I've never understood the love for southern accents, but the number of full-on hicks within a few miles of my house might have something to do with that. Thankfully mine is pretty mild.
Surprisingly, most "southern" accents are eastern. Except for the word "y'all," I don't think I've met anyone that has a stereotypical southern accent.
I live in the heart of the Bible Belt/Old South and I'm right at the area where metropolitan Atlanta fades into old town and rural; I'm surrounded by moderate to strong southern accents.
Somebody mentioned German accents above - as far as I know, the harsh/guttural sound is moreso an accent (southern?) than the language itself. My German teachers (two native) certainly didn't have gutteral inflections aside from the obvious ü to some extent, and as far as I know I don't speak it that way either.