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39-547: Tell Mama was recorded at the FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama , on the encouragement of Leonard Chess , who successfully convinced James to record the album there. Allmusic reviewer, Bill Dahl praised the album's production, called its sessions, "skin-tight." At Muscle Shoals, producers were able to mix her voice in order for it to sound stronger on previously-distorted high notes. The album's title track became one of

78-652: A 1972 album for Warner Brothers was promising, the singer's potential seemed to wither. He secured a pop hit with "Every Day I Have to Cry Some" on Buddah Records in 1975, but the success remained short-lived. The song was also covered by Ike and Tina Turner (produced by Phil Spector ), the McCoys , Dusty Springfield , Joe Stampley , C.J. Chenier , Jerry Lee Lewis , the Gentrys and others. The follow-up single "Sharing The Night Together" (written by Muscle Shoals songwriters Ava Aldridge and Eddie Struzick) reached No. 92 on

117-691: A Man the Way I Love You " was recorded at that time, with the Swampers providing the accompaniment. The track " Do Right Woman, Do Right Man " was also recorded during that session. Franklin later publicly acknowledged Rick Hall "for the turning point in her career, taking her from a struggling artist" to a major music star. The entire LP might have been recorded at FAME, but after Franklin's husband Ted White started an altercation, producer Jerry Wexler decided to continue recording in New York, including " Respect ", again using

156-607: A breeding ground for future legends in the worlds of songwriting and session work, as well as a recording home to some of the greatest musicians and recording artists of all time." After Rick Hall died, his widow Linda Hall continued to run FAME Recording Studio. In 2023, Linda Hall was awarded a Woman In Music Award by the Muscle Shoals Music Association and the Muscle Shoals Songwriters Foundation. FAME Recording Studio continues to exist as

195-766: A competing business, the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio , originally at 3614 Jackson Highway in nearby Sheffield, Alabama . Subsequently, Hall hired the Fame Gang as the new studio band. Also called the Third FAME Rhythm Section, consisted of eight musicians plus arranger-producer Mickey Buckins . This group backed up singers such as Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Clarence Carter , Bobbie Gentry , Etta James, and Candi Staton during recording sessions at FAME Studios. Aretha Franklin recorded at FAME on only one occasion, in early 1967; her hit " I Never Loved

234-555: A fully engaged recording facility in Muscle Shoals. In 2007, Bettye LaVette 's Grammy-nominated CD The Scene of the Crime , produced by Patterson Hood and Drive-By Truckers , was recorded at FAME Recording Studios. The Truckers also backed Lavette on the record, with contributions from David Hood and Spooner Oldham , from the original studio house band, the Swampers . Fame Sessions ,

273-460: A pair of copyrights by Don Covay . It also featured the title track's B-side, " I'd Rather Go Blind ," which was originally not a hit, however it later became one of James's signature songs. In the 1990s, Tell Mama was remastered and re-released on MCA / Chess . The album was remastered by Erick Labson at Universal Mastering Studios-West in North Hollywood, California . A compilation version of

312-627: Is a recording studio located at 603 East Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals, Alabama , an area of northern Alabama known as the Shoals . Though small and distant from the main recording locations of the American music industry, FAME has produced many hit records and was instrumental in what came to be known as the Muscle Shoals sound. It was started in the 1950s by Rick Hall , known as the Founder of Muscle Shoals Music. The studio, owned by Hall until his death in 2018,

351-703: Is a testament to a certain kind of hope." An Alabama publication commented that Hall is survived by his family "and a Muscle Shoals music legacy like no other". An article in the Anniston Star (Alabama) concludes with this epitaph, "If the world wants to know about Alabama — a state seldom publicized for anything but college football and embarrassing politics — the late Rick Hall and his legacy are worthy models to uphold". In early 2018, Rolling Stone published this evaluation: "Hall's Grammy-winning production touched nearly every genre of popular music from country to R&B, and his Fame Studio and publishing company were

390-650: Is still actively operating. It was added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on December 15, 1997, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016. The 2013 award-winning documentary Muscle Shoals features Rick Hall, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (also called The Swampers), and the Muscle Shoals sound originally popularized by FAME. In 1959, Rick Hall and Billy Sherrill accepted an offer from Tom Stafford,

