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Muscle Shoals Sound Studio

HOURS OF OPERATION: TUESDAY-SATURDAY  10AM TO 4PM.  

TOURS TIMES: TOURS BEGIN EVERY HOUR ON THE HALF HOUR STARTING AT 10:30 AM TO 3:30 PM.

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I Discovered Alabama's Coolest Legacy On The Muscle Shoals Music Studio Tours

Lisa Battles

Lisa has traveled the U.S. for over a decade, seeking out and sharing the stories of its most interesting places, people, and experiences. A journalism graduate of Auburn University, she has been a content strategist, editor, and writer for more than 25 years. Lisa has worked in community news, PR, and marketing with a focus on tourism, hospitality, and economic development. Besides following her curiosity around every corner, she's a devoted dog mom of two and advocate for animal welfare.

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A funny thing happened on the way to a sandwich shop I hoped to try. While the sandwich didn’t happen, I instead got lost and made the most of it with my first of two Muscle Shoals music studio tours. When I realized I was on the wrong highway and headed toward Florence, I checked the time. “Why not catch the last scheduled tour of the day at 3614 Jackson Highway?” I thought. This was the first location of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and one of three studios there I had been meaning to visit.

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The Muscle Shoals music studio tours are definitely doable in a day if you choose. You can even add a couple more Muscle Shoals music attractions – the Alabama Music Hall of Fame  and the W.C. Handy Home & Museum. Another note: you can use Viator to book the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio Tour ahead of time. Beyond these attractions, there are great restaurants, nature trails, and so many other things to do in Muscle Shoals. You’ll want to stay at least a night or two.

You can find detailed histories and other information about each of the studios and tours on the websites of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio , FAME Recording Studios , and Cypress Moon Studios . Have you done any or all of the Muscle Shoals Music studio tours? We’d love to hear about your experience and favorite stories from the tour.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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What You Need To Know About The Tours

Finding Muscle Shoals Sound Studio is easy! It’s located at 3614 North Jackson Highway in Sheffield, Alabama. It doesn’t look like much from the road but it’s one of the most important buildings in music history! You can tour the studio throughout the year, Tuesday – Saturday. The guided tours begin on the half hour starting at 10:30AM with the last tour at 3:30PM.

Each tour of the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio lasts about 30 minutes. You’ll learn a few fun facts about the studio and then you’ll have some free time to walk around and take photos.

The History of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio

The Muscle Shoals “Swampers” became famous as studio musicians down the road at FAME. FAME was the original Muscle Shoals recording studio and the first to bring in artists from all over the country that wanted the unique sound the legendary musicians were known for. Artists like Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Lou Rawls, Wilson Pickett, Duane Allman and countless others recorded music in their studios.

Eventually, The Swampers (Barry Beckett, Roger Hawkins, David Hood, and Jimmy Johnson) decided to open up their own studio and moved down the road a bit to Sheffield, Alabama. In 1969, they trademarked the phrase “The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section” and opened up their new studio in the tiny, unassuming building on Jackson Highway.

Over the years, The Swampers produced at least 50 hit singles in this new studio. The first hit was from artist R.B. Greeves called Take A Letter Maria . (The song hit #2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and was certified Gold.) Other hit songs record at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio included Old Time Rock and Roll by Bob Seger; Kodachrome by Paul Simon; Brown Sugar by The Rolling Stones; and I’ll Take You There by The Staple Singers.

What You’ll See On A Tour of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio

The studio itself is quite small and you’ll have access to see everything inside of it. The mixing board sits in a control room behind a large window that looks out into the main studio. Some of the original furniture (couches, chairs, etc) are still where they once sat during the studio’s heyday.

The instruments on display are mostly original as well. The piano, which is a focal point of the tour is probably the most significant item you’ll have the chance to see in person. This piano is where the song Free Bird, a huge hit for Lynyrd Skynyrd, was initially composed. It’s also the piano featured on Paul Simon’s Kodachrome. But its most famous notes are heard on Bob Seger’s hit song, Old Time Rock and Roll. The notable introduction of the song was not only played on that piano, it was also a mistake. It was never intended for the opening notes of that song to repeat a second time. Someone made an error in editing the tape after the session.

The bathroom at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio is also a focal point. It was often used as an additional recording space for musicians. Keith Richards notably played guitar here while recording the hit song Brown Sugar. It’s also where he wrote the lyrics for their song Wild Horses.

The only notable difference in the studio is that the original shag carpet has been replaced.

What Does A Muscle Shoals Sound Studio Tour Cost?

Currently, the cost to tour Muscle Shoals Sound Studio is $20. The tour lasts about 30 minutes.

Do They Still Record At Muscle Shoals Sound Studio?

Yes! Artists still use the famous studio to record, mostly for its incredible acoustics.

If you are a true music lover, you will absolutely appreciate and enjoy a tour of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. If you were a fan of 70s music, especially if you lived through that decade, you absolutely must visit the studio where some of its biggest hit songs were recorded. It’s an unforgettable experience and a bucket list moment for many who come from around the world to say they’ve stood in one of America’s most important recording studios.

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Muscle Shoals VIP Music Tours

Customize your experience in the shoals.

The oldest, most comprehensive, in-depth, and entertaining tour in The Shoals!

• Exclusively endorsed by the Colbert County/Muscle Shoals Tourism Bureau
• Special lodging and hotel rates available
• Proud to be the FIT Contact for European countries in cooperation with the Alabama Tourism Department

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Experienced guide.

Radio broadcast veteran Wes Sterling knows music and he knows The Shoals! Wes has made his home in Muscle Shoals, immersed in the history and stories which make the four cities along the Tennessee River legendary. Let Wes customize a tour that fits your schedule. Wes can help you plan your experience with music history!

The Shoals area is filled with live music, delicious food, and a vibe that you won't forget. You will enjoy seeing where the roots of the Muscle Shoals Sound began and explore studios not listed with public access.  The information that Wes shares with you will make your trip unforgettable.

