AudioFileZ If you thought Sun Recording Studios defined the birth of American popular music you've never given Muscle Shoals adequate due. You can also reduce Stax Records and Recording Studios to a very potent, but lesser, footnote. Muscle Shoals is ground zero for what propelled the great colorless American music revolution. It took way too long for this to come to forefront in the guise of a big-screen movie, but it's here and it can't be denied.Truth is I always wondered why my little Alabama town never ascended to the musical heights of Muscle Shoals. I only live an hour and change away. In my life I'd seen more than a few local musicians that seemed to have some kind of gift. I'd even passed Hank Williams Jr. more than once on our city sidewalks. The thing I didn't realize, until watching this nigh on perfect documentary, is that we didn't have a river and we were lacking a native son along the lines of Rick Hall.Rick Hall's life story is that as a survivor against the darkest of odds. Growing up beyond poor, being beset by the personal tragedies of of both the loss of his younger brother and abandonment of his mother, Hall;s drive was forged by life's cruel hard knocks. All he had at his lowest point was his music. It's that music that saved him and created a world-class music mecca known simply as "the Muscle Shoals Sound". Hall parlayed that into one the all-time great American success stories. But, no man is an island. Rick had his compatriots in the journey that beat a path to the world's radios. His musicians, humbly known as "The Swampers" created a sound that wouldn't be denied.For a time in the 60's through 70's Muscle Shoals was, perhaps, the best known studio with a signature sound in the entire world. And, the world came. Diverse artists arrived and recorded ground-breaking albums that become not only hits, but touchstone recordings in each artist's canon at Muscle Shoals. What Rick Hall started grew exponentially beyond the man himself. You can't make up stuff like this. In the movie it is said it was a "perfect storm", and so it was.If you are emotionally stirred by music you simply must watch this. It is, in a nutshell, what music really is. It transcends time, places, and the differences of race and religion. It unifies, it bonds people and cements life's experiences. I've watched many music documentaries, of which the BBC has a wonderful cadre, but, I've never felt a connection and pure sense of love like the documentary "Muscle Shoals" enlightens me to. This is simply the best music documentary I've ever witnessed. A must see for all music lovers as well as a damn fine human interest story to boot!

romath Early in Muscle Shoals the point is made by all concerned that Rick Hall's studio was color blind, just top quality musicians producing top quality music. A true haven in the 1960s South. But then the Swampers go off to form their own studio in town and along the way pick up and then lose Lynyrd Skynyrd (until after the plane crash). Yet, nothing is even mentioned in passing about the racist substance of the band's music or their presentation as defenders of segregation and, in effect, the Slave South. Director Greg "Freddy" Camalier might have gotten away with that as a simple presentation of musical history were it not for his choice to end the movie, to celebrate Muscle Shoals and all it had accomplished, by using Lynryd Skynyrd's openly racist "Sweet Home Alabama," along with another showing of the Confederate flag behind them, which was their standard practice. Talk about taking a dump on your own movie.

maurice yacowar Greg Camalier's Muscle Shoals is a documentary about Rick Hall, who founded Fame recording studios in the quiet Tennessee River town of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, which inspired an incredible host of classic singers and songs. The film is a fascinating collection of music clips, stars' testimonials and memories, against the background of the turbulent culture and politics of the times, the late 50s-'70s.The film's explicit homage is to the magic of that location. Something in the air, in the murmuring river, in the wailing clack of the railroad, inspired the musicians who made the place legendary. The footage tries to catch that magic. If we believe it we see it.The film represents the power that America used to have and could have. In this America blacks and whites slip into easy friendship and collaboration to make soulful harmonies together. Amid the vicious artifice of segregation whites and blacks connect and grow together. In this America the young and the imaginative get a chance to make something of themselves. This America breaks down barriers -- rockers Lynryd Skynryd even brings in a roadie who's a classical pianist -- instead of raising and exploiting them (Hello, Tea Party!). The idyllic Muscle Shoals is idyllic America, its frontier wilds and wisdom intact, a past we should look forward to. For more see www.yacowar.blogspot.com.

gregking4 Anyone who is interested in rock music should rush to see this fantastic, well made and impeccably researched documentary about the famous recording studios. Muscle Shoals is a nondescript little town with a population of about 8000 along the Tennessee River in Alabama, but it is also home to the the highly influential Fame Studios that has hosted a veritable who's who of the music world and produced lots of memorable number one hits and some of the greatest songs of the past fifty years. The studio was built by Rick Hall, who was basically following his dream. Hall assembled some of the best session musicians who had an instant chemistry and as the in-house backing band provided the rich rhythm and blues sound on many hits. Surprisingly though the musicians were all white, and they worked with artists no matter their colour, creed and ethnicity. The studio broke down some of the racial barriers that existed in America at that time, and the film depicts the divisive racial politics that were raging in Alabama at the time. Artists of the calibre of Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Bob Seger, and even The Rolling Stones all recorded here during their careers, and the songs that emerged from this humble little studio often changed their musical direction and gave them some of their biggest hits. And while the townsfolk barely tolerated the black singers they were openly disdainful of the long haired hippy types, like the members of Lynard Skynard who also briefly recorded there and developed their distinctive swamp rock sound. Muscle Shoals has been directed by Greg Camalier, making his feature film directorial debut here, who incorporates plenty of rich archival footage with some revealing interviews with the likes of Bono, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Aretha Franklin and Clarence Carter. And Hall himself talks at length about his own life and personal tragedies, as well as giving some candid revelations about the humble recording studio that he founded. We also learn about his bitter falling out with legendary record producer Jerry Wexler. Muscle Shoals is jammed full of great music, colourful characters and wonderful anecdotes. A must for music fans!