The legendary muscle shoals studio defined the sound of southern soul before becoming one of the goto studios for the biggest names in music. Muscle shoals sound studio can be crowded, so we recommend booking etickets ahead of time to secure your spot. Visit the studios with the muscle shoals sound studio tour in sheffield alabama or the muscle shoals vip music tours. An estimated four hundred gold records have been recorded in the muscle shoals area. The muscle shoals sound finally gets its due the new. This book provides an overall view of the studio and its history. Muscle shoals sound studios encyclopedia of alabama. Rick hall made music history when he founded fame recording studios, the first professional recording studio in. Today, i received the first bit of press coverage for my forthcoming book, muscle shoals sound studio. The muscle shoals sound finally gets its due the new york times. The muscle shoals sound studio, muscle shoals, alabama contributor names highsmith, carol m. The man from muscle shoals my journey from shame to fame. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Dre foundation, these studios have been restored for visitors.
One of the most prominent american studio house bands from the 1960s to the 1980s, these musicians, individually or as a group have been associated with more than 500 recordings, including 75 gold and platinum hits. Cypress moon studio is a film and music production company located in sheffield. Im global tv is teaming with johnny depp and richard branson to develop a limited music drama series based on rick halls autobiography the man from muscle shoals. The muscle shoals sound studio, muscle shoals, alabama.
He is responsible for creating the muscle shoals sound and the swampers, the house band at fame studios that eventually left to start its own successful studio known as muscle shoals sound. Mar 09, 2014 jimmy johnson at muscle shoals sound studio talking history of muscle shoals recording duration. We recommend booking muscle shoals sound studio tours ahead of time to secure your spot. Sep 14, 2014 toward the end of her short history of the muscle shoals sound studio, birmingham magazine managing editor carla jean whitley discusses the new documentary muscle shoals which premiered at. An estimated four hundred gold records have been recorde. Carla jean whitley author of muscle shoals sound studio.
Muscle shoals sound studio sheffield 2020 what to know. Muscle shoals sound studio by carla jean whitley isbn. How the swampers changed american music whitley, carla. The musical legacy of the recordings made at the studio rivals the sounds of detroit, memphis, and philadelphia. See all 4 muscle shoals sound studio tickets and tours on tripadvisor. Ua alumna publishes book about muscle shoals history the. January 4, 2017 by caroline eubanks leave a comment. Hawkins, hood and johnson remained in muscle shoals, continuing to play on recordings at muscle shoals sound and other studios all over the world. Muscle shoals official movie site directed by greg. In july 2017, broadcaster, author and founder of stony plain records, holger petersen was invited to the wc handy festival in florence, alabama to do a book signing for his talking music 2. Muscle shoals national heritage area music heritage. Many of those are thanks to muscle shoals sound studio and the muscle shoals rhythm. Artists including aretha franklin, the rolling stones, and bob dylan cut tracks in this otherwise sleepy corner of the state.
The muscle shoals rhythm section appeared on more than 500 recordings and more than 75 gold and platinum hits. The book, a history of a landmark studio in the northwest corner of alabama, is set for publication on july 22. A music fans guide to muscle shoals this is my south. Visit the studios with the muscle shoals sound studio tour in sheffield. The shoals area of alabama is known for a long list of popular musicians who recorded there in the 1960s and 1970s. With a masters degree in journalism, whitley said she is excited to know that her book is being put on the.
Located in sheffield, we are a short drive to fame studios, the frank lloyd wrightdesigned rosenbaum house, and muscle shoals sound studio. Although a great deal has been written about muscle shoals sound studio and fame, neither studios history had been captured in a book. The muscle shoals rhythm section is a group of american studio musicians based in the northern alabama town of muscle shoals. From its establishment in 1969 by the muscle shoals rhythm section msrs until the mid1980s, the muscle shoals sound studios msss in sheffield, colbert county, was one of the most soughtafter recording studios in the nation. The legendary muscle shoals studio defined the sound of southern soul before becoming one of the goto studios for the biggest. History buffs can make the trip to ivy green, the birthplace of helen keller.
With a combined love of journalism and the souths music history, ua alumna carla jean whitley is sharing these passions through her first book, muscle shoals sound studio. Fame music was established in 1959 and has gone on to be the heartbeat of the muscle shoals sound with entities including fame publishing, fame recording studios. One of the reasons for the towns notoriety is the muscle shoals sound studio. The group was inducted into the nashvillebased musicians hall of fame in 2008. If you book with tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. Located on the banks of the tennessee river, muscle shoals, alabama is the unlikely breeding ground for some of the most creative and defiant music in american history. Rick hall made music history when he founded fame recording studios, the first professional recording studio in the entire state of alabama. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets.