Tour transportation provided.

Visit ideas

Choose our standard tour or add these exciting tour stops: 

• Cypress Moon Studios
• Muscle Shoals Sound Studio
• Wishbone Studio
• Ivy Manor Recording Studio
• Alabama Music Hall of Fame
• Belle Mont Mansion
• Florence Indian Mound Museum
• Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum House
• Helen Keller Birthplace / Ivy Green
• Pope’s Tavern Museum
• W.C. Handy Home and Museum
• Coon Dog Cemetery

Talk to Wes about your accommodations, transportation, live music viewing, and restaurants - because he is connected to the music and tourism professionals in the area, he can help you plan your experience.

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For small group tours, we can customize an itinerary to emphasize your interests. If you have a special request, send us a message, and we will be sure to get back to you soon.

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The legendary Muscle Shoals studio defined the sound of Southern soul before becoming one of the go-to studios for the biggest names in music.

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The sleepy town of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, would become the unlikely destination for America’s greatest recording artists, churning out classic hits like Percy Sledge’s “When A Man Loves a Woman”; “I Never Loved A Man” by Aretha Franklin; “Brown Sugar” by The Rolling Stones ; and “I’ll Take You There” by The Staple Singers.

On the bank of the Tennessee River, about halfway between Memphis and Atlanta, lies the town of Muscle Shoals. To the casual observer, Muscle Shoals is just a quiet Alabama town, surrounded by verdant countryside and bordered by the vast Tennessee River. Men and birds alike fish in the river, as the sun beats down on the swampland where alligators wait. The Yuchi Indians called the Tennessee “the river that sings.” Legend told of a woman who lived in the river and sang songs that protected her people.

Home to some of the greatest records in history

In 1924, Wilson Dam was completed, destroying the hazardous shoals that gave the new town and its neighborhood its name. Life in Muscle Shoals is slow – it can feel as though time has stood still there. It’s not a big town – population some 13,000 – and yet it’s home to some of the greatest records in the history of popular music.

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Blues pioneer WC Handy and Sam Phillips , who would famously discover Elvis Presley , Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash , came from close by. Muscle Shoals was in many ways the home of the blues, the home of rock’n’roll, and the home of soul music, even if the Alabama pioneers had to journey to the relatively more pluralistic city of Memphis , Tennessee, in order to bring the music they loved to a wider audience.

Helen Keller was another local. As the blind singer Clarence Carter commented, “Helen Keller was from Muscle Shoals and it was always amazing to me the things she was able to accomplish being blind and deaf.” Famously, the first word that Keller learned was “water” – the well where she learned the word is a famous landmark. Everything from Muscle Shoals comes back to the water that sang.

Rick Hall and the beginning of FAME Music

Rick Hall grew up in a house with a dirt floor in the nearby Freedom Hills. “We just kind of grew up like animals,” he recalled. When he was still a boy, his three-year-old brother died in a tragic accident after falling into a tub of scalding water as their mother was doing the washing in the backyard. His parents’ marriage collapsed in the aftermath, each blaming the other. Before long, his mother left the family, taking up work in a house of ill repute. She never saw her son again. Unsurprisingly, this chain of events had a profound impact on Hall, who became determined to make something great of his life.

The death of his first wife in a car accident hit Hall hard, and he turned to the bottle. He lost himself in drink and in music, joining a local band and writing songs in the car he now called home.

Hall struck up a songwriting partnership with another local musician named Billy Sherrill when the pair played together in a band, and they began selling their songs to the likes of Brenda Lee and Roy Orbison . Together with a local hunchbacked young businessman, they formed a publishing company. The three young men set up an improvised recording facility above a drugstore in nearby Florence, Alabama, in order to demo their songs. This was the beginning of FAME Music (FAME standing for Florence Alabama Music Enterprises).

After less than a year, however, Hall had fallen out with his partners, and he was let go. According to Hall, the problem sprung from him being too much of a workaholic, when his partners wanted to have fun: “I was so very aggressive and fired up,” he told Peter Guralnick, author of the definitive account of soul music in the south: Sweet Soul Music .

The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section

When Hall returned to Muscle Shoals, it was with a determination to immerse himself in the business of making records. Backed by his new father-in-law, Hall built a studio in an old warehouse. A chance encounter with a young singer-songwriter called Arthur Alexander led to Hall’s first hit, “You Better Move On,” which made it to No.24 on Billboard ’s Hot 100 in early 1962.

Soon FAME studios began to attract musicians and songwriters looking to make a name for themselves, Dan Penn, Donnie Fritts, and Percy Sledge among them. But as Hall began to establish a reputation and scored more hits, the regular musicians he had been using grew tired of their poor wages and left. Hall’s second house band would, however, prove to be worth their weight in gold. With Jimmy Johnson on guitar, David Hood playing bass, Roger Hawkins on the drums, and Spooner Oldham playing keyboards, the group came to be known as the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, or The Swampers.

Percy Sledge: When A Man Loves A Woman

Percy Sledge recorded “When A Man Loves A Woman” in nearby Sheffield, Alabama, in a studio owned by Hall’s friend, local DJ Quin Ivy, backed by a number of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. When he heard it, Rick Hall recognized that it sounded like a No.1 hit. Hall called Jerry Wexler at Atlantic Records in New York and struck a deal (taking a share of the royalties as a finder’s fee).

Percy Sledge worked in the local hospital, singing to his patients to help them sleep. “When I came into the studio I was shaking like a leaf, I was scared,” he later said of recording “When A Man Loves A Woman.” He was unskilled in the art of making records, “All I had was a voice, I didn’t know about no singing.” But Hall had been right, and the song went to the top of Billboard ’s Hot 100 in 1966. It took Southern soul to the mainstream, and blew the game wide open, putting the Muscle Shoals sound very firmly on the map.

