It’s rock ‘n’ roll legend. In 1967, Aretha Franklin, struggling to make a hit album, visits the Muscle Shoals, Alabama, recording studio and records her first hit, our song of the day, “I’ve Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You).”
The surprise at the time – the musicians who developed her sound, known as the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, were white.
Our Song of the Day was the only song recorded that day. The session was cut short when her husband got into a fight with one of the musicians. She flew them to New York to finish the songs for the album, including “Respect.” The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section played on her next three albums.
They also played on Percy Sledge’s number one hit “When a Man Loves a Woman,” in 1966. And a major recording studio was born.
Muscle Shoals was a sleepy southern town until it came to music. Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Sam Phillips, who discovered Elvis Presley, grew up nearby.
Paul Simon, the Rolling Stones, Bob Seger, Rod Stewart, Otis Redding, Cher, Mac Davis, Etta James, Wilson Pickett and the Staples Singers all recorded there.
Leon Russell nicknamed the rhythm section the Swampers. They’re mentioned in Lynyrd Skynyrd’s song, “Sweet Home Alabama.”
In 1978, The Swampers moved to a bigger studio. The old studio became a museum.
On June 2, 2006, The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio was added to the National Registry of Historic Places.
Song of the Day was created by Sheldon Zoldan, and is a co-production with WGCU Public Media. Audio production by Simon Dunham.
