![]() The setup is disarmingly simple and hit on a theme we saw at all of the studios in the Florence and Muscle Shoals region: no frills, no ego, no pretension, no changes-an almost purposeful homage to the fact that each building itself doesn’t necessarily matter as much as the vibe of the South, the art of the engineers, the drive of the producers and the professional skill set of the musicians that have passed through their doors. Hearing the tracks while standing in the actual space they were created is something truly special. Lovingly restored to its raw, 70s glory, the studio features instruments, original recordings and some of the essential sorcery of the “Swampers,” the rhythm section behind the scenes that created hits for Cher, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Rolling Stones, Bob Seger, The Staple Singers, Rod Stewart and many more musical icons. Our first musical stop on our weekend in Muscle Shoals was at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio-0r 3614 Jackson Highway as many in-the-know call it-which is so small we almost drove right past it. This Shoals pass is great for doing multiple studio tours on one weekend in Florence. That said, check scheduled tours before you go, as they vary and run at odd times, and in many cases, you can’t just “drop in” because all of them are, indeed, working studios. The last time we missed out on the musical side of the Shoals, which is so crucial to understanding its core identity. Get your groove on with these Shoals studio tours Plotting a trip to North Alabama? Here’s how to plan a weekend in Muscle Shoals, Florence and beyond, no matter how you like to travel. Florence has a bustling college campus, as well as a major river that divides it from the other three, and the whole area is surrounded by greenery with lakes and waterfalls galore. ![]() Florence is the biggest, population-wise, with Sheffield and Tuscumbia rounding out the quartet.Īnd while we were there for the music, sure, I must add that Shoals’ charm extends far beyond its rhythmic past. Now, Muscle Shoals and Florence are seeing a tourism boom among travelers our age (and plenty of others) we saw DINKs and Millennials, families with small kids and Baby Boomers, among other music lovers, throughout our long weekend there.īut let’s clarify something upfront: What confused me on my inaugural visit was the distinction between “the Shoals,” the four cities comprising the area, and the town of “Muscle Shoals,” which is just one of the four and probably the most well-known on a national scale. ![]() Those who were involved with the creation of a litany of hits in the popular genre of the age weren’t surprised by the newfound attention but happily welcome it. ![]() I started hearing a lot about the Shoals when we first moved back to the Nashville area nearly seven years ago, and the more ingrained I became in the music industry from a journalist standpoint, the more regularly I started meeting songwriters who were headed down to North Alabama on the regular to record their albums.įrom what many locals shared, the Shoals really rose to prominence once more after the documentary Muscle Shoals debuted in 2013 and catapulted the region to international fame.
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