“When A Man Loves A Woman” forged a partnership between Hall and Wexler, with the might of the latter’s Atlantic Records label put behind Hall’s productions. Having fallen out with Jim Stewart at Wexler’s southern recording spot of choice, Stax Records, he turned to Hall to cut his records in the south.

The Muscle Shoals sound

The Muscle Shoals style fused hillbilly, blues, rock’n’roll, soul, country, and gospel, to create a sound that cherry-picked the best features of each to forge something new. They close-mic’d the kick drum, and the FAME recordings pumped with heavy bass and drums. But the playing was light and loose, the songs melodic and full of stories. And, through it all, was deep passion and grit.

One of the first acts Wexler sent to Muscle Shoals was Wilson Pickett. “I couldn’t believe it,” Pickett told journalist Mark Jacobson. “I looked out the plane window, and there’s these people picking cotton. I said to myself, ‘I ain’t getting off this plane, take me back north.’ This big southern guy was at the airport [Rick Hall]… I said, ‘I don’t want to get off here, they still got black people picking cotton.’ The man looked at me and said, ‘F__k that. Come on Pickett, let’s go make some f__king hit records.’ I didn’t know Rick Hall was white.”

When Wexler came to FAME, he was shocked by the laidback nature of the sessions. He was used to working with the country’s finest session players, who would sight-read from charts, knocking out hits in a highly professional manner. But things were different in Muscle Shoals. Here the musicians were local guys who looked like they worked in a warehouse or supermarket. And yet, as he quickly realized, these were smooth and funky players, musicians who cut a groove to rival any in the land. Pickett and Wexler were bowled over and sold on the sound they had going on.

It’s worth remembering that this all took place against a backdrop of the civil-rights struggle, and blatant racial aggression. In 1963, the Governor of Alabama, George Wallace, had stood in front of the Foster Auditorium at the University Of Alabama in a vain attempt to block the enrollment of black students. In the recording studio, however, blacks and whites worked together blind to the color of each other’s skin. But when they took a break and stepped out of the studio, racism hung on every corner.

Sessions with Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin had failed to make an impact in five years recording for CBS, so after the label dropped her, Wexler snapped her up and took her to Muscle Shoals in 1967. She and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section struggled at first to find a mutual groove, but once they hit it, everything changed. The first song they recorded at FAME together was “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You),” and it would become Franklin’s first hit record.

Musician and songwriter Dan Penn recalled, “Less than two hours and it was in the can and it was a killer, no doubt about it. That morning, we knew that a star had been born.” Keyboardist Spooner Oldham, whose keyboard introduction set the scene for the song, backs this up: “Of the hundreds of sessions I have participated in, I can honestly say those first few sessions with Aretha Franklin were simply and magically unforgettable.”

But just as the magic was working, so did tempers flare. Ted White, Franklin’s husband and manager, got into a drunken exchange with a trumpet player, and then fought with Hall, before leaving town. Wexler blamed Hall for the session breaking up, and swore to never set foot in Muscle Shoals again.

However, Wexler had the Muscle Shoals musicians flown to New York, where the album I Never Loved A Man the Way I Love You was completed. It was a partnership that created a phenomenal run of hits. The album they created remains one of the greatest in soul music history.

Hall, in the meantime, hooked up with the Chess brothers in Chicago, with Leonard Chess arranging to bring Etta James to FAME. Hall produced her hit 1968 album Tell Mama at Fame. James was struck by Hall’s feel for the music: “Rick Hall was actually the first white man that I had seen that had that kind of soul, that was an engineer and was soulful, you know?”

Enter the Allman Brothers

A combination of loyalty to Hall and superstitious belief in his studio brought Pickett back to Muscle Shoals in late 1968, despite Wexler’s refusal to work with Hall again. And the sessions would introduce the talents of a young guitar player called Duane Allman. After injuring his elbow in a horse-riding accident, Allman had turned to bottle-neck guitar playing in his reduced mobility. He took to the style instantly (Hall later remarked that he’d never heard anybody play slide guitar like Duane). But while the rest of the white musicians were clean-cut, Allman had hair past his shoulders, huge sideburns, and a Mexican-style moustache, and was dressed in tie-dye, flower patterns, and scruffy denims.

Jimmy Johnson recalled, “There was always a slight problem when we would go out, all of us white boys with a black artist, that we’d get looks . But there was nothing as bad as going out with a long-haired hippy with us white boys. They couldn’t stand that! And so both of them [Allman and Picket] stayed back.”

It was while the others were out to lunch that Allman suggested to Pickett that he cut a cover of “Hey Jude.” Both Pickett and Hall thought Allman was crazy to want to cover The Beatles , but the finished record would be one of the greatest covers of any Beatles song, as well as one of Wilson Picket’s most powerful recordings (not to mention a huge hit). On hearing Allman’s playing on the record, Eric Clapton was knocked out: “I remember hearing Wilson Pickett’s ‘Hey Jude’ and just being astounded by the lead break at the end. I had to know who that was immediately – right now.”

Various musicians that hung around at FAME began to jam together with Allman, and that was the genesis of The Allman Brothers Band . But Hall couldn’t see a future in the sound they had developed, which would be the bedrock of all Southern rock, and decided against recording them. As he told writer Peter Guralnick: “I didn’t know what to do with him and finally Phil [Walden, booking agent] said, ‘Look, you’re not doing anything with him. Why don’t you sell him to Wexler, maybe get your bucks back?’ Wexler says, ‘What will you take for the masters and the contract? I’ll only give you $10,000.’ I said, ‘Write me the check.’ I still laugh about it with Phil. Of course, I lost five to ten million on that venture.”

Building Muscle Shoals Sound Studio

The times were very much a-changing by now, however, and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section decided that this was the right moment to tell Hall that they were going into business in direct competition with FAME. Hall had called them into his office to sign them up to an exclusive contract on the terms of his new deal with Capitol Records. He remembered, “One of the guys stopped me and said, ‘We’ve already made a deal with Jerry Wexler and he is going to build us a studio across town. We’ll be leaving here, going with him.’ I felt like the whole bottom of my life had fell out… it was war. Total war.”

