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Celebrating 65 Years of FAME and The Muscle Shoals Sound in Huntsville
FAME Recording Studios celebrated its 65th Anniversary with a concert and weekend festival that took place October 4 through 5, 2024 in Huntsville, Alabama. Fans from near and far came to commemorate the legacy of FAME and the music of Muscle Shoals. The party started on Friday with a free show at The Camp - a colorful, cool venue - in Huntsville. On the 5th during the daytime hours, The "FAME Takeover of MidCity District" had food, live performances and vendors.
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![]() Rodney Hall, President of FAME Recording Studios, thanks the crowd for coming to the show. The celebration culminated at night with an all-star show at the Orion Amphitheater which was within walking distance of the street fair and The Camp who was showcasing more live music on Saturday. "65 Years of FAME and The Muscle Shoals Sound" concert featured a formidable lineup including The War and Treaty, Maggie Rose, Robert Randolph, Bettye LaVette, Scott Sharrard, Peter Levin, John Paul White, Oteil Burbridge, Mike Farris, Dylan LeBlanc, Gary Nichols, Steve Jordan and other famed artists all paying tribute to the fabled FAME. FAME (Florence Alabama Music Enterprises) is a recording studio located at 603 East Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. FAME may be a relatively small enterprise but it has a big place in music history. Founded in the 1950's by Rick Hall, the studio prospered in the 1960's with recordings by Aretha Franklin, Clarance Carter, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and more. It is said that Hall believed that one of the reasons his business succeeded despite stiff competition was that he overlooked the issue of race - a perspective he called "colorblind".
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![]() Maggie Rose, Mike Farris and Oteil Burbridge celebrate FAME at the Orion. The 60's were a dangerous time but FAME was a safe spot where blacks and whites could work together in creative harmony. Thus, so much great music emerged from this region. Rick ran the studio until his death in 2018 and it is still open today for new generations to craft their own FAME fortunes. "As we celebrate 65 years of shaping the soundscape of American music, this concert symbolizes the rich history and vibrant future of the Muscle Shoals sound," said Rodney Hall, President of FAME Recording Studios, expressing his excitement as the milestone event approached lift-off in Rocket City. "We are excited to bring together an impressive lineup of artists who embody the spirit and creativity of FAME and Muscle Shoals. This is a heartfelt tribute to the music and community that have been pivotal in defining a unique sound, found only in Northern Alabama." The festivities began on Friday with a free concert at The Camp featuring the southern inspired Bonneville followed by the soulful Shoal Nuff Band. The Takeover of MidCity District was a family friendly affair that took place before the main event which was the "65 Years of FAME and The Muscle Shoals Sound" show. That concert was packed with classic and contemporary music presented by a diverse and talented team of performers.
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![]() Scott Sharrard, Bettye LaVette and Robert Randolph in Huntsville. In Huntsville - the northern Alabama metropolitan region that is working to become a sister "Music City" to its more famous neighbor just up the road - a number of Nashville artists were featured. One of the standouts was Mike Farris - perhaps best known as the founder and lead singer of Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - who mentioned during his stellar set that his latest album The Sound of Muscle Shoals was recorded at FAME. Mike's engaging slot included "Hey Jude" (The Beatles) which the crowd happily sang along to. "How you doing, Huntsville?" said powerhouse singer Maggie Rose who was by far our favorite hometown representative from the 615 on this night as she took the Orion stage. She continued - adding, "When I decided to cut one of my records at FAME I decided that if I was going to step up to the mic and try and sing in the same space as Etta James and Aretha Franklin - I better show up. So, I'm gonna try to show up for you tonight." Maggie Rose did indeed show up - in fact triumphantly blooming to deliver a dynamic and daring double shot of "I'd Rather Go Blind" and "Respect" by the aforementioned queens of soul to earn her a standing ovation and the night's first show stopping moment revealing just why in 2024 her star is most certainly on the rise.
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![]() John Paul White, Holli Mosley, The War and Treaty and more celebrate FAME in Hunstville. Another historical chapter in the FAME story is when Duane Allman 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 sessions taking place there. Duane befriended people connected with FAME which later led to a recording contract. The renowned guitarist would frequently return to the Shoals for session work throughout his short life so The Allman Brothers to this day are associated with this region. So, a long tribute to the Allman Brothers Band was in order at the Orion. Maggie Rose returned to join the band - made up of top players including Scott Sharrard (Little Feat), Oteil Burbridge (ABB) and Steve Jordan (Rolling Stones) - for a potent "Whipping Post". During the spotlight Sharrard reminded all in attendance just why he was the perfect selection to step into the role once held down by the likes of Lowell George and Paul Barrere. Burbridge was smiling ear to ear seemingly thrilled to be revisiting the catalog put forth by his main band before anyone had even heard of Dead & Co. Other highlights included James LeBlanc singing about the hardships of life and Bettye LaVette sharing a funky rocker countered by a more reflective number. Robert Randolph is known for spirited performances. Saturday he was using a guitar that had been modified to work like a pedal steel which allowed him to move around the stage during a lively segment that included "Mustang Sally". The War and Treaty are a husband-and-wife duo whose debut album Healing Tide (2018) received much critical acclaim. Since then, they have been building on that momentum - included their riveting set to close out the FAME anniversary on an animated note.
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![]() Gary Nichols, Steve Jordan, The Shoal Nuff Band, Bonneville, Lightwatch and more celebrate FAME in Hunstville. FAME's host the Orion Amphitheater is an 8,000-seat capacity outdoor venue that was named Billboard's "Top East Coast Amphitheater" in 2024. It is located in MidCity which is a growing section in Huntsville, Alabama. During our visit we observed a lot of construction going on pointing to the potential for this spot to be a music mecca. The Orion is now a proven anchor while The Camp is an established and inviting smaller space for live performances. There are already restaurants and shops with housing coming which means musicians could establish a community here. The MidCity made history by holding the FAME 65th Anniversary with plenty more opportunities for festivals in the future. Who knows maybe FAME will open a second location in the rising Rocket City but in the meantime Muscle Shoals is still a destination for artists to add their own chapter to FAME's rich legacy.
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![]() At the Camp in Huntsville with Angela Hacker, Mark Hall, Phillip White and James LeBlanc; the FAME gang land in the MidCity. Related Links: For more information on FAME RECORDING STUDIOS and the other organizations mentioned please visit the following links - Fame Studios | The Orion Amphitheater | MidCity District | The Camp
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