Muscle Shoals Sound Studio
Encyclopedia
Muscle Shoals, Alabama
Muscle Shoals is a city in Colbert County, Alabama, United States. As of 2007, the United States Census Bureau estimated the population of the city to be 12,846. The city is included in The Shoals MSA. It is famous for its contributions to American popular music.-Geography:Muscle Shoals is located...
,
in 1969 when musicians Barry Beckett
Barry Beckett
Barry Edward Beckett was a keyboardist who worked as a session musician with several notable artists on their studio albums...
(keyboards), Roger Hawkins
Roger Hawkins
Roger G Hawkins , is an American drummer best known for playing as part of the studio backing band known as The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section of Alabama...
(drums), Jimmy Johnson
Jimmy Johnson (musician)
Jimmy Johnson is an American a member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section that was attached to FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama for a period in the 1960s and 1970s, and later was the a founder of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio located at first on 3614 Jackson Highway in Sheffield, Alabama and at...
(guitar) and David Hood
David Hood
David Hood , is a bassist from Muscle Shoals, Alabama. He also plays the trombone and is a member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame....
(bass) (called The Swampers) left FAME Studios
FAME Studios
FAME Studios are located at 603 East Avalon in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. They have been an integral part of American popular music from the late 1950s to the present...
to create their own studio. The Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section, as they became known, was the first rhythm section to own its own studio and, eventually, its own publishing and production companies. The distinctive accompaniment and arrangements have been heard on a tremendous number of legendary recordings, including those from Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett was an American R&B/Soul singer and songwriter.A major figure in the development of American soul music, Pickett recorded over 50 songs which made the US R&B charts, and frequently crossed over to the US Billboard Hot 100...
, Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
, and the Staple Singers amongst others. Many artists have recorded hit songs and complete albums at the studio.
The original rhythm section that broke away to create these studios first formed in 1967 and initially played sessions in New York and Nashville as well as on the famous FAME recordings. The initial successes led to the arrival of more mainstream rock and pop performers among them The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, Traffic
Traffic (band)
Traffic were an English rock band whose members came from the West Midlands. The group formed in April 1967 by Steve Winwood, Jim Capaldi, Chris Wood and Dave Mason...
, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Boz Scaggs
Boz Scaggs
William Royce "Boz" Scaggs is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He gained fame in the 1970s with several Top 20 hit singles in the United States, along with the #2 album, Silk Degrees. Scaggs continues to write, record music and tour.-Early life and career:Scaggs was born in Canton,...
, Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
, Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
, Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Dr. Hook, Elkie Brooks
Elkie Brooks
Elkie Brooks is an English singer, formerly a vocalist with Vinegar Joe, and later a solo artist. Elkie has been nominated twice for Brit Awards' top female singer. She is known for her powerful husky voice...
, Millie Jackson
Millie Jackson
Mildred "Millie" Jackson is an American R&B/soul singer-songwriter and comedienne. Three of her albums have been certified gold by the RIAA for over 500,000 copies....
and Julian Lennon
Julian Lennon
John Charles Julian Lennon is an English musician, songwriter, actor, and photographer. He is the son of John Lennon and Lennon's first wife, Cynthia Powell. Beatles manager Brian Epstein was his godfather. He has a younger half-brother, Sean Lennon. Lennon was named after his paternal...
.
The FAME studio, still using the Muscle Shoals Sound name, moved to new facilities off Alabama Avenue in Sheffield. These facilities are now home to Cypress Moon Studios.
The Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section, who recorded at the original Muscle Shoals Sound Studios are referred to as "the Swampers
Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, also known as The Swampers, are a group of American soul, R&B, and country studio musicians based in the town of Muscle Shoals, Alabama...
" in the lyrics of Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
.
The original Muscle Shoals Sound Studios building is located at 3614 Jackson Highway and is listed on The National Register of Historic Places.
Muscle Shoals Sound Studios is a Registered Trademark of Noel Webster U.S.P.T.O. Reg.NO. 3,391,981. It still operates as the Muscle Shoals Sound Studios and had success when The Black Keys album Brothers, recorded there in 2009 achieved Grammy success in 2011.