From their point of view, the musicians had reached the end of their patience with the way Hall operated. The new Capitol deal was worth a reported $1 million, but Johnson claimed that Hall was offering the musicians just $10,000 each per year – despite each having earned almost double that amount the year before. Hall himself admitted that he may have shot himself in the foot: “I should have gone partners with them or cut them in for a piece of the action, but I think I had really come to believe that I could take any group of musicians and cut hit records. I just wasn’t smart enough, or I was too engrossed in what I was doing, to realize differently.”

And so it was that the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio was founded at 3614 Jackson Highway, Sheffield, Alabama, in 1969, by Barry Beckett (who had replaced Spooner Oldham on keyboards in 1967), Roger Hawkins, Jimmy Johnson, and David Hood. The musicians had taken a gamble, as Hood recalled: “When we bought the studio we were very nervous about whether or not we’d have any hits. And you have to have hits to keep recording.” But Wexler saw to it that their new venture had a steady flow of talent through the door. As Johnson explained to Guralnick, “We just built the business from clients Rick threw out the door. Atlantic loaned us $19,000 to make the transition to eight-track, modify the console, and we owed $40,000 on the loans that Fred [Bevis, landlord] had gotten on the buildings and the improvements. That was $60,000, and we were scared to death, but for some reason we just went forward.”

Jerry Wexler’s Atlantic guaranteed them work for 18 months, but when he decided he wanted to move his soul music operation to Miami, and the Muscle Shoals players weren’t prepared to follow, that was the end of their relationship with Wexler. “That was a scary time,” Johnson recalled with not a little understatement. The studio remained afloat, thanks in part to session work for Stax Records.

The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers

It took the best part of year for things to take off, but in early December 1969, The Rolling Stones booked into the studio to kick off what would become their Sticky Fingers album. Keith Richards explained that it was match made in heaven: “The sound was in my head before I even got there. And then, of course, when it actually lives up to it and beyond, then you’re in rock’n’roll heaven, man.”

The band took advantage of being in blues territory to cut Fred McDowell’s “You Gotta Move,” before tackling their own “Wild Horses.” Richards testified to how effortlessly well the sessions went: “I thought it was one of the easiest and rockin’-est sessions that we’d ever done. I don’t think we’ve been quite so prolific ever. I mean, we cut three or four tracks in two days, and that for the Stones is going some.” “Brown Sugar” rounded off their stay at Jackson Highway, and Richards says that had it not been for legal issues preventing him from re-entering the country, they would have recorded Exile On Main St there as well.

The boon the studio got from the Stones’ sessions can’t be underestimated. Muscle Shoals became the 70’ Funk Factory, while at the same time attracting the biggest names in pop and rock, from Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel to Rod Stewart to Elton John .

Feuds, Freebird, and The Fame Gang

The feud between Hall and Wexler meant that both studios had to up their game. Over at FAME, Hall put together a new band, dubbed The Fame Gang, and recorded hit records with Joe Tex, Tom Jones , The Osmonds, Candi Staton, Bobbie Gentry , King Curtis, Little Richard, Paul Anka, Bobby Womack, and Clarence Carter. In 1973, Rick Hall was named producer of the year after records he’d made topped the Billboard pop charts for an extraordinary 17 weeks.

At the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, they picked up Lynyrd Skynyrd , whose epic “Freebird” would become known as a modern-day Southern Rock anthem. But they were unable to secure a label for the record, and it would be the source of great regret for the studio that they had to let the band go, shortly before they become huge. However, following the tragic plane crash that killed three of the band, the survivors had the Muscle Shoals sessions put out as an album titled Skynyrd’s First And… Last . The Muscle Shoals guys were immortalized in Lynyrd Skynyrd’s legendary single “Sweet Home Alabama”:

Now Muscle Shoals has got The Swampers And they’ve been known to pick a song or two (yes they do) Lord they get me off so much They pick me up when I’m feeling blue, now how ’bout you?

The go-to studio for the biggest names

The Muscle Shoals sound may have been born out of R&B, but by the 70s, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section were showing their adaptability across a number of genres. Acting as the house band at their studio, they gave Jimmy Cliff ’s reggae a southern twist. They worked with Traffic on the album Shoot Out At The Fantasy Factory before heading out on tour with them – the first time members of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section had gone on the road. But it was in leaving Muscle Shoals for the bright lights of the live circuit that they discovered quite how much they valued their sweet life at home in Alabama.

The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio became the go-to studio for the biggest names in music. Bob Dylan ’s Slow Train Coming , Paul Simon’s There Goes Rhymin’ Simon , Boz Scaggs, Joe Cocker , Rod Stewart , The Staple Singers, Leon Russell, Millie Jackson, Dire Straits, Dr. Hook, Cat Stevens , Bob Seeger, Elton John , Willie Nelson , and Julian Lennon all recorded there over the next decade.

In 1979, the studio moved to larger premises at 1000 Alabama Avenue, where it remained until it was sold, along with the Muscle Shoals Sound publishing rights, to their friend, Tommy Crouch of Malaco Records in 1985. Beckett headed to Nashville to work as a producer, while the remaining three members of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section continued to record at their old studio, as well as proving to be among the country’s most in-demand session players.

Today, the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and the FAME Studio both continue to operate as working studios, as well as being popular tourist attractions, offering daily tours of the restored facilities. Among the more recent artists to record in Muscle Shoals are Drive-By Truckers, Band Of Horses, Bettye LaVette, Phish, Greg Allman, and Cyril Neville.

Though the split between Hall and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section angered Hall like nothing else in his life, through the passing of time, they became close again. The musicians would credit Hall with having started the Muscle Shoals sound. For his part, Rick Hall later said of them simply that, “These are guys that I love with all my heart.”

Looking for more? Discover more about the most legendary recording studios of all time .

