As we sit in our marina in Florence, AL, the other side of the river is home to the historic Muscle Shoals. I can't say that we knew anything about this iconic town prior to our arrival, but after reading about Muscle Shoals and watching the PBS special on the history of this town, we are quite impressed.
Muscle Shoals sits on the banks of the Tennessee River and is by all accounts, pretty much in the middle of nowhere. Yet it was here, in the late 50's and 60's that the recording industry took off and made Muscle Shoals 'THE' place to record. Artists such as Elvis, the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Cher, the Osmonds, Rod Stewart, Paul Simon ... the list goes on ... all recorded mega-hits at FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals.
Locals will tell you that it is the Tennessee River that 'sings' and provokes the music in artists. That's why the Shoals is such a great place to record. To this day, artists still flock to Muscle Shoals to record what they hope will be the next big hit. Originally know for producing a soulful sound - with accompaniment from 'the swampers', more modern day artists who have recorded at the Shoals include Lionel Ritchie, Bob Seger and Julian Lennon.
We will stay here one more night before we head off to Joe Wheeler State Park in Rogersville for our 4-day looper event. This has been a nice break in the routine and we're headed off to Target shortly to pick up some supplies. Often, marinas provide a courtesy vehicle at no charge and we take advantage of the opportunity to do some shopping.
One more lock between us and Rogersville tomorrow!
