Muscle Shoals

The story of the distinctive music sound tied to the little Alabama town of Muscle Shoals is the story of record producer Rick Hall, who brought black and white players together—ultimately laying the foundation for some of the most memorable music of the ‘60s and ‘70s, ranging from Percy Sledge's “When a Man Loves a Woman” to Lynyrd Skynyrd's “Sweet Home Alabama.” In Greg “Freddy” Camalier's documentary, interviewee Jimmy Cliff believes the place has a mystical aura, but Hall takes a more matter-of-fact approach: he grew up poor, and he wanted to make hit records. It wasn't easy as he struggled with loss, abandonment, alcoholism, and other problems, but he had an ear for talent, and when he met bellhop/songwriter Arthur Alexander, his fortunes began to change (Sledge, another hit maker, started out as a hospital orderly). Regional singles led to covers by British superstars like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. And the white players at Hall's FAME Studios—-known as the Swampers—also attracted attention. Drummer Roger Hawkins believes the Swampers were greater than the sum of their parts, which may be why individual players didn't become stars in their own right, although everyone (including the Rolling Stones) wanted to record with them. Hall hit the big time when he formed an alliance with Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records, who brought in Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin (who calls the development a turning point in her career). When guitar player Duane Allman joined the group for a spell, he helped usher them into the rock ‘n' roll era. The Swampers eventually broke away to form their own studio, Muscle Shoals Sound, so Hall started over again with new players; fortunately, musicians flocked to both. For rock and soul fans alike, this is essential viewing with interesting asides, colorful anecdotes, and amazing music. Highly recommended. (K. Fennessy)