Muscle Shoals Alabama

After yesterdays busy start I decided I deserved an 8 cup of Joe morning. We finally got out the door around 11 am to begin our tour of Muscle Shoals. Where the heck is Muscle Shoals and why should I care, you may ask? I never heard of it myself until the PBS special about the music studio's located in the northwestern Alabama town. 

Since the 1960s the city has been known for the "Muscle Shoals Sound", as local recording studios produced hit records that shaped the history of popular music. Unusual was the cross-pollination of musical styles that originated in Muscle Shoals. Black artists used white country music styles in their work, and white artists from the Shoals frequently borrowed from the blues/gospel influences of their black contemporaries, creating a distinct sound.

Millie in one of the audio booths at 3614 Jackson Street, She's got the moves like Jaggar!

The list of artists who recorded at the studio's came from all music genre's and many famous bands. If you get a chance, watch the PBS movie titled Muscle Shoals. 

We missed the tour time for the FAME Studio but did tour the original building of the M. S. Sound Studio popularly know by it's address 3614 Jackson Street. Afterwards we drove across town and visited the Alabama Music Hall of Fame which has many artifacts and memorabilia from artists who are from or spent significant time in the state.

We had a late lunch/early dinner at a local restaurant called Swamp John's. The house specialty is fried catfish, which we enjoyed with hush puppies, cole slaw, fries, sour pickle and sweet tea. It was mighty good eating!

Before heading back to the motorhome we made a quick stop at Super Walmart, the traveling RV'ers friend. We ran just ahead of some low hanging and scary looking clouds accompanied by blasts of pelting rain. The TV weather man later explained the strange cloud formations were formed by rain cooled clouds rapidly ascending a mountain just west of town. 

Alloys Park near Muscle Shoals Alabama.

It was a good day, Millie is a big time music fan, knows a lot about the artists and enjoys the history in the museums. Me, I like to listen to it, know nothing about it, but like the brush with fame.