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Lot Essay
Muscle Shoals Sound Studios was founded in 1969 by Jimmy Johnson, David Hood, Barry Beckett and Roger Hawkins, original members of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. (a.k.a. "the Swampers," as immortalized in Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama). Shortly after moving to a new location, their first client was Cher who recorded her 3614 Jackson Highway album there, naming it after the studio's address.
Atlantic Records producer/executive Jerry Wexler was an early supporter, booking many of the label's artists into the studio. He recalled It seemed we could do nothing but make good records: Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson -- Lulu came from England...we had this little hideaway, this little retreat with these really terrific musicians, these incredible white boys who played the blues so authentically that it caused a lot of head-scratching...
The studio has a rich history and the Wurlitzer piano in this lot, along with the Hammond organ in the following lot were used by many musicians who travelled to Alabama to record there - most famously, the Rolling Stones recorded their singles Brown Sugar and Wild Horses as well as the Sticky Fingers album at Muscle Shoals - footage on Gimme Shelter shows the Stones in the studio in 1969, just before departing for their performance at the ill-fated Altamont concert. Bob Dylan also recorded two albums at the studio, Saved and Slow Train Coming, with Mark Knopfler on guitar who had also recently recorded the Dire Straits album Communiqué at the studio. Other artists who recorded at the studio between 1969 and 1985 include: Rod Stewart [Sailin' single and Atlantic Crossing album]; Lulu, Wilson Pickett, John Hammond, Aretha Franklin, Joe Cocker, Boz Scaggs, Cher, J.J. Cale, Bobby Womack, Linda Ronstadt, Jimmy Cliff, Traffic, Percy Sledge, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, Bob Seger, Bonnie Bramlett, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cat Stevens, Levon Helm and James Brown.
In 1978, Muscle Shoals Sound Studios moved to Sheffield, Alabama but, sadly, the studio closed it's doors in January, 2005 following a decline in business.
Atlantic Records producer/executive Jerry Wexler was an early supporter, booking many of the label's artists into the studio. He recalled It seemed we could do nothing but make good records: Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson -- Lulu came from England...we had this little hideaway, this little retreat with these really terrific musicians, these incredible white boys who played the blues so authentically that it caused a lot of head-scratching...
The studio has a rich history and the Wurlitzer piano in this lot, along with the Hammond organ in the following lot were used by many musicians who travelled to Alabama to record there - most famously, the Rolling Stones recorded their singles Brown Sugar and Wild Horses as well as the Sticky Fingers album at Muscle Shoals - footage on Gimme Shelter shows the Stones in the studio in 1969, just before departing for their performance at the ill-fated Altamont concert. Bob Dylan also recorded two albums at the studio, Saved and Slow Train Coming, with Mark Knopfler on guitar who had also recently recorded the Dire Straits album Communiqué at the studio. Other artists who recorded at the studio between 1969 and 1985 include: Rod Stewart [Sailin' single and Atlantic Crossing album]; Lulu, Wilson Pickett, John Hammond, Aretha Franklin, Joe Cocker, Boz Scaggs, Cher, J.J. Cale, Bobby Womack, Linda Ronstadt, Jimmy Cliff, Traffic, Percy Sledge, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, Bob Seger, Bonnie Bramlett, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cat Stevens, Levon Helm and James Brown.
In 1978, Muscle Shoals Sound Studios moved to Sheffield, Alabama but, sadly, the studio closed it's doors in January, 2005 following a decline in business.