429-449: The Tell Mama album at FAME. Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records brought both Wilson Pickett and Aretha Franklin to record. The recording session with Franklin brought unexpected conflict: one of the horn players sexually harassed the singer, and her husband had him fired from the session. Later that evening Hall went over to make up with Franklin and her husband, but a fight ensued, and

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468-567: The Osmonds , a vocal group from Utah, featuring the younger brother Donny Osmond . The collaboration resulted in the hit " One Bad Apple " in 1970, among others, and helped Hall to become named "Producer of the Year" in 1971. As the decade of the 70s rolled in, FAME moved back towards country music, producing hits for Mac Davis , Bobbie Gentry , Jerry Reed , and the Gatlin Brothers . He also worked with

507-526: The Star-Club in Hamburg in 1962. In 1962, Steve Alaimo was the first to record Alexander's " Every Day I Have to Cry ", which reached No.46 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart. Dusty Springfield also recorded the song for her first UK solo EP, "I Only Want to Be With You", released in 1964. In the mid-1960s, Alexander switched to another label, Sound Stage 7 , but failed to find commercial success. Although

546-518: The "Father of Muscle Shoals Music." Successful singers working at FAME included Bobbie Gentry, who recorded the album Fancy (1970), and then with the singer-songwriter Mac Davis , who topped both the Pop and Country charts with " Baby, Don't Get Hooked on Me " (1972). Davis recorded four gold albums at FAME, with the singles "Texas in My Rear View Mirror" and "Hooked on Music" becoming hits on both

585-619: The FAME Records label through a distribution deal with EMI. Rick Hall died in early 2018. In its obituary, The New Yorker concluded its coverage of Hall's career with FAME by saying, "Muscle Shoals remains remarkable not just for the music made there but for its unlikeliness as an epicenter of anything; that a tiny town in a quiet corner of Alabama became a hotbed of progressive, integrated rhythm and blues still feels inexplicable. Whatever Hall conjured there—whatever he dreamt, and made real—is essential to any recounting of American ingenuity. It

624-714: The Money " (1987), and a number 1 single, " You're My First Lady " (1987) by T.G. Sheppard also. Hall then returned to the way he had begun, developing new artists. A local country band that was playing in a club down the street from FAME Studios came to his attention, and he and Robert Byrne co-produced an LP with the group Shenandoah . Hall made a record deal with CBS Records and the group thereafter had top 10 singles with " She Doesn't Cry Anymore " (1988) and " See If I Care " (1990), top 5 singles with " Mama Knows " (1988) and " The Moon Over Georgia " (1991), and six number 1 singles with " The Church on Cumberland Road " (1989), " Sunday in

663-634: The Pacemakers , Otis Redding , Tina Turner , Pearl Jam , and Jerry Lee Lewis . Alexander was born in Sheffield, Alabama , United States. Working with Spar Music in Florence , Alabama, Alexander recorded his first single, "Sally Sue Brown", under the name of June Alexander (short for Junior), which was released in 1960 on Jud Phillips' Judd Records . (Phillips is the brother of music pioneer Sam Phillips ). A year later, Alexander cut " You Better Move On ", at

702-682: The R&;B charts, but earned Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show a Top 10 hit in 1978; the Dr. Hook version was used in the 2012 Family Guy episode " Mr. and Mrs. Stewie ". For many years, Alexander was out of the music business; he was a bus driver for much of this time. In 1990, he was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame . He began to perform again in 1993 as renewed interest was shown in his back catalogue. His last album, Lonely Just Like Me ,

741-640: The Rolling Stones , the Hollies , George Jones & Johnny Paycheck , Gene Clark (from the Byrds ) and Mink DeVille . " Anna (Go to Him) ", a U.S. R&B Top Ten Hit, was covered by the Beatles , Roger McGuinn (from The Byrds ) and Humble Pie . The Beatles did live recordings of " Soldier of Love " (also performed by Marshall Crenshaw and Pearl Jam ), " A Shot of Rhythm and Blues ", and " Where Have You Been " at

