Hit after hit poured out of FAME, and after the Swampers jumped ship in 1969 to open their own Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, more hits followed with them. Boasting one of the most phenomenal and exhilarating soundtracks, Muscle Shoals is a worthy ode to an enchanting place and an era defining sound. © 2021 Advance Local Media LLC. [18] The solution was to fly the Swampers to New York to record at Atlantic Studios. In the Marriot Shoals Conference Center lobby before the aforementioned February 2013 Florence screening, John Paul White told me, "Everything I am stems from these guys here, and the things this documentary touches on. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. [24] He later worked independently with Alabama, Asleep at the Wheel, Kenny Chesney and others. The list of artists who enlisted The Swampers and/or Rick Hall to bring that Muscle Shoals sound is astounding. 'Make the counts part of the intro' ". Overcoming crushing poverty and staggering tragedies, Rick Hall brought black and white together to create music for the generations. On the many hit records out of Muscle Shoals, there were many incidences where other musicians would join or substitute, including Chips Moman (guitar), Junior Lowe (guitar) Dan Penn, Tommy Cogbill, Pete Carr (guitar), Spooner Oldham (organ and piano)[4], According to music writer Carla Jean Whitley, more than a few people were surprised to learn that the musicians backing many notable black artists were white. May 2, 2019 - Explore Richardrthomas's board "Muscle shoals documentary" on Pinterest. Percy Sledge's cousin, Jimmy Hughes recorded "Steal Away" with the same teenaged session players, and it rose to #17 on the Billboard Hot 100[6] It was followed by "Neighbor, Neighbor" and "Why Not Tonight"– both of which made the charts. After Allie and Greg began dating about two years ago, Greg got her to watch the 2013 documentary film "Muscle Shoals," about the Shoals area's rich studio legacy. We had some idea about the musical influence of Muscle Shoals and the FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio but really didn’t fully understand it until we watched this documentary… Well-known producers began coming to Muscle Shoals to record with this house band to capture the perceived "Muscle Shoals sound". m_gallery_id = "13512423"; Film+TV Music Outside Muscle Shoals Sound Studios: (from left) Roger Hawkins, Barry Beckett, David Hood, Jimmy Johnson, Carol Buckins, Steve Melton, Diane Butler, Pearce Pettus and Bobby Heathcote. This set, the soundtrack to Greg Camalier’s 2013 documentary film Muscle Shoals, plays like a dream with classic sides like Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman,” Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You),” Etta James’ “Tell … Muscle Shoals takes up but a speck on a road map of the northwestern corner of Alabama, with a population that hovers around 13,000. They were masters at creating a southern combination of R&B, soul and country musicknown as the "Muscle Shoals sound" to back up black artists, who were ofte… One of Hall's first protégés was an African American bellhop at the Sheffield Hotel named Arthur Alexander who had written some songs. Hall said, "When you hear that record today, you can tell that everybody was feeding off the enthusiasm of everybody else in that room".[4]. [3] Some 50 years later the building would be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 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. The musicians rarely read music, and usually nothing was written in advance; it was called a "head session"[21], As an example, in the Muscle Shoals recording of Wilson Pickett's classic hit, "Land of 1000 Dances" Jerry Wexler chose the song– it was to be a cover version of a song by Chris Kenner. Muscle Shoals is a 2013 documentary about the sound studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, a small town on the Tennessee River, often referred to as the “Soul River.”The studio became known for collaborating with various prominent musicians. If it was not successful, the arranger was to blame. The musicians would listen out on the porch to make final judgement on finished songs. The "Muscle Shoals" documentary premiered at Park City, Utah's Sundance Film Festival in January 2013. He asked some 16 year-old members of a local band, Norbert Putnam, David Briggs and Jerry Carrigan, to make some song demos. [3] They resigned as a group to pursue independent careers in Nashville, and Hall was without his hit-making rhythm section. Excellent documentary about the origins of the Muscle Shoals Studio built by Rick hall, and the evolution of the 'Muscle Shoals Sound', featuring 'The Swampers'. A documentary that celebrates Rick Hall, the founder of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and the signature sound he developed in songs such as "I'll Take You There", "Brown Sugar", and "When a Man Loves a Woman". Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. [11] They were aided in the process by Wexler, who arranged a loan from Atlantic Records to make much-needed equipment upgrades to 8-track recording machines that were compatible with Atlantic's equipment. 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