Legendary Producer Rick Hall 1932

Founder of FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and renowned record producer Rick Hall has died. A member of the Alabama Music Hall Of Fame and known as The Father Of Muscle Shoals Music, Hall was 85 years old.

Among the artists who have recorded at FAME were such legendary acts as Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Otis Redding, The Rolling Stones, Gregg Allman, Drive-By Truckers, Jason Isbell and many others. The facility’s in-house session musicians, known both as The Swampers and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, assisted in the making of scores of hit records throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The Allman Brothers Band guitarist Duane Allman and Grateful Dead vocalist Donna Jean-Godchaux were also among the session musicians employed by Hall.

A 2013 documentary film Muscle Shoals prominently featured Hall and his influence on popular music. Hall entered the Alabama Music Hall Of Fame in 1985. Hall was given the Grammy Trustees Award in 2014.

Alabama Governor Kay Ivey issued the following statement regarding Hall’s passing:

I am sorry to hear about the passing of the “Father of Muscle Shoals Music,” Rick Hall. He was truly a music legend and one of Alabama’s stars. He will surely be missed.

Rick Hall and his family gave me my first job in the music business, and nobody in the industry ever worked harder than Rick. Nobody. American music wouldn’t be the same without his contributions. His death is a huge loss to those of us who knew him and those who didn’t.
— Jason Isbellgrande (@JasonIsbell) January 2, 2018

A post shared by Drive-By Truckers (@dbtrockshow) on Jan 2, 2018 at 11:30am PST

Fitting that the loss of my hero and friend Rick Hall would finally galvanize this idea I’ve had for a while…I’m going to commit to recording a video each week all year of a song by a hero of mine that’s STILL WITH US. Some you’ll know, many you won’t – and that’s the idea
— John Paul White (@johnpaulwhite) January 2, 2018

We are very sad to hear about the passing of Rick Hall of FAME Studios. We'll never forget all the music that he helped bring into the world, including Otis' “You Left the Water Running.” Rest in peace, Rick. – Team Otis Redding https://t.co/vLd9hjCJ8s
— Otis Redding (@OtisRedding) January 2, 2018

If you're a music fan haven't seen the Muscle Shoals doc yet, you should. It's inspiring, heartbreaking & riveting. RIP to one of the greats, Rick Hall. https://t.co/OykoZSxGtt https://t.co/K2wA8W8sSF
— Joel Cummins (@goldlikejoel) January 2, 2018