John norman

May 5, 2019 at 10:18 am

We had jackdon hy for two years and the magic was still there something Bout the place .. . It had an energy about it j think it was just in the walls… Or maybe the roof that leaked so bad.. lol yep its in the water….

May 5, 2019 at 2:20 pm

Thank you for this wonderful article – well written and, like the 2013 film, it’s packed full of interesting info. Such a rich musical history. When my brother was there gigging a couple of years ago he was inspired by ‘the river that sings’ and wrote this song called ‘Set Me Down by the Singing River’. https://soundcloud.com/tony-james-shevlin/set-me-down-by-the-singing-river I’ve only just discovered your work, Paul, and am reading all your other articles with relish. Great work!

John Edward Ambrose

February 2, 2020 at 6:32 am

Great–Great–article! Thank you for inspiring me to learn more of the Studios and Muscle Shoals, and the life that breathes throughout the South, and those walls and leaky roof! Haha I’m 60 years old and never knew how much of a strong impact I would learn today!–This day!Feb 1 2020 I have had a feeling of something inside of me for all these years, didn’t know what it was and now I get it,-it all makes sense and I feel it…Thanks to all of you for the Sound the Life and Groove, The Swampers Breathe!!…Thanks for Your Energy…

Joe DeFilippo

July 15, 2022 at 6:55 pm

Muscle Shoals-Musical tribute (NEW) Listen here: https://soundcloud.com/hillipsand/muscle-shoals

January 9, 2024 at 4:30 am

I couldn’t agree more! The history of Muscle Shoals Studio is truly fascinating and has played a significant role in shaping the sound of American music. As a musician myself, I’m always intrigued by the stories behind the creation of iconic songs and the studios that brought them to life. This blog post does an excellent job of highlighting the impact of Muscle Shoals Studio on the music industry and its influence on artists across multiple genres. Thank you for sharing!

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This Is My South

A travel guide to the Southern USA

A Music Fan’s Guide to Muscle Shoals

January 4, 2017 By Caroline Eubanks 2 Comments

It all connects to the river. The music, the history, the atmosphere.

It’s one of the most influential places in American music history. You might be thinking of Nashville or  Memphis or even Los Angeles. But it’s actually a small town in North Alabama, or rather a grouping of towns, all dotted along the Tennessee River: Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, Tuscumbia, and Florence.

Cherokee History in Muscle Shoals

The Native American tribes first used these lands as their hunting grounds in the 18th century before European settlement. They spoke of the “singing river.”

Legend goes that when these tribes were removed during the Trail of Tears , one young woman found her way back home by following the sound of the river. The ancestors are honored at Tom’s Wall , a manmade rock wall on the Natchez Trace Parkway . Tom himself is there to welcome visitors on most days.

Early Music Influences

The first notable artist to come out of the Shoals was W.C. Handy, a native of Florence. Born the son of a pastor, Handy learned to play the guitar and later the trumpet. A move to Memphis led to one of his most famous works, “Memphis Blues,” which would inspire “Beale Street Blues” and “Saint Louis Blues.”

He was remembered as the Father of the Blues and a successful composer, songwriter, and publisher. When in Florence, you can visit the W.C. Handy House , a one-room cabin restored to look as it did when his family lived there.

The Recording Era

The 1960s were a time of great creativity in the Shoals, as artists came from all over the world to record in these studios. Some changed names and ownership, but  Fame Recording Studios  and  3614 Jackson Highway  are the most notable, hosting famous acts like Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, and The Rolling Stones over the years.

Notable hits like “When A Man Loves A Woman” and “Wild Horses” were recorded with the Muscle Shoals Sound. Southern rock also found its sound here with The Swampers, a session band. What made this so unique was that black and white artists came together in the music industry when the rest of the country was so divided. Some of our favorite Muscle Shoals songs are put together on the playlist below.

Muscle Shoals Today

Thanks in part to the  Muscle Shoals documentary and the Beats by Dr. Dre foundation, these studios have been restored for visitors. Historic markers around town show where important music events took place. Visit the studios with the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio tour in Sheffield Alabama or the Muscle Shoals VIP Music Tours .

The  Alabama Music Hall of Fame  honors the artists from the past as well as modern musicians to come out of the area. Patterson Hood of Drive By Truckers and John Paul White, formerly of The Civil Wars, still have ties to the Quad Cities.

The Shoals Beyond Music

If you’re interested in visiting the Shoals for yourself, each of the towns has something to offer.

Where to Eat

Rivertown Coffee , Florence– Grab your morning java and pastries at this coffee shop next to the Shoals theater.

Claunch Cafe , Tuscumbia– Set inside the local park, this cafe is a popular spot for a lunchtime bite, especially for their chicken salad.

City Hardware , Florence– You’ll find both Southern dishes and international flavors at this downtown eatery.

360 Grille , Florence– Located in the tower the Marriott, enjoy a rotating view with your meal.

Odette , Florence– Perhaps the best restaurant around, you’ll find creative Southern dishes and craft cocktails.

Rattlesnake Saloon , Tuscumbia– This remote watering hole is located inside a cave hosts live music.

Pope’s Tavern Museum , Florence– This tavern was used as a hospital for soldiers during the Civil War and a watering hole for stagecoach travelers. It contains artifacts like a Confederate soldier’s uniform and a rare rifle.

Ivy Green , Tuscumbia– An important stop is the birthplace and home of Helen Keller, which contains items from her life. You can see the well featured in  The Miracle Worker .

Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum , Florence– Tour the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home in the state of Alabama. Despite some flood damage, the home retains much of the original design from the architect, including furniture.

Singin’ River Brewing , Florence– The area’s only craft brewery honors the river through their name and the names of their beers. Coda Chrome, Handy’s Gold and The Swamper are just a few.

