{"id":1979,"date":"2014-04-18T09:34:05","date_gmt":"2014-04-18T16:34:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pbs.org\/independentlens\/blog\/?p=5572"},"modified":"2022-08-16T11:15:15","modified_gmt":"2022-08-16T18:15:15","slug":"musical-journey-muscle-shoals","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/dipsy.pbs.org\/independentlens\/blog\/musical-journey-muscle-shoals\/","title":{"rendered":"A Musical Journey Through Muscle Shoals"},"content":{"rendered":"

The word \u201cmagic\u201d is mentioned a lot in <\/em>Muscle Shoals<\/a>, a mesmerizing documentary that tries to explain, or at least place in context, the extraordinary success of FAME (founded by producer Rick Hall in the late 1950s) and Muscle Shoals Sound (a competing studio spun off in 1969 by members of FAME\u2019s original house band, known as the Swampers). It\u2019s as good a word as any to capture the ineffable quality of the Muscle Shoals sound, which is a blend of hillbilly music, blues and spirituals, among other diverse influences.” \u00a0\u2014\u00a0Michael O’Sullivan, <\/em>Washington Post<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

As Muscle Shoals<\/em><\/a> premieres on\u00a0Independent Lens<\/em>\u00a0this Monday, April 21 at 9 pm<\/strong> (check local listings<\/a>) on PBS\u00a0\u2014\u00a0and as the main subjects of the film Rick Hall, and The Swampers, were just honored at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame<\/a>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0it’s the perfect time to get yourself in the proper musical mood.<\/p>\n

First of all, give our new Muscle Shoals<\/em> playlist<\/a> on Spotify a listen and a follow. It’s even more extensive than the film’s soundtrack and will keep you tapping your feet and singing along for a long while.<\/p>\n

Now for some extra visual accompaniment for Muscle Shoals<\/em> fans, here’s a collection of videos from some of our favorite artists to grace the cozy confines of the FAME and\u00a0Muscle Shoals Sound studios, some featured in the film, some not.<\/p>\n

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Check out the recently released tracks from Dan Penn in The Fame Recordings<\/em>, recorded at FAME studios between 1964 and 1966. According to Mark Deming<\/a> in the All Music Guide, Penn “has been widely and justly celebrated by many music historians as one of the great songwriters to emerge from the 1960s soul music boom, penning classic tunes for Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge, James Carr, Otis Redding, James & Bobby Purify, and many more. Penn is less widely acclaimed as a great soul singer, largely because so few people have heard his work.” [See more Penn tracks on that Spotify playlist.]<\/p>\n

Blind musician Clarence Carter<\/a> recorded several hits in Muscle Shoals, but our favorite remains the lovely “Slip Away.” Here’s an older recording, but you can also find some more recent Carter performances of the song on YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n