MUSCLE SHOALS – The music history of Muscle Shoals was looked into this past Saturday, when Judy Hood conducted her 3rd “Swampette Tour”. Judy, who is married to world-famous Swamper, David Hood, was Tour-Guide to a busload of aficionados of the Muscle Shoals Sound in a trolley from Quad-Cities Taxi. They toured Father of The Blues, W.C. Handy’s home in Florence, then cruised over to Rick Hall’s hit maker studio, FAME in the City of Muscle Shoals, where the Muscle Shoals Sound was born.
And a special treat for the tour was entry into 3614 Jackson Highway in Sheffield, Muscle Shoals Sound Studios. The building was recently purchased from its owner of over a decade, by a foundation which is dedicated to returning the building to a working studio, complete with instruments, microphones, and a control room that will be emblematic of its glory years. yes, they intend to cut more hits at 3614 Jackson Highway. (Editorial comment: WOW.)
The building is in dire need of some T.L.C., but it is surprisingly in great shape, as the tour-group could easily see. Judy, in her inimitable way, told the story of the studio’s glory days. The audience was thrilled.
The Quad-Cities Daily was on hand to capture the event in photographs. We present them here. Feel free to make yourself a print of any of these photos, but only private, no commercial use, please.
