Mom,
Although I grew up on the 7/8 interface in east AL, we never had apricots, and I can tell you from trying to grow them here in hot zone 6, they're a real heartbreak. Our southeastern winters, with alternating warm spells, then plunges back below freezing tends to make them break dormancy far too early - I've had 'em bloom in late Feb or March - far too early to have any hopes of escaping the normal late winter/early spring frosts, much less any 'late' frosts. Even the peaches & Japanese hybrid plums, which usually get nuked here, bloom a month or more later than the apricots & pluots.

After 10+ years of having apricots & pluots in my orchard, they're all now gone, never having produced a single fruit.

I knew regular apricots might have a problem, but last year I got two of the standard Stark® SweetHeart Apricots. They were recommended for zones 5-8. The trees are planted just north of the AL/TN border and grew well, but I have to wait and see how they made it through the winter. And I have no idea of when they will bloom.