MUSCLE SHOALS RECORDING STUDIOS

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We visited the Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Sheffield, AL, on May 23, 2019. Several years earlier, we had seen Greg Camalier’s documentary “Muscle Shoals,” and were absolutely intrigued that such a small town brought forth so much talent. It starts with producer, song writer, and musician Rick Hall, who had a terrific eye and ear for talent. Through this FAME (FLORENCE ALABAMA MUSIC ENTERPRISES) studios in Muscle Shoals, he promoted country, R & B, and soul music, and helped to develop the careers of Otis Redding, Duane Allman, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, and many others. His studio musicians were able to find the appropriate sound for whomever they had to accompany. Those who did not know better thought that these musicians were black, since they sounded so authentic. Hall became known as a white producer in the south, who could promote black music, which served him well.
Apparently, Rick Hall was not the easiest character to work with, and several times his session musicians would leave and strike out on their own. In 1969, he lost his rhythm section, called the Swampers,” when they decided to set up their own studio. Barry Beckett (keyboards), Roger Hawkins (drums), Jimmy Johnson (guitar), and David Hood (bass), opened their studio at 3614 Jackson Highway, in Sheffield, close to Muscle Shoals. For the next 10 years, they would work with such greats as Cher, Boz Scaggs, R.B. Greaves, Herbie Mann, The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Canned Heat, Rod Stewart, Art Garfunkel, Lynyrd Skynyrd, etc. The Swampers would help to write arrangements, play in many of the recordings, and produce the music.
In 1979 the studios moved to another address, after which the building was used for all kinds of other purposes, although some of the original equipment stayed with it. In 2006 it was listed on the National register of Historic Places, and in 2013 it was acquired by the Muscle Shoals Music Foundation, which managed to restore it into its original state. There is furniture that had been used back then, as well as musical instruments, recording equipment, scribbling on the walls, lots of photographs, you name it. There are daily tours which are absolutely fascinating, since the guide also plays clips of recordings that were produced in the studio, pointing out the musical contributions of “our guys,” The Swampers.
Time did not permit us to take a tour of the FAME studios, which are only 15 minutes away, although we managed to walk around that building and snap a few pictures.
Since copyright laws prohibit us to use fragments of some of the songs that were recorded in the Muscle Shoals studios, I added a track of royalty-free music from Bensound, called “Beyond the Line,” with sincere thanks for providing this great service to video producers!