780-605: The Shoals for session work throughout his short life. The session musicians who worked at the studio became known as the Muscle Shoals Horns and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (or the Swampers). In 1969, just after Hall had signed a deal with Capitol Records , the four primary Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section members ( Barry Beckett (keyboards), Jimmy Johnson (guitar), Roger Hawkins (drums), and David Hood (bass), left to found

819-690: The South " (1989), " Two Dozen Roses " (1989), " Next to You, Next to Me " (1990), "Ghost in This House" (1990), and " I Got You " (1991). In addition to FAME studios, Hall operated FAME Records, whose original roster included Clarence Carter, Candi Staton, Jimmy Hughes, Willie Hightower and the Fame Gang. The original run of the label was between 1964 and 1974, with distribution handled by Vee-Jay Records from 1964 to 1966, Atco Records from 1966 to 1967, Capitol Records from 1969 to 1972, and United Artists Records from 1972 through early 1974. In 2007, Hall reactivated

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858-401: The Swampers for the accompaniment. The studio continued to do well through the 1970s. Hall was able to convince Capitol Records to distribute FAME recordings. In 1971, Rick Hall was named Producer of the Year by Billboard magazine, a year after having been nominated for a Grammy Award in the same category. As the hits kept coming, Hall expanded into the area of teen pop hits with

897-428: The album was later released and included ten additional bonus tracks, including cover versions of David Houston 's, "Almost Persuaded" and Sonny & Cher 's "I Got You Babe." In a retrospective review for AllMusic , Bill Dahl felt the album to be "one of her best and most soul-searing Cadet albums." Dahl called the title track "relentlessly driving" and "I'd Rather Go Blind," "a moving soul ballad." He also said that

936-501: The album's producers, "really did themselves proud behind Miss Peaches." In 2000 it was voted number 667 in Colin Larkin 's All Time Top 1000 Albums . James' cover of "I Got You Babe" was featured in a 2021 TV commercial for Walmart . Side one Side two Bonus tracks Album – Billboard (United States) Singles - Billboard (United States) FAME Studios FAME (Florence Alabama Music Enterprises) Studios

975-655: The biggest hits of James's career, becoming her first Top 10 hit in four years and her highest-peaking single on the Billboard Pop chart , reaching #23. It has since been considered one of her all-time classics. The album's cover of Otis Redding 's "Security" also became a major hit, reaching the Top 20 on the R&B singles chart, while also making the Pop Top 40. Besides a cover version of Redding's composition, other cover versions included Jimmy Hughes 's "Don't Lose Your Good Thing" and

1014-626: The country and pop charts. Many artists recorded with The Fame Gang such as Joe Tex , Bobby Blue Bland , Eddie Floyd , Candi Staton, Clarence Carter, Little Milton , Sawyer Brown , Tony Joe White , Duane Allman , Elkie Brooks , and the Oak Ridge Boys . Hall continued producing country hits in the 1980s, including Jerry Reed's number 1 records " She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft) " and " The Bird " in 1982. He also started Gus Hardin 's career with

1053-444: The first hit produced in that building, Jimmy Hughes 's " Steal Away ". FAME studio prospered, and by the late 1960s pop and soul musicians such as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Clarence Carter, and Solomon Burke had recorded there. Singer Aretha Franklin credited Hall for the "turning point" in her career when she recorded at FAME in early 1967, taking her from a struggling artist to the "Queen of Soul". According to Hall, one of

1092-483: The fledgling FAME Studios , which at that point was located above the City Drug Store in Florence, Alabama . (The studio would shortly move to its more famous location in nearby Muscle Shoals, Alabama .) Released on Nashville's Dot Records , the song became a soul/R&B chart hit, and laid the foundation for the modern recording studio FAME. "You Better Move On" is perhaps Alexander's best-known song, covered by

1131-406: The owner of a recording studio, to help set up a new music publishing company in the town of Florence, Alabama , to be known as Florence Alabama Music Enterprises, or FAME. The studio was first located above Florence's City Drug Store. Two doors down was a pawn shop – "Uncle Sams" – where aspiring artists would buy or pawn their instruments, depending on the trajectory of their careers. The studio

