Thursday, September 19, 2013

Muscle Shoals: The Movie

On September 27, the movie Muscle Shoals will open in theaters. It is a documentary film that tells the story of a tiny town in North Alabama that was the breeding ground for some of America’s most creative and defiant music.





Be sure to go to the above site for more information about the documentary






Sundance movie trailer

A group of unassuming, yet incredibly talented, locals came together and spawned some of the greatest music of all time: “Mustang Sally,” “I Never Loved a Man,” “Wild Horses,” and many more. During the most incendiary periods of racial hostility, white and black folks came together to create music that would last for generations and gave birth to the incomparable “Muscle Shoals sound.”

For more than a decade, beginning in the late 1960s,  the area – a seemingly unlikely breeding ground --  reigned as the “Hit Recording Capital of the World.” More hits per capita were produced here than any other music center, and there were scores of gold records from dozens of artists.



The critically acclaimed movie documentary captivated audiences at the Sundance Film Festival in January. It is an inspiring story told through interviews, archival film footage, still photos and music clips featuring the creative forces and eccentric talents who recorded some of the most enduring and influential music of all time


At its heart is Rick Hall who founded FAME Studios. Overcoming crushing poverty and staggering tragedies, Hall brought black and white together in Alabama's cauldron of racial hostility to create music for the generations. He is responsible for creating the "Muscle Shoals sound" and The Swampers, the house band at FAME that eventually left to start their own successful studio, known as Muscle Shoals Sound.

As the word spread about the electrifying musical chemistry in this unexpected place, the likes of Bob Dylan, the Rolling Stones, the Staples Singers, the Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Simon and Garfunkel magnetically followed suit. Interviewing an incredible roster of musicians, director Greg Camalier unearths a rich history of this unheralded gold mine of American music.

Greg Allman, Bono, Clarence Carter, Mick Jagger, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Keith Richards, Percy Sledge and others bear witness to Muscle Shoals' magnetism, mystery and why it remains influential today.  

Rolling Stone editor David Fricke described the song "I'll Take You There" by the Staple Singers as the "epitome of the Muscle Shoals Sound."



 "I'll Take You There" was a number-one single by the soul/gospel family band The Staple Singers, released in February 1972. The song spent a total of fifteen weeks on the charts and reached number one on the Hot 100.

12 comments:

  1. I like your taste in music :-) Great post!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. All that music brings back a ton of memories. Love it!

      Delete
  2. The film must be interesting. I listened to the Staple Singers tune you posted. Took me right back to the 70's. Can't believe it was so long ago. Thanks for the smile.

    Darla

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seems like only yesterday. Where did the years go?

      Delete
  3. Great post. Learned some facts I wasn't aware of even living in the area all my life. One thing is I didn't know about the movie....a must see. Let's plan a day to go see the movie and lunch.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Should be seeing the play dates in local theaters soon. I understand it's to be limited distribution, but it better be opening here! If not, guess we'll have to wait for the DVD.

      Delete
  4. i had never heard of this movie. i'll watch for it. thx! there's a memphis connection there with sam phillips and the mississippi blues trail :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is indeed a Memphis connection and STAX records. Those were such talented musicians back in the day, some still going strong too!

      Delete
  5. All new information,as always interesting.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Judith! Always something out there new each day to learn about.

      Delete
  6. You have interesting and informative posts.
    And you are a great storyteller!
    The song- Wild Horses, is it the one sung by the British woman ( can´t remember her name ),
    who surprisingly won a song contest?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Mette!
      The singer you refer to I believe is Susan Boyle, the Scottish singer who became an overnight sensation after she appeared on Britian's Got Talent. She did record Wild Horses, but my reference to it was the original Rolling Stones' version (written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards). They recorded it, as well as Brown Sugar, at the Muscle Shoals studios.

      I do love Susan Boyle, but prefer the Stones' rendition of Wild Horses. It's my favorite of ALL their songs!!

      Delete