The Muscle Shoals Sound’s heart BEATS stronger than ever… FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio breaking news

MUSCLE SHOALS – It’s been a long time coming… Too long a time for many in the family of Muscle Shoals music. Beats Electronics LLC (Beats), the leading audio brand co-founded by legendary artist and producer Dr. Dre and Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman Jimmy Iovine, today announced a project in partnership with the Muscle Shoals Music Foundation to preserve the rich history and culture of the iconic Muscle Shoals Sound.

Rodney Hall

In a stunning announcement, Foundation Chairman Rodney Hall told the Quad-Cities Daily that a million dollars was being injected into The Shoals’ world-famous studios, FAME and the recently acquired building that served for over 10 years as Muscle Shoals Sound Studios.

This project will include restoring the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio to a fully-functioning recording studio, as well as updating the legendary FAME Recording Studio. As a key part of the project, Beats will foster training for current and aspiring musicians, producers and engineers with opportunities to work and learn in these classic spaces, where legendary artists like Aretha Franklin and The Rolling Stones recorded some of the most influential songs of all time. Studio time working with experienced recording professionals will be granted at no cost to applicants who best meet the program’s stated objectives. A portion of Beats’ holiday sales proceeds will help fund this important project.

Jimmy Iovine

“Magic is a word that’s too often misused in the record industry. Muscle Shoals is different, it’s one of the rare places where it really exists,” said Jimmy Iovine. “Anytime you can capture such a distinct and authentic sound over and over again, that’s something worth protecting.”

Dr. Dre

“Too many of America’s greatest recording studios are falling into commercial disrepair or falling prey to the pressures of real estate development,” said Beats president Luke Wood. “We are extremely happy that we can leverage Beats’ success to help return Muscle Shoals to a level befitting its rich history and create a program that will provide the next generation of great producers, engineers and recording artists with access to free studio time and the opportunity to learn the trade from experienced recording professionals, and we are especially pleased to launch this project during the holiday season.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with an amazing company like Beats to ensure that we bring the Muscle Shoals Sound to a new generation of listeners,” said Muscle Shoals Music Foundation Chairman, Rodney Hall. “The Muscle Shoals Sound is a funky, soulful music mash-up of great players, songs and singers, and just as with Beats, we are all about the magic of music. We think that Beats is the perfect partner for this project and we want to thank the entire Beats staff for helping to keep our sound alive.”

Muscle Shoals, Alabama, is the birthplace of some of the world’s most beloved and influential songs. The sought after “Muscle Shoals Sound” was initially created at FAME studios with its original house band, and later the Swampers, under visionary producer Rick Hall. FAME recorded Soul-defining classics such as Wilson Pickett’s “Land of 1,000 Dances,” “Funky Broadway” and “Mustang Sally,” Aretha Franklin’s hit, “I Never Loved A Man/Do Right Man,” and Etta James’ classics, “Tell Mama,” and “I’d Rather Go Blind.” More recently, FAME has worked with artists such as Alicia Keys and Band of Horses.

The Muscle Shoals sound continued to thrive when The Swampers left FAME to open the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and went on to produce, The Rolling Stones’, “Brown Sugar,” Paul Simon’s “Kodachrome,” Bob Seger’s, “Old Time Rock and Roll,” and countless other iconic hits. The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio has recently been utilized by the Black Keys to record their Grammy award-winning album, “Brothers.”

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Here is what Beats Electronics has to say about itself:

“Beats Electronics, LLC Formally established in 2008 as the brainchild of legendary artist and producer Dr. Dre and Chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records Jimmy Iovine, Beats Electronics (Beats) comprises the Beats by Dr. Dre family of premium consumer headphones, earphones, and speakers as well as patented Beats Audio software technology and streaming music subscription service Beats Music. Through these offerings, Beats has effectively brought the energy, emotion and excitement of playback in the recording studio to the listening experience and has introduced an entirely new generation to the possibilities of premium sound entertainment.

 Additionally, Beats reaches consumers through strategic product partnerships that include Chrysler Group automobiles and Hewlett Packard computers and monitors.

 Led by Co-Founder & CEO Jimmy Iovine, Co-Founder Dr. Dre, and President Luke Wood, Beats Electronics is based in Santa Monica, CA.”

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