Where to Stay

Marriott Shoals Hotel And Spa – The luxury hotel has views of the river and all the amenities. It also has a restaurant and bar named for the Swampers as well as a revolving restaurant. Read our review here . Florence

Gunrunner Boutique Hotel – The stylish boutique hotel takes its inspiration from the musicians that performed here with ten themed rooms. Most of the rooms have private balconies. They also have a spa and a bar. Florence

The Stricklin Hotel – Located in a 1946 building, the Stricklin has art-filled rooms with modern decor. The hotel is also home to a bowling alley and Big Bad Breakfast, a favorite from Oxford . Florence

McFarland Park – The city’s public park also has its own campground for RVs and tents with river views. There’s also a marina, floating restaurant, and playground. Florence

Rentals– Spread out in your own space, which might be a cozy downtown cottage or a spacious barn. Airbnb has a few options as well.

My trip to Florence, Alabama was made possible by Visit Florence. 

About Caroline Eubanks

Caroline Eubanks is the editor of this website, a Lowell Thomas award-winning travel writer, and the author of This Is My South: The Essential Travel Guide to the Southern States. Her stories from the South have appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Afar, Thrillist, Roads and Kingdoms, and BBC Travel.

Reader Interactions

January 9, 2024 at 2:58 pm

I am planning a trip with a friend to Muscle Shoals to tour the recording studios. We would like a recommendation on where to stay for one night and if there is a unique off the beaten path blues bar near there.

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FAME Records Celebrates Shenandoah’s Chart Topping Return with “Two Dozen Roses” Featuring Luke Combs

FAME Records Celebrates Shenandoah’s Chart Topping Return with “Two Dozen Roses” Featuring Luke Combs MUSCLE SHOALS, AL, November 6, 2024 — The storied walls of FAME Recording Studios have long echoed with the rich history of music, and this tradition continues with a new No. 1 hit. The GRAMMY®, ACM, and CMA-winning group Shenandoah have […]

FAME Recording Studios Teams with Royer Labs to Help Bonneville Capture the Authentic Muscle Shoals Sound on New Single “Undercover Woman”

FAME Recording Studios Teams with Royer Labs to Help Bonneville Capture the Authentic Muscle Shoals Sound on New Single “Undercover Woman” Muscle Shoals, AL, October 4 2023 – In the quest to capture the unique essence of the Muscle Shoals sound, Bonneville, a Southern Retro Soul Band renowned for their soulful, funk-infused R&B, chose FAME […]

Through These Doors. Now Available on Apple Podcasts

  FAME Recording Studios is excited to announce the availability of its popular podcast series, “Through These Doors: A FAME Studios Podcast,” on Apple Podcasts. The podcast can also be streamed on Spotify and in the Backstage section of FAME’s official website. With a rich history spanning over 60 years, FAME Studios has been a […]

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Artists of today reviving some of the classic recordings that defined the Muscle Shoals sound.

“Muscle Shoals - Small Town, Big Sound”

Chris Stapleton, Aloe Blacc, Alicia Keys, Lee Ann Womack, Willie Nelson, Steven Tyler, Vince Gill, Keb' Mo, Kid Rock, Candi Staton and many more!

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 world wide.

Another FAME entity, FAME Publishing has had their songwriter’s  SONGS recorded by many of the greatest artists in history boasting Seven Song of the year awards and hundreds of ASCAP & BMI most performed songs of the year awards.

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Muscle Shoals announces $65 million sports complex, retail and entertainment complex

• Updated: May. 13, 2024, 12:02 p.m. |
• Published: May. 13, 2024, 10:46 a.m.

Muscle Shoals officials announced a $65 million project to build a sports complex, entertainment and retail center Monday, May13, 2024. (City of Muscle Shoals) City of Muscle Shoals

• William Thornton | [email protected]

Muscle Shoals today announced it will fund a $65 million sports and entertainment complex with an amphitheater to adjoin a retail development on the city’s southwest corner.

Mayor Mike Lockhart made the announcement Monday morning, saying the project “promises to revolutionize the landscape of local sports, recreation and the cultural scene.”

City officials began talking about the project more than two years ago, meant to provide a sports, music and entertainment tourism site.

The complex will be located on 66 acres at Sportsplex Drive near U.S. 72 and U.S. 43, on the current site of city-owned ball fields.

Lockhart said the development will include youth baseball and softball fields, tennis and pickleball courts, soccer fields, basketball and volleyball courts. The amphitheater will seat 1,000.

An event center will have space for six basketball courts, 12 volleyball courts, and can accommodate trade shows and conference.

A privately funded retail area will also feature restaurants and lodging, he said.

The city plans to invest in the sports facility through bonds, paid for through taxes from the adjoining private retail development. “This will not have an impact on current general budget,” he said.

“Whether you’re a seasoned athlete, a music aficionado, or simply looking for a vibrant space to connect with others, this development will offer something truly special for everyone,” Lockhart said.

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City of Muscle Shoals announces $65 million sports, entertainment facility

C OLBERT COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) – The City of Muscle Shoals is announcing a “significant new development” during a press conference Monday.

In a news conference Monday, Muscle Shoals’ Mayor Mike Lockhart announced Monday that the city would be welcoming a $65 million facility that would further the sports and entertainment landscape in the city. There are also plans for a significant retail development to be added to the area as the site continues to develop.

The facility includes a multi-use area that will hold 66 acres of fields and diamonds for baseball, softball and football. Also, an event center that ‘boasts versatility’ will be constructed. It will hold six basketball courts that can also be used as volleyball courts, conference rooms and space for expos and conventions.

The mayor added that an amphitheater-style music venue, which will seat roughly 1,000 people, will be a part of the new addition.

Other county leaders were in attendance as Lockhart said the project was a collaborative effort.

The mayor said this idea began over three years ago as a conversation about creating opportunities for the county and the community.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.

Entertainment | Kenny Wayne Shepherd at Music Hall Center, 5…

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Entertainment | kenny wayne shepherd at music hall center, 5 things to know.

