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Second Rhythm Section |
Barry Beckett had moved to Pensacola, Florida
from Birmingham, Alabama and was playing on sessions for Papa Don Schroeder
in Pensacola. Papa Don came to FAME to work on a James and Bobby Purify
record and brought Barry with him. Beckett soon moved to Muscle Shoals and
began playing as the house keyboardist at FAME. At David Hood's first FAME session he was not on bass, which he later became renowned for. Hood played trombone on "Tell Mama" by Etta James. Later David worked his way into the house bass position and played on most of the hits that came out of FAME during this time. |
On March 20, 1969 this rhythm section of Johnson,
Hood, Hawkins and Beckett came into FAME to tell Rick Hall of their intentions
to open their own studio across town. With the financial help of then Atlantic
Records Vice-President Jerry Wexler, they opened Muscle Shoals Sound Studio
on Jackson Highway in Sheffield, Alabama. Wexler had found the magic in Muscle Shoals at FAME and had brought Atlantic's biggest acts to town to record. Wilson Pickett had cut "Mustang Sally", "Land of 1000 Dances", "Hey Jude", and "Funky Broadway". Aretha Franklin had cut "I Never Loved A Man" and "Do Right Woman" at FAME. Rick Hall had also assisted Quinn Ivy by contacting Wexler about a song by Percy Sledge called "When A Man Loves A Woman", which Quinn had cut across town using FAME's rhythm section. (continued...) |
Wexler had become dismayed with Rick when he brought Aretha to Muscle Shoals. Although there are several accounts to this story the outcome was that Wexler would never return to FAME to cut a record. By most accounts the trouble began the first day of what was supposed to be a week long session. After cutting a monster track on "I Never Loved A Man", everyone started celebrating, and the spirits flowed. After a while Aretha's husband, Ted White, accused one of the horn players of making a pass at Aretha. Wexler had Rick fire the player, but White was still angry. The session ended with everyone leaving and a half finished "Do Right Woman" still on the tape machine. Rick decided he would go to the hotel and straighten things out with Aretha and Ted White. Not only did Rick not straighten things out but he and White got into a cussing fight and called each other every name in the book. Aretha, White and Wexler were on a plane the next morning with a monster track on "I Never Loved A Man" and a half finished track on "Do Right Woman". |
After opening Muscle Shoals Sound Studio,
Johnson, Hawkins, Hood and Beckett ran off a string of hits of their own.
Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, The Staple Singers, The Rolling Stones, R. B. Greaves,
Bob Seger and many more found success with Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. The second rhythm section later moved Muscle Shoals Sound Studio to a new location in Sheffield next to the Tennessee River. A few years later they sold the studios and publishing companies to Malaco Records out of Jackson, Mississippi. After the sale of the studios these guys went on to be individual forces in the music industry. Jimmy Johnson has produced Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Rossington Band, The Amazing Rhythm Aces and many more highly successful acts. He also continues to play as a session guitarist. Jimmy's electric guitar is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. |
David Hood has continued to be a busy Bass
player. David's credits are a mile long, playing on everything from Sawyer
Brown to Bob Seger. Barry Beckett moved to Nashville and became one of the major producers in town. He has produced Confederate Railroad, Neal McCoy, Lorrie Morgan and Etta James recently. Later being named the Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section,, They were inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of FAME in 1995. |
FAME Studios •
603 E. Avalon Ave. • P. O. Box 3629 • Muscle Shoals, AL
35662 • (256) 381-0801 • (256) 381-6337 fax |