A roots rocker with a classic raspy, shouting voice, seger wrote and recorded songs that deal with love, women, and bluecollar themes and is an example of a heartland rock. A legend is told that the unique sound of music produced in muscle shoals comes from the tennessee river. Muscle shoals home of the famous fame studios making. That song financed the studio where fame is still located, built in 1962 at 603 east avalon avenue in muscle shoals.
He also signed a publishing deal as a songwriter for house of fame publishing. Filmmaker greg camalier pays tribute to an alabama city that holds a prominent place in music history. 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. Rick hall, muscle shoals music pioneer and founder of fame studios, has died, report hall, a producer, music publisher, songwriter and author, was a key figure in creating the muscle shoals sound during the 1960s in north alabama. Fame album discography by dave edwards, patrice eyries, and mike callahan last update. Home fame studios libguides at rock and roll hall of.
The muscle shoals sound finally gets its due the new. Here are the 10 most popular albums ever cut there, according to the discogs community. The studio is associated to the label fame 3 and the company fame records also credited as. Famed muscle shoals record producer and founder of fame recording studios, rick hall, died today at the age of 85. The muscle shoals sound studio was formed in muscle shoals, alabama, in 1969 when musicians barry beckett keyboards, roger hawkins drums, jimmy johnson guitar and david hood bass called the swampers left fame studios to create their own studio. 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. Overcoming crushing poverty and staggering tragedies, rick hall brought black and white together to create music for the generations. Muscle shoals premieres on pbs independent lens on april 21, 2014. 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.
Fame florence alabama music enterprises studios is a recording studio located at 603 east avalon avenue in muscle shoals, alabama, an area of northern alabama known as the shoals. Left fame recording studios in the late 60s to build muscle shoals sound studios. The muscle shoals sound first became famous through two iconic recording studios during the 1960s. The muscle shoals recordings is an album by the steeldrivers.
The complete fame singles vol 1 19641967 ace records. Us recording studio founded in 1969 by four musicians, who left the nearby fame recording studios, to build up their own work station. The founder and boss was rick hall, who came up with fame as an acronym for florence alabama music enterprises. The man from muscle shoals tells the story of legendary record producer rick hall and his historic role in the development of the worldfamous muscle shoals sound. He got to know session bassist david hood, the father of driveby truckers cofounder patterson hood, because hood was in the florence, alabama area and played around town on friday and saturday nights in local restaurants and bars. Avalon avenue in 1959 and put together a talented group of studio musicians later called the swampers. It was released on rounder records on june 16, 2015. Fame recording studios, muscle shoals, alabama library. Fame has worked in the studio with some of the greatest artists in rock music history. Hours may vary due to recording sessions, please feel free to call 2569785151 to confirm.
After moving to muscle shoals, alabama in 2000, jimmy landed a job with fame recording studios as a staff recording engineer. The quartets members initially began working under contract during the mid60s at fame studio in muscle shoals, al. Muscle shoals sound rhythm section and the swampers. Though small and distant from the main recording locations of the american music industry, fame has produced many hit records and was instrumental in what came to be known as the muscle shoals sound. Reaching out chess records at fame studios compilation album ace records kent soul uk cdkend 436. Various artists fame the fame studios story ace records. Artists who recorded at fame studios in muscle shoals, ala.
Fame begat the process whereby a little known alabama backwater would evolve into the very crucible of southern soul, a holy place to where musicians, singers and fans still make a very specific pilgrimage in the. Fame recording studios is one of the most legendary recording studios in the world. Muscle shoals sound studio at 3614 jackson highway in sheffield, alabama was 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. The muscle shoals documentary film devoted a great deal of coverage to halls work and in january 2014 the grammy committee presented him with a special merit award. In march of 2006, jimmy launched the nutthouse recording studio in downtown sheffield, alabama.
October 15, 2006 fame recording studios was founded in 1959 in muscle shoals, alabama. One of the anthems of the civil rights movement was respect yourself by the staple singers, recorded at muscle shoals sound studio released in october of 1971 on the stax label. Expertly compiled by alec palao, tony rounce, and dean rudland, the fame studios story doesnt shy away from the moments when the muscle shoals sound seeped into the mainstream. As the selfdescribed heartbeat of the muscle shoals sound, fame studios belongs alongside abbey road, ardent, and hitsville u. The group closed the jackson highway studio in 1979, moving the operation to alabama avenue. Fame music was established in 1959 in florence, alabama and has gone on to be the heartbeat of the muscle shoals sound with entities including fame publishing, fame recording studios, fame records and muscle shoals records. Tours take place every hour on the half hour starting at 10. Another soul hit in 1964, jimmy hughess steal away, established fame. Fame florence alabama music enterprises studios are located at 603 east avalon avenue in muscle shoals, alabama.
