Notes from the USA trip: riding a horse on the Rocky Mountains.

Up-beat and down to earth: Cleveland, Ohio

One of Cleveland’s great places is The Grog Shop, a music venue with "killer energy" in Foy’s words, here, he was captivated by American band Frankie Cosmos.

We’ve been travelling across the USA with northern-Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance to discover some of the country’s best music, cuisine and culture. The journey continued in Cleveland, the city known to many as the 'home of rock'n'roll'.

Nestled in the corner of Alabama, Muscle Shoals was originally known for being the location of the Wilson Dam across the Tennessee River… that is until the music industry catapulted this sleepy Alabama town of just over 13,000 inhabitants into the limelight.

As part of the series Notes from the USA, Northern-Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance takes us to a small town at the heart of the state’s musical reputation - Muscle Shoals - to discover the place where it all began… FAME Studios.