See all 3 muscle shoals sound studio tours on tripadvisor. Recorded at the famed muscle shoals sound studio in alabama, the rolling stones classic brown sugar topped the. Historic markers around town show where important music events took place. In the 1960s and 1970s, sheffields muscle shoals sound studios located at 3614 jackson highway and later at alabama avenue, with hundreds of hit recordings that came out of sheffield. Muscle shoals sound studio sheffield 2020 all you need to. Muscle shoals sound moved to this building in the late 1970s and then malaco records operated here in the 1980s. The building was originally a prewilson dam pump station that was later home to the naval reserve. Aug 25, 2017 in july 2017, broadcaster, author and founder of stony plain records, holger petersen was invited to the wc handy festival in florence, alabama to do a book signing for his talking music 2. Theyre the subject of the new book muscle shoals sound studio. Jimmy johnson at muscle shoals sound studio talking history of muscle shoals recording duration. Its one of the most influential places in american music history. How the swampers changed american music kindle edition by whitley, carla jean. The book comes with a bonus dvd of the awardwinning documentary, muscle shoals, which recounts the powerful story of muscle shoals unique place in the music world, and of rick hall, the father of the muscle shoals sound, who pioneered the raw beats that made it all possible.
Under the spiritual influence of the singing river as native americans called it, the music of muscle shoals is some of the most important and resonant of all time. Muscle shoals sound studio is a recording studio in sheffield, alabama formed in 1969 by four. Initially they worked for rick hall, the founder of fame studios and they are recognized. Gregg allman and others bear witness to muscle shoals magnetism, mystery and why it remains influential today. Picking the 20 best songs ever recorded in the muscle shoals area, at nowiconic studios such as fame and muscle shoals sound, is a daunting task. See photos, profile pictures and albums from muscle shoals sound studio. Clarion inn sheffield muscle shoals sheffield, al hotel. Jul 22, 2014 muscle shoals sound studio paperback how the swampers changed american music.
The muscle shoals sound first became famous through two iconic recording studios during the 1960s. Published july 22nd 2014 by history press sc first published june 17th 2014. Sep 20, 2003 in an obscure northwest corner of alabama, a littleknown piece of music history is up for sale. Many of those are thanks to muscle shoals sound studio and the muscle shoals rhythm section, dubbed the swampers. Many thanks to jennifer stewart kornegay and lean magazine for recommending my work to their readers. Muscle shoals sound studio sheffield 2020 all you need. The group closed the jackson highway studio in 1979, moving the operation to alabama avenue. Muscle shoals sound studio carla jean whitley inkstained. Fame recording studios muscle shoals 2020 all you need to. Do you need to book in advance to visit muscle shoals sound studio. Muscle shoals sound studio opened in early 1969 by the muscle shoals rhythm section also known as the swampers david hood on bass, jimmy. Apr 28, 2016 im global tv is teaming with johnny depp and richard branson to develop a limited music drama series based on rick halls autobiography the man from muscle shoals. See more of muscle shoals sound studio on facebook.
Book your tickets online for muscle shoals sound studio, sheffield. Towards the end of her short history of the muscle shoals sound. The nook book ebook of the the man from muscle shoals. Muscle shoals sound studio is a recording studio in sheffield, alabama formed in 1969 by four session musicians called the muscle shoals rhythm section and affectionately called the swampers who had left rick halls nearby fame studios in muscle shoals to create their own recording facility. They began working together at rick halls fame studio in muscle shoals, alabama where they became wel. Fame recording studios muscle shoals 2020 all you need. Jul 22, 2015 the muscle shoals sound finally gets its due.
The muscle shoals sound studio was a recording mecca for rhythm and blues, rock and pop artists in. This is the story of legendary record producer rick hall and his historic role in the development of the worldfamous muscle shoals sound. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading muscle shoals sound studio. Fame was the foundation that produced muscle shoals sound studio, the nutthouse and. Muscle shoals interviews episode 1 holger petersen with. Florence alabama music enterprises, known as fame studios, was founded in florence. Toward the end of her short history of the muscle shoals sound studio, birmingham magazine managing editor carla jean whitley discusses the new documentary muscle shoals which premiered at. Muscle shoals sound studio opened in early 1969 by the muscle shoals rhythm section also known as the swampers david hood on bass, jimmy johnson on rhythm guitar, roger hawkins on drums, and barry beckett on keys. But a part of the regions musical success is thanks to four men nicknamed the swampers.
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