Selected recordings
| Song | Artist | Date | Charting on US Pop chart | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3614 Jackson Highway 3614 Jackson Highway -Credits:Personnel*Cher – lead vocalsProduction*Jerry Wexler – record producer*Tom Dowd – record producer*Arif Mardin – record producer*Stan Vincent – record producer*Greg Poree – arrangement assistance... |
Cher Cher Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in... |
1969 | ||
| "Take a Letter, Maria" | R.B. Greaves | August 19, 1969 | #2 | |
| "Brown Sugar Brown Sugar (song) "Brown Sugar" is a song by The Rolling Stones. It is the opening track and lead single from the English rock band's 1971 album Sticky Fingers... " |
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up... |
December 2-4 1969 (Released 1971) | #1 | |
| "Wild Horses" | The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up... |
December 2-4 1969 (Released 1971) | #28 | |
| "I'll Take You There I'll Take You There "I'll Take You There" is a number-one single written and produced by Al Bell and performed by soul/gospel family band The Staple Singers, released on Stax Records in February 1972... " |
The Staple Singers The Staple Singers The Staple Singers were an American gospel, soul, and R&B singing group. Roebuck "Pops" Staples , the patriarch of the family, formed the group with his children Cleotha , Pervis , Yvonne , and Mavis... |
1972 | #1 | |
| Kodachrome Kodachrome (song) "Kodachrome" is a song written and recorded by Paul Simon. It appeared on his 1973 album There Goes Rhymin' Simon.-Description:The song is named after the Kodak 35mm film Kodachrome... |
Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles... |
1973 | #2 | |
| "Loves Me Like a Rock Loves Me Like a Rock "Loves Me Like a Rock" is a 1973 song recorded by American singer-songwriter Paul Simon. Simon wrote the song, which appears on his solo album There Goes Rhymin' Simon.... " |
Paul Simon Paul Simon Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles... |
1973 | #2 | |
| One More River to Cross One More River To Cross (album) One More River To Cross is the eighth studio album by Canned Heat, released in 1973. The band negotiated out of their contract with Liberty Records and debuted with Atlantic Records. This album featured horn arrangements played by the Muscle Shoal Horns along with Barry Beckett and Roger Hawkins... |
Canned Heat Canned Heat Canned Heat is a blues-rock/boogie rock band that formed in Los Angeles, California in 1965. The group has been noted for its own interpretations of blues material as well as for efforts to promote the interest in this type of music and its original artists... |
1973 | ||
| Atlantic Crossing Atlantic Crossing Atlantic Crossing is Rod Stewart's sixth album, released in 1975, and peaking at number nine on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart. On June 30, 2009, Rhino released a two-disc version with bonus tracks.... |
Rod Stewart Rod Stewart Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry.... |
1974-1975 (Released 1975) | ||
| Breakaway Breakaway (Art Garfunkel album) Breakaway is the second solo album by Art Garfunkel. It was released in 1975 on Columbia Records. It was produced by Richard Perry who has produced albums for other artists such as Carly Simon. It includes three Top 40 singles: "I Only Have Eyes For You" , "Break Away" and the Simon And... |
Art Garfunkel Art Garfunkel Arthur Ira "Art" Garfunkel is an American singer-songwriter, poet, and actor, best known as being a member of the folk duo Simon & Garfunkel... |
1975 | ||
| "Katmandu Katmandu (song) "Katmandu" is the title of a song written and recorded by American rock artist Bob Seger. It was initially released on his studio album Beautiful Loser, and later featured on his live album Live Bullet. The single edit reached number 43 on the US Top 40, becoming Seger's most successful single... " |
Bob Seger Bob Seger Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s... |
1975 | #43 | |
| "Night Moves Night Moves (album) Night Moves is the ninth studio album by American rock singer Bob Seger, and his first with the Silver Bullet Band. It was released in October 1976... " |
Bob Seger Bob Seger Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s... |
1976 | #8 | |
| "Mainstreet Mainstreet (song) "Mainstreet" is the title of a song written and recorded by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band. The eponymous street is that of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Seger's childhood home. It was released in April 1977 as the fourth single from the album Night Moves The song peaked at #24 on the U.S... " |
Bob Seger Bob Seger Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s... |
1976 | #24 (in 1977) | |