Alabamauntil the release of the 20 documentary muscle shoals, alabamas contribution to modern. Fame studios, rick hall recording studios, or east avalon recorders. And the studio building which had gone through several iterations, including time as a secondhand appliance store was acquired by the muscle shoals music foundation. His death occurred at his home in muscle shoals following a battle with cancer. Fame florence alabama music enterprises is a us recording studio in muscle shoals, alabama, founded by rick hall, billy sherrill and tom stafford in the late 50s. Bob seger and the silver bullet band studio discography. The muscle shoals rhythm section roger hawkins, jimmy johnson, barry beckett, and david hood, often affectionately called the swampers is widely regarded as one of the most important american recording studio house bands emerging in the golden age of rock and soul. The muscle shoals sound studio was formed in muscle shoals, alabama, in many artists have recorded hit songs and complete albums at the studio. Fame studios playlist featuring the sounds of muscle shoals.
The muscle shoals sound rhythm section, as they became known, was the first rhythm section. The founders are barry beckett keyboards, roger hawkins drums, jimmy johnson 4 guitar and david hood bass they became known as the muscle shoals sound rhythm section and were the first rhythm section to own a studio and eventually run their own. Fame recording studios muscle shoals alabama usa youtube. That was 1961s you better move on, by local bellhop. Muscle shoals sound studios label releases discogs.
Fame was founded by rick hall, billy sherrill, and tom stafford in the late 1950s. This collection, released on the rhino reissue label in 1993, is an outstanding introduction to the downhome, deep soul music that was produced in studios in tiny towns mainly at fame recording studios in muscle shoals in northwest alabama in the 1960s and early 1970s. 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. Its a very, very sad day for muscle shoals and music in general, said judy hood, alabama music hall of fame board member and friend of hall. Florence alabama music enterprises, known as fame studios, was founded in florence. It moved to muscle shoals in the early 1960s, where fame recorded the first of many hit records. Muscle shoals 20 is an american documentary film about fame studios and muscle shoals sound studio in muscle shoals, alabama. The word magic is mentioned a lot in muscle shoals, a mesmerizing documentary that tries to explain, or at least place in context, the extraordinary success of fame founded by producer rick. Fame recording studio muscle shoals, alabama 2017 on vimeo. Jimmy johnson at muscle shoals sound studio talking history of muscle shoals recording at muscle shoals sound studios. Rick hall, founder of fame recording studios, sitting in the fame studio in muscle shoals, alabama 1 photograph. When rick hall opened up his record studio fame studios in the small town of muscle shoals, alabama, it became something of a rock n roll myth when some of the finest music ever written began to. When jason isbell was a teenager in the muscle shoals area, many musicians took him under their wing. While hall might not be a name music fans know right away, you undoubtedly know many popular songs that were recorded at his legendary fame studios in muscle shoals, ala.
Rick hall, producer and songwriter who put muscle shoals. In fact, that sound was already developing in muscle shoals at a studio called fame the first studio in the region to cut a hit record. He is responsible for creating the muscle shoals sound and the swampers, the house band at fame studios that eventually left to start their own successful studio, known as muscle shoals sound. On his studio albums, he also worked extensively with the alabamabased muscle shoals rhythm section, which appeared on several of segers bestselling singles and albums. In the fifty years since, fame studios and its idiosyncratic founder rick hall have been at the forefront of the muscle shoals sound. It features numerous recording artists as well as the staff and musicians associated with the studios. Directed by greg freddy camalier, the film was released by magnolia pictures on september 27, 20. Located on the banks of the tennessee river, muscle shoals, alabama is. Jimmy johnson at muscle shoals sound studio talking. Barry beckett keyboards, roger hawkins drums, jimmy johnson 4 guitar and david hood bass they became known as. Fast forwarding to 20, a critically acclaimed documentary film was released that year on the areas musical legacy that resparked interest. Rick hall, architect of the muscle shoals sound, is being honored with a birthday tribute grammy event in greenwich village. A roots rocker with a classic raspy, shouting voice, seger wrote and recorded songs that dealt with love, women, bluecollar themes and was an exemplar of heartland rock.
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