FAME Studios, Muscle Shoals Sound, and a host of other recording studios made Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the Hit Recording Capital of the World in the 1960s and beyond. Ok all you old farts who refuse to let go of your LP collection (young spuds stand by.This short list doesn’t even begin to encompass all of the talented musicians who found a place in history by recording in Muscle Shoals. Go to your LP collection and pull out an LP.īut for now, Its’ Old and I’m Proud time). Odds on Favorites, one out of every five you yank out has a connection to 3614 Jackson Highway. Sound familiar? Yeah, it Muscle Shoals Sound studio’s address was the title of Cher’s 1969 LP cut in that infamous building later released by ATCO. Rolling Stones, Traffic, Rod Stewart, Leon Russell (who is credited with the term “Swampers”), Linda Ronstadt, Wilson Pickett, Lulu, Boz Scaggs, Jimmy Cliff, Bonnie Bramlett, Staple Singers…. OMG! My fingers would fall off trying to type them all. MAKE 3614 Jackson Highway at must on your bucket list. It’s just a chance to walk in the footsteps of those who have entertained us for all our lives.īTW- you young spuds- it’s a chance to see what music shaped your parents and grand parents and to learn. I have been to the Promised Land of Rock and Roll, Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. I have walked where the King of Rock and Roll walked. ![]() Today, I visited Rock and Roll's Holy Land, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama. My attraction to it, beside tons of great music that it produced, is Lynyrd Skynyrd. Ronnie Van Zant and the boys recorded here several times over the years. Besides Ronnie, I have also loved Billy Powell, the keyboard player. I love his story and how he joined the band. He was originally just a roadie for the band, with no one knowing he was classically trained on the piano. One day, during a recording session, the band took a break outside, meanwhile Billy sit down and charted out the guitar parts in Freebird and started playing them on the piano. ![]() The band ran back inside and someone says "Why didn't you tell us you played piano?" to which Billy responded "You never asked". Today I got to sit at that piano and but for a brief moment, imagine what it was like with Billy sitting there beside me, playing the bird as only he could play it. Sorry for my brief religious experience, the tour was amazing. The tour guides Colin and vicky (hope I spelled it right) were amazing and very informative. It was just me on this tour so I had time to take in a lot of things and ask questions that they always had the answers to. The price of the tour is $12 and I have no problem paying it in order to help preserve and keep this great studio and piece of American music history alive. They offer a ton of t shirts and other items to choose from to remember your visit, once again consider what your money is going to before you complain about the prices. I can't wait to come back and bring my wife so that she can ezperience this amazing place. I’d read much about the history of this legendary place, and also seen documentaries on TV. As many of my musical heroes’ had recorded here I decided to add this place to my itinerary when visiting Memphis. The week before my visit I emailed “Bonnie” who was extremely helpful in arranging my trip there. So on a very cold November morning I drove the 2.5hr 150ml journey across the beautiful Tennessee and Alabama countryside to see for myself. When you arrive it’s surprising as firstly it’s quite a small place and secondly there’s virtually nothing else there.
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