Muscle Shoals Sound Studios

Every music fan should step inside this building. Period.

5 stars purely based on it’s history and ambience.
I am not worthy!!!
Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, formed by a breakaway group from FAME in 1969. This studio mentioned in «Sweet Home Alabama» by Skynyrd. The following artists recorded here. The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cher, Bob Seeger, Aretha Franklin, Cat Stevens, Rod Stewart.
I thought the building was empty, so pulled my Harley up front. But the roar and backfire of my pipes, woke up a couple of hippies that are sleeping inside. Maybe they are a band recording a new album? I dont know.
But after my visit, I listened to Sticky Fingers, by the Rolling Stones, which was recorded here.
If you are into music history, definitely worth a visit.

MUSCLE SHOALS SOUND STUDIOS
3614 JACKSON HIGHWAY (love how they seal the identity of this establishment), all you see is a funky old stone building with a big fat blue sign abon the front that only bears the street address, I Love That.
The Rolling Stones recorded their Masterpiece“Sticky Fingers” album
right here, so there’s why you can hear and feel that Southern Rock influence throughout the entire LP, I still have the Vinyl LP of Sticky Fingers., and you know what else, this studio was owned by four local studio musicians known as The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, or nicknamed“The Swampers“Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded «Sweet Home Alabama» right here in this very studio. And also The Original Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded all their original albums right here, as did Bob Seger (from albums Beautiful Loser to Like A Rock), Paul Simon recorded his albums There Goes Rhymin’ Simon and Still Crazy After All These Years here, and Rod Stewart’s classic love ballad“Tonight’s The Night, was recorded here. Ain’t it amazing that all the classic hits from the 60’s/70’s and early 80’s were recorded in this tiny little studio in the backwoods of North Alabama, and the studio to be owned by a bunch of Musicians that back you up during your hit recordmaking heyday? You won’t find that in New York or L.A. or Atlanta. This Studio Remains Open To This Day, and Still Records Major Artists, and Produces Hit Songs To This Very Day.

Remember all those vinyl LP’s you had from the 60’s-70’s that said «recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios»? Like the Stones ‘Sticky Fingers’ or Traffic’s ‘Shootout at Fantasy Factory’.well, this place is a venerable who’s who of the music business and a must see for the serious music fan.
I got goosebumps when I saw Les Paul’s ‘Octopus’ sitting in the corner and when Noël, our guide, pointed to a tape recorder on the floor while explaining this was John Lennon’s (Yoko donated it) I began to tremble. Oh, there’s the Marshall amp that belonged to Ted Nugent, the drumset that belongs to Alabama. the toliet seat hanging over the bathroom like a good luck horseshoe on which ‘Wild Horses’ was composed. I was a kid in a candy factory!
Everything is original and functional. the piano which gave us the lilting solo at the end of Layla. the worn couches where many a star lounged, the walls full of signatures and notes from the recording artists. it’s all here. AND they still record music to this day. Noël said a metal band from Detroit was coming in that afternoon for a session.
As a National Historic Preservation site and only $ 10.00 admission, it is well worth the trip there. And they have cool t-​shirts for $ 25.00/each. Do check this place out, you will be in awe!