Since “Ledbetter Heights” in 1985, when Shepherd was just 18 years old, he’s released 11 albums — including last year’s “Dirt on My Diamonds, Vol. 1” — plus two more with The Rides, his all-star group with Stephen Stills and the Electric Flag’s Barry Goldberg. He’s also been nominated for five Grammy Awards and has become a staple on the all-star Experience Hendrix tours.

It’s been a road that never ends for Shepherd, who’s now 46 and the father of six with Mel Gibson’s eldest daughter Hannah. There are always new signposts along the way, however, and Shepherd doesn’t foresee that changing in the near future…

* Shepherd started working on “Dirt on My Diamonds” at historic FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala., which he says “absolutely made a contribution to what this album could be. Being in those studios, in that town…the studio is pretty unchanged. It’s got that original vibe in the walls, in the carpet, in the console and everything. When you go into a place like that it can’t be, ‘OK, we’re gonna go to Muscle Shoals and conjure up the spirit of the old records they made there.’ No. That makes it harder than letting things happen naturally. We just went in there knowing that by being there it would have some sort of influence on what we did, but then let the project happen naturally. My goal the next time we go down there is to record an album AS we’re writing. That’s the next plan if we can get that worked out with everybody’s schedule.”

* Shepherd says that a “Vol. 2” of “Dirty On My Diamonds” is “already done,” although he hasn’t scheduled a release date yet. “There was a lot of reasoning for (two parts). Vinyl has become such a thing now. There are a lot of enthusiasts out there. Our fans love that stuff. And generally back in the old days it was four songs per side, so you have an eight-song album; that also was dictated by the quality of the vinyl and the fidelity that you get by not trying to cram too much music on one side. Four on each side seems to be the magic number all the way around. Then I started looking up legendary albums that had eight songs, and there were a huge amount of them. So, I dunno, man, it seems ideal to me. Eight songs is much easier to listen to than 16 songs on an album.”

* As for his musical identity during the past three decades, Shepherd has been happy to straddle some genre lines. “Am I a blues artist that plays rock, or a rock artist that plays blues? It’s hard to say. There’s so many different labels — blues guitar player, blues-rock guitar player, contemporary blues…And “Dirt on My Diamonds,” to me this sounds like a fresh, new and young, energetic album. That’s my goal, to continue trying to put the music forward. If you looked at me as just a traditional blues artist you’d go, “He’s pushing things in different directions.” But that’s what I’ve done from day one. “Deja Voodoo” from “Ledbetter Heights, that’s not a blues song. It’s a blues-based rock song.”

* In doing that, Shepherd has learned that “you can’t make everybody happy. If I’m not roughing up some feathers that means we’re not pushing things enough. Luckily I have fan base that’s been with me 30 years now. They’ve seen me go through a lot of phases and a lot of different directions, from blues to a 100 percent rock ‘n’ roll record with (2004’s) ‘The Place You’re In’ and everything in-between. I just look at somebody like Eric Clapton; he’s done everything throughout his career, never just one particular thing. I’ve looked at him as a perfect example of a guitar player-artist who is just following the musical muse wherever it takes him at that moment.”

* The Rides has been dormant since before the pandemic, and Goldberg recently launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with expenses for treatment of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. But Shepherd says the group may still ride again. “Me and Stephen recently did a few things together…and he’s like, ‘Oh, man, I miss you. We need to do this again.’ We love each other and we love playing together. It’s just a lot more challenging now ’cause I’m in Tennessee and he’s in California. It was much easier to get into the car and go to his house and write an album. But I would say the intention is there; it’s just a matter of can we realistically make it happen with my schedule and his schedule and all the logistics. It was a lot of fun to do, and it would be nice to do it one more time for sure.”

Kenny Wayne Shepherd performs at 8 p.m. Friday, May 17 at Music Hall Center, 350 Madison Ave., Detroit. 313-887-8500 or musichall.org.

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10 Free Concerts Not to Miss in the Bay Area This Summer

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According to economist Thorstein Veblen, conspicuous consumption results in a counter-intuitive dynamic: Increasing a luxury item’s cost can actually lead to higher demand. But no social scientist has explained why the satisfaction of experiencing live music seems to rise as the price of admission approaches zero. My theory is that Veblen goods acquire cache due to the perception of exclusivity, while free concerts often foster a sense of welcoming solidarity, as newbie passersby mingle with devoted fans.

The Bay Area’s multifarious free concert options may not provide an antidote to the region’s Veblen epidemic, but these sounds of summer are a celebration, and everyone’s invited.

Howard Wiley’s SF Love: Playing For the People

Golden Gate Park Bandshell, San Francisco June 1, 2-6 p.m.

Oakland saxophone great Howard Wiley presented his soul-powered love letter to California at the SFJAZZ Center last March, and he’s bringing the party to the Golden Gate Bandshell as part of the recently launched SF Live concert series. Wiley’s band shares the afternoon program with DJ Knowpa Slaps, MC Radioactive and Bayonics vocalist Jairo Vargas’s side project, Rojai and the Pocket. Drawing on hip-hop, funk, gospel, blues and bebop, Wiley has been devising outrageously creative mash-ups (think “Hotel California” meets “Californication”). Produced in partnership with Illuminate and Madrone Art Bar, where Wiley’s band Extra Nappy held down a weekly residency for years before the pandemic, the concert is part of SF Live’s six-month series of free concerts.

Dyertribe: Steve & Bokani Dyer + Izithunywa featuring Nbado Zulu & Linda Sikhakhane

Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco June 8, 1-3 p.m.

