WAY DOWN SOUTH: THE MUSCLE SHOALS STORY (320kbs-m4a/129mb/56mins)
BBC Radio 6 Music broadcast: 20th September 2023
Craig Charles presents the story of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, birthplace of Southern Soul.
Founded by Rick Hall in the late 1950s, the Fame (Florence Alabama Music Enterprises) studios began life above a local drug store before transferring operations to a former tobacco warehouse in the early 1960s.
Characterised by its seamless blend of R'n'B, Soul & Country the Fame studio sound developed by Rick Hall was dependant on a roster of studio musicians whose tasteful downhome stylings backed everyone from Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and Solomon Burke through to Bobbie Gentry, Lulu and the Osmonds.
The documentary will also explore the studio operation set up by David Hood, Jimmy Johnson, Roger Hawkinsand& Barry Beckett on their departure from the Fame set up in 1969. This studio, named Muscle Shoals Sound, became one of the venues of choice for some of the biggest artists in 70s rock and soul, including The Rolling Stones, Traffic, The Staple Singers and Rod Stewart.
Featuring newly sourced interviews from Fame founder Rick Hall alongside studio veterans Jesse Boyce, Mickey Buckins, David Hood and Jimmy Johnson, Way Down South will also include the recollections of artists Percy Sledge and Candi Staton.
nice one Swamp, will give it a listen. I loved the TV version of the doc, up there with Sound City as one of the best music docs. So much history made in these 2 places.
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