| izitso Izitso Izitso is an album released by the British singer/songwriter Cat Stevens in 1977. After the lackluster Numbers, Izitzo – an album of pop/rock songs more in keeping with the style of Stevens' earlier 1970s albums – proved to be his comeback. The song "Child for a Day" was featured in the 1977 film... |
Cat Stevens Cat Stevens Yusuf Islam , commonly known by his former stage name Cat Stevens, is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, educator, philanthropist, and prominent convert to Islam.... |
1976 | #7 (in 1977) | |
| Street Survivors Street Survivors Street Survivors is the fifth studio album by Southern rock band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, released on October 17, 1977. The LP is the last Skynyrd album ever recorded by original members Ronnie Van Zant and Allen Collins, and is the sole Skynyrd studio recording by guitarist Steve Gaines... |
Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird... |
1977 | ||
| "Old Time Rock and Roll Old Time Rock and Roll "Old Time Rock and Roll" is the title of a song by Bob Seger featured on his 1978 album Stranger in Town and released as a single in 1979. It is a nostalgic look at the music of a previous generation. The song was featured in the Tom Cruise film Risky Business and gained widespread fame because of... " |
Bob Seger Bob Seger Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s... |
1978 | #28 (in 1979) | |
| Skynyrd's First: The Complete Muscle Shoals Album Skynyrd's First And... Last Skynyrd's First And...Last was the original name of the album, first released in 1978, by the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. The original 1978 version of the album is now out of print. In 1998, it was renamed and re-released as Skynyrd's First: The Complete Muscle Shoals Album, which was expanded to... |
Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird... |
1971-1972 (Released 1978) | ||
| Strikes Strikes (album) Strikes is the third album by Southern rock band Blackfoot, released during 1979. That album has received from the RIAA a platinum certification in April 1986.-Track listing:# "Road Fever" – Medlocke/Spires... |
Blackfoot Blackfoot (band) Blackfoot is a Southern rock musical ensemble from Jacksonville, Florida organized during 1970. Though they are primarily a Southern rock band, they were known also as a hard rock act.... |
1979 | ||
| "Gotta Serve Somebody Gotta Serve Somebody "Gotta Serve Somebody" is a song by Bob Dylan from his 1979 studio album Slow Train Coming. It won the Grammy Award for Best Rock Vocal Performance by a Male in 1980. The song was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. It stands as Dylan's last hit single, peaking at #24... " |
Bob Dylan Bob Dylan Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly... |
1979 | #24 | 1980 Grammy winner |
| Pleasure And Pain | Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show was an American pop, country and soft rock band, formed around Union City, New Jersey in 1967 as The Chocolate Papers. They enjoyed considerable commercial success in the 1970s with hit singles including "Sylvia's Mother", "The Cover of the Rolling Stone", "A Little Bit... |
1978 | ||
| Sometimes You Win | Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show was an American pop, country and soft rock band, formed around Union City, New Jersey in 1967 as The Chocolate Papers. They enjoyed considerable commercial success in the 1970s with hit singles including "Sylvia's Mother", "The Cover of the Rolling Stone", "A Little Bit... |
1979 | ||
| Valotte Valotte Valotte is the debut album by singer-songwriter Julian Lennon. It was released on October 15, 1984 on Atlantic Records in the US and Canada, and Charisma/Virgin Records for the rest of the world. It was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and The Hit Factory in New York... |
Julian Lennon Julian Lennon John Charles Julian Lennon is an English musician, songwriter, actor, and photographer. He is the son of John Lennon and Lennon's first wife, Cynthia Powell. Beatles manager Brian Epstein was his godfather. He has a younger half-brother, Sean Lennon. Lennon was named after his paternal... |
1984 | #9 | |
| Brothers Brothers (The Black Keys album) Brothers is the sixth album and Grammy Award-winner of Best Alternative Music Album by American blues-rock duo, The Black Keys. The album was announced on March 2, 2010 by Pitchfork Media and became the band's third release from Nonesuch Records on May 18, 2010... |
The Black Keys The Black Keys The Black Keys are an American rock duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. The band was formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. As of October 2011, the band has sold over 2 million albums in the U.S.... |
2009 (Released 2010) | 2011 Grammy winner |