South African jazz musicians were in the forefront of the struggle against apartheid, and this double bill is part of a 30th-anniversary celebration of the country’s first free, multiracial election. One of South Africa’s leading improvisers, saxophonist Steve Dyer, came of age in the crucible of the anti-apartheid movement. He performs with Dyertribe, his duo with his son, pianist/composer Bokani Dyer. Offering another view of South Africa’s creative ferment, the group Izithunywa, featuring trumpeter Ndabo Zulu and saxophonist Linda Sikhakhane, draw deeply on traditional music from Botswana and the Zulu people. Co-presented with the Museum of the African Diaspora, the Bay Area residency includes a free talk and musical demonstration at MoAD on Friday, June 7, 6:30-8 p.m., “ South African Jazz: A Musical Journey Through Traditions and Time .”

Tuck & Patti

Rinconada Park, Palo Alto June 8, 6:30 p.m.

Palo Alto’s long-running Twilight Concert Series opens with hometown heroes Tuck & Patti, a.k.a. guitar wizard Tuck Andress and bewitching vocalist Patti Cathcart. The couple has been performing as a self-contained duo for close to four decades, honing an expansive repertoire of gracefully reharmonized jazz, soul, R&B and pop tunes. Cathcart has also written emotionally bountiful originals that celebrate love and forgiveness. While they haven’t released a new album since 2007, a new generation of listeners have discovered Tuck & Patti via Andress’ niece St. Vincent, who traveled with the duo as a roadie and tour manager.

Healdsburg Jazz’s Juneteenth Celebration

Downtown Healdsburg June 15, 2-8:30 p.m.

The Healdsburg Jazz Festival (June 15-23), which has continued to punch well above its weight under the direction of San Francisco bass maestro Marcus Shelby, kicks off with a free, all-day Juneteenth celebration in the town’s picturesque plaza. It’s a musical triple bill headlined by the sextet of trombone star Steve Turre, the festival’s artist in residence. Saxophones are well represented by Person2Person, the quintet co-led by 89-year-old tenor great Houston Person and his younger colleague, fiery altoist Eric Person. And pianist Darrell Grant performs with his Modern Jazz Quartet-inspired chamber jazz band Darrell Grant and MJ New.

Pacific Mambo Orchestra

Fulton Plaza, San Francisco June 20, 4-7 p.m.

The Pacific Mambo Orchestra shocked the Latin music world with an upset victory at the 2014 Grammys, when the group’s eponymous crowd-funded release won Best Tropical Latin Album. Ever since, the East Bay big band has been a mainstay at festivals and nightclubs. Co-led by trumpeter Steffen Kuehn and pianist Christian Tumalan, the band is packed with top players and arrangers, like trombonist Mike Rinta and baritone saxophonist Aaron Lington. With Armando Cordoba, Christelle Durandy and Braulio Barrera providing an array of lead vocals, the PMO is designed to keep dance floors crowded.

Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra

Piccolo Pavilion in Menke Park, Corte Madera June 23, 5-6:30 p.m.

Guitarist Anthony Paule’s Soul Orchestra is a horn-powered combo devoted to swaggering, 1960s and ’70s blues and soul emanating from Detroit, Muscle Shoals and Los Angeles. The group has earned a devoted following through regular appearances at European music festivals, showcasing powerhouse vocalists like Terrie Odabi and Wee Willie Walker. For this concert, part of the Corte Madera Summer Concert series, the APSO is joined by Willy Jordan, a versatile singer (and drummer) who’s toured and recorded with John Lee Hooker, Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite and Gator Beat.

Le Jazz Hot Quartet

Los Gatos Town Plaza June 26, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

A long-running mid-week concert series in Los Gatos, Jazz on the Plazz kicks off this year with the timeless swing of Le Jazz Hot Quartet. A distilled version of guitarist Paul Mehling’s Hot Club of San Francisco (the ensemble that spearheaded a North American revival of Django Reinhardt’s and Stéphane Grappelli’s ebullient 1930s sound), the quartet explores Reinhardt standards, Beatles tunes and numerous originals with the requisite rhythmic authority.

Ana Tijoux & J Noa

Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco Aug. 3, 1–3 p.m.

After her hit 2010 solo debut, 1977 , French-born Chilean MC Ana Tijoux was dubbed “South America’s answer to Lauryn Hill: equally skillful at singing and rapping” by The New York Times . In truth, she’s forged a highly personal sound, combining old-school hip-hop production with Latin American instrumentation. Her recent album, Vengo , features some of her most appealing work, and she brings a full band to the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival. With teenage Dominican rap sensation J Noa playing an opening set, this double bill is the city’s premier global hip-hop summer showcase.

Brazil in the Gardens: Monica Salmaso, Guinga and Teca Cardoso

Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco Aug. 15, 12:30-1:30 p.m.

Monica Salmaso made her mark with Afro-Sambas , the classic 1997 album with guitarist Paulo Bellinati interpreting Baden Powell’s and Vinícius de Moraes’ incantatory song cycle. The São Paulo vocalist doesn’t make it to the Bay Area often, and this concert stems from California Brazil Camp, which sends a contingent of faculty every summer from the redwoods of Cazadero to San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Gardens. She’s joined by Guinga, a master guitarist, vocalist and composer whose songs have been recorded by Brazilian legends such as Elis Regina, Clara Nunes and Miúcha; and multi-instrumentalist Teco Cardoso, a brilliant improviser on saxophones and flutes known for his work with Edu Lobo, Joyce, João Donato, Rosa Passos and Baden Powell himself.

Meklit’s Movement Immigrant Orchestra

Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco Aug. 31, 1-2:30 p.m.

San Francisco-based Ethiopian American singer, songwriter and expert story wrangler Meklit manifests her multi-platform Movement initiative at the Gardens with a dozen musicians hailing from 10 countries. Focusing on the experience of border-crossing artists, the production draws on her podcast, nationally syndicated public radio broadcast and stage production. Performers include Mexican singer-songwriter Diana Gameros, Iranian composer Sahba Aminikia, Italian percussionist extraordinaire Marco Peris, Malian virtuoso Mamadou Sidibé, Carnatic percussionist Rohan Krishnamurthy, Barrio Manouche guitarist Javi Jimenez, Iranian American bassist/composer Safa Shokrai and Meklit herself.

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