My friend Ron recommended this film available on Netflix streaming movies, and I put off watching it for a long time. When I finally did start I found it hard to quit. It surely is one of the most interesting films ever about the music recording business.Muscle Shoals is a small town on the Tennessee river, just across from the bigger town, Florence, in the NW corner of Alabama, and over 100 miles East of Memphis and about the same distance S.W of Nashville. It is the definition of "middle of nowhere." So why and how did this become the center of some of the most significant recordings on the 1960s, 1970s, and on?There is some lore about the river "singing" and some say that is a big reason why Muscle Shoals is perfect for recording music. But it was more the vision and efforts of Rick Hall, the founder of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Hall had a hard childhood. His mother felt incompetent so left to live with an aunt who ran a brothel. Hall grew up not having a mother, made even more difficult knowing what she was doing. His dad was a hard worker, and even though they were dirt poor always told his son the do everything not only as well as he could, but better than anyone anywhere.That guided Hall into forming FAME studios, building it and engineering it himself, gathering a group of nondescript young local musicians, and starting to make records. His goal was simple, make every record sound good enough to become a #1 hit. And many, many of them did, with some of the greatest musicians of the time. Eventually his musicians banded together and left to form their own recording studio across town and, after maybe 8 months of nothing, lucked into several upcoming groups and eventually became super successful also. As word of mouth spread in the industry, the best musicians and groups were asking to go to one of the two studios in Muscle Shoals.FAME studios is on the main drag of the town, on one side is a pharmacy and on the other side a pizza joint. Right across the street is an auto supply store and another pharmacy. It is a nondescript building and if it didn't have the big 'FAME Recording Studios' sign over the entrance you'd never guess it is the landmark studio that it is.Good film!

I liked "Muscle Shoals" for many reasons but the biggest one is that it taught me a lot about something I knew absolutely nothing about, as I'd never heard of the famed 'Muscle Shoals'. However, there's more to the film than that--it is quite interesting, has some surprisingly big name musicians who gave interviews (such as members of the Rolling Stones, Bono and some great R&B legends) and terrific music! So, unless you absolutely hate R&B, the blues and rock (and I know that there at least three of you out there), there is plenty that you'll enjoy about this one and it's worth seeing--as well as well made.By the way, I have no idea why but this film, the Oscar-winning "20 Feet From Stardom" and "Sound City" all came out at about the same time---and ALL are very similar. So, if you like one, you probably would like to see the rest!

Elusive documentary about famed Alabama studios, mother lode of Southern swamp 'n Delta blues. Lots of music clips, as well as recollections / thoughts from Jagger, Richards, Bono, Aretha, Pickett, Sledge, Wexler. Also the original Swampers and FAME studio chief, Rick Hall. After awhile, every time Hall started talking, we braced for the next tragedy: Ma, brother, wife, Pa, one by one the Reaper picked 'em off. Kept waiting for Old Shep to buy it. FAME began to dry up in the 70s, barely mentioned in doc. The Swampers' Muscle Shoals Sound Studio was sold in '85, likewise a scant mention. Incredible amount of hits referenced - "When A Man Loves A Woman" "Land Of 1000 Dances" "Brown Sugar" "Main Street" "Kodachrome" "Respect" "Patches" "Tell Mama" "Mustang Sally" and "Sweet Home Alabama" Highly entertaining, perhaps depending on your age and memories.

I just saw this at the George Lindsey Film Festival in Florence, Alabama -- right across the Tennessee River from Muscle Shoals. I rarely give 10/10 but this film is a gem. Photography, editing, sound values, emotional through lines, entertainment value -- this film has it all. Lots of great interviews and a kaleidoscope of personal memories from great entertainers, as well -- including Mick Jagger, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Picket, and Alicia Keys, to name just a few. This film pulls you in and puts you there, back when a handful of friends got together and made music history in their own back yards. You'll be amazed at how many number one hits came out of humble little Muscle Shoals.