Goin’ South – Part 6 – Muscle Shoals, Musical Magic

After leaving The Hermitage Goin’ South – Part 5 – The Hermitage, we continued heading south, with our final destination being Muscle Shoals. We were heading to Blackberry Homestead, Bruce and Julia’s home, but first, we stopped to tour the FAME Recording Studios.

There is so much musical history housed within these “hallowed” walls. The stories these walls could tell if only they could talk. I was completely mesmerized! Anybody who is ANYONE in the music industry has recorded there, or at least in one or more of the other recording studios in Muscle Shoals, but the FAME Studios is where it all began. All musicians, producers, songwriters, and anyone else connected to music are welcomed, from novices to seasoned pros, representing all genres of music. And sometimes, people like Robert Plant just pop in for a look around and to say hi. Steven Tyler calls FAME home.

FAME Music was established in 1959 in Florence, Alabama, and has gone on to be the heartbeat of the Muscle Shoals Sound with entities including FAME Publishing, FAME Recording Studios, FAME Records and Muscle Shoals Records. FAME moved to Muscle Shoals in 1961. FAME has worked in the studio with some of the greatest artists in rock music history. Artists such as Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Lou Rawls, Otis Redding, Candi Staton, Clarence Carter, the Osmonds, Jerry Reed, Alabama, Mac Davis, the Gatlin Brothers, Bobbie Gentry and many others.  More recently, FAME has recorded projects for The Gregg Allman Band, Alicia Keys, Demi Lovato, Ann Wilson, Third Day, The Turnpike Troubadours, Michael McDonald, Vince Gill, Alison Krauss, Aloe Blacc, Chord Overstreet, Keb Mo, John Paul White, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Matisyahu, Band of Horses, Drive by Truckers, Bettye Lavette, Cyril Neville, the Civil Wars, Anderson East and Jamey Johnson to name a few. In the last 60-plus years, FAME has been involved in recording or publishing records that have sold over 400 million copies worldwide.

Step inside the birthplace of the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound and experience over 65 years of music history. During this approximately one-hour guided tour, guests will explore FAME’s historic Studios A and B, hear the stories behind some of the world’s most iconic recordings, and learn how artists such as Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Otis Redding, Duane Allman, and many others helped shape American music right here in Muscle Shoals. As a working recording studio and a property listed on the National Register of Historic Places, FAME offers visitors a unique opportunity to stand where music history was made—and continues to be made today.

The VIP Backstage Tour includes the Standard Tour plus extra Backstage experiences. The Backstage Tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at selected areas of the studios not available on Standard tours. The Backstage Experience takes you behind the velvet rope, including FAME’s Publishing Office, Rick Hall’s personal office, exhibits showcasing FAME’s multiple awards, such as Gold Records and Song-of-the-Year awards, exhibits focused on instruments played in historic sessions, including the legendary Aretha Franklin sessions, and instruments from Rick Hall’s personal collection.

The four of us took the VIP tour of the studios and got the full scoop on all the musical magic that took, and still takes place at the studios. I have plenty to say, but the music and accolades speak volumes on their own.

The musical genius behind the magic was the legendary Rick Hall.

This barber’s chair alone could tell you stories that would knock your socks off.

Our guide Chase was a wealth of information and shared many fun stories too. He was great.

After the VIP treatment, the rest of the tour continued and more people joined in. Then we got to see the actual recording studios, where all the magic happened and still happens today. There are two recording studios, Studio A and Studio B. Each studio has its own vibe and personality. The artists who record there all have their own preferences on which studio to use, for their own reasons.

FAME’s legendary Studio A and Studio B offer cutting-edge facilities for hit-makers, chart-toppers, and emerging talent at almost any budget. Melding the best of vintage and twenty-first century recording equipment and techniques, our studios are the perfect spaces for producing the exact sound you’re looking to put out into the world.

The sound booth where music mixed with magic becomes reality.

We had a special treat at the end of the tour too. There just happened to be a band that was recording as we were there, AND the lady there with the band is Melody Trucks, the daughter of Allman Brother’s Band’s drummer. She is also a solo artist as well. It’s not a good picture, but sometimes, that’s all you get.

If you are a musician or even just a music lover, this is a MUST SEE place to add to your bucket list of things to do and places to go! I can’t speak for Julia, Bruce or Larry, but for me, this was an AWESOME experience. One thing you probably don’t know about me is that I LOVE music; music of ALL kinds too.

The FAME Studios are located at 603 East Avalon Avenue, Muscle Shoals, AL 35661. You can 256-381-0801 or you contact them online at info@famestudios.com.

Add music to all your days and have a great day. Live life to the fullest and enjoy the ride, and all the music along the way. ‘Til next time.

*** I just have an addendum to make. I just heard back from FAME co-owner and president Rodney Hall. I am SO honored, that not only did he like my post, but that he took the time to respond as well. Mr. Hall is who corrected my information about Melody Trucks. Thank you Mr. Hall. You totally made my day.