1170-784: The popular "After the Last Good-bye" and had a hit album with Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers , Houston to Denver (1984). Hall's productions on T.G. Sheppard's LPs include Livin' on the Edge (1985), It Still Rains in Memphis (1986), and One for the Money (1987). Top 20 singles included " Fooled Around and Fell in Love " by the Elvin Bishop Group in 1975. Top 10 singles included " In Over My Heart " and " Doncha? " by T.G. Sheppard in 1985. Top 5 singles include " Strong Heart " (1985), " One for

1209-509: The reasons for FAME's success at a time of stiff competition from studios in other cities was that he overlooked the issue of race, a perspective he called "colorblind". "It was a dangerous time, but the studio was a safe haven where blacks and whites could work together in musical harmony," Hall wrote in his autobiography. Decades later, a publication in Malaysia referred to Hall as a "white fiddler who became an unlikely force in soul music". As

Tell Mama - Misplaced Pages Continue

1248-493: The recording session was canceled. Wexler swore to Hall he would never work with him again. Duane Allman , later of the Allman Brothers Band , pitched a tent and camped out in the parking lot of FAME Studios in 1968 in order to be near the recording sessions occurring there. He soon befriended Rick Hall and Wilson Pickett, who was recording there. While on lunch break, Allman taught Pickett " Hey Jude "; their version of

1287-939: The second album by the Nightowls , was recorded at FAME Studios in September 2015 in collaboration with David Hood and Spooner Oldham. Gregg Allman 's final album, Southern Blood (2017), was recorded at FAME in March 2016. Other artists who recorded at FAME in recent years include the Drive-By Truckers , Jason Isbell , Demi Lovato , and The Blind Boys of Alabama . Third Day recorded their final album, Revival , at FAME in 2017. More recently, Roadside Glorious, Meg Williams, Big Daddy Wilson , and Australians Murray Cook and The Soul Movers, Misty Blue and Lucie Tiger (2019, 2022) recorded at FAME Recording Studio. Arthur Alexander Arthur Alexander (May 10, 1940 – June 9, 1993)

1326-498: The song was recorded with Allman playing lead guitar. On hearing the session, people at Atlantic began asking who had played the guitar solos, and Hall responded with a hand-written note that read "some hippie cat who's been living in our parking lot". Shortly afterward, Allman was offered a recording contract; auditions for the Allman Brothers Band were later held at FAME Studios. Allman loved the area, and frequently returned to

1365-431: The songwriter and producer Robert Byrne to help a local bar band, Shenandoah , top the national Hot Country Songs chart several times in the 1980s and 1990s. Hall's publishing staff of in-house songwriters wrote some of the biggest country hits in those decades. His publishing catalog included many significant items. In 1985, Rick Hall was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame , his citation referring to him as

1404-513: The word about Muscle Shoals began to spread other artists began coming there to record. The Nashville producer Felton Jarvis brought Tommy Roe and recorded Roe's song " Everybody " in 1963. The Atlanta music publisher Bill Lowery , who had mentored Hall in his early days, sent the Tams . The Nashville publisher and producer Buddy Killen brought Joe Tex . Leonard Chess encouraged Etta James to record there, and she made her 1967 hit " Tell Mama " and

1443-409: Was an American country-soul songwriter and singer. Jason Ankeny, music critic for AllMusic , said Alexander was a "country-soul pioneer" and that, though largely unknown, "his music is the stuff of genius, a poignant and deeply intimate body of work on par with the best of his contemporaries." Alexander's songs were covered by such stars as the Beatles , the Rolling Stones , Bob Dylan , Gerry and

1482-620: Was his first in 21 years. He signed a new recording/publishing contract in May 1993 but suffered a fatal heart attack on June 9, 1993, in Nashville, three days after performing there with his new band. He is buried in Florence City Cemetery in Florence, Alabama . Alexander is the only songwriter whose songs have been covered on studio albums by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan (who recorded "Sally Sue Brown" on his 1988 LP Down in

1521-431: Was moved to a former tobacco warehouse on Wilson Dam Road in Muscle Shoals in 1960, when Hall split from Sherrill and Stafford, leaving Hall with rights to the studio's name. Hall soon recorded the first hit record from the Muscle Shoals area, Arthur Alexander 's " You Better Move On " in 1961. Hall took the proceeds from that recording to build the current facility, on Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals. In 1963, he recorded

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