The Music Of Rick Hall & FAME Studios Spotify Playlist

Renowned record producer Rick Hall passed away earlier this week at the age of 85. Born into extreme poverty, Hall persevered, rising to prominence in the early-1960s as a co-founder of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. This edition of Saturday Stream presents a Spotify Playlist featuring a collection of standout recordings, often produced by the “Father of the Muscle Shoals Sound,” made at FAME over the past 50+ years.

The playlist begins with Arthur Alexander’s “You Better Move On,” the first hit for FAME that was produced by Hall in 1961 and is followed by Jimmy Hughes’ 1964 release “Steal Away,” which was the first hit recorded once FAME relocated from its original facilities to its current location.

Noted for its integrated sessions held in the deep South during the 1960s Civil Rights era, FAME also hosted such legendary soul and R&B singers as Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Clarence Carter, The Staples Singers and Percy Sledge. The talented performers were often backed by the in-house session musicians that became known as The Swampers. Also known as The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, drummer Roger Hawkins, bassist David Hood, guitarist Jimmy Johnson and keyboardist Barry Beckett would leave FAME in 1969 to found their own Muscle Shoals Sound Studio recording studio.

FAME Studios session musicians also included the exceptionally talented guitarist Duane Allman (who can be heard on the playlist backing Pickett and Franklin, among others) and accomplished keyboardist Spooner Oldham, former Grateful Dead vocalist Donna Jean Godchaux, and others. Allman can be heard performing with his brother Gregg in the pre-The Allman Brothers Band outfit The Hour Glass as well as on a solo track

In addition to soul and R&B music, FAME also incorporated more traditional rock and country acts like Jerry Reed, Bobby Gentry and Mac Davis. In recent years, Jason Isbell (who was employed at FAME by Hall early in his career), Drive-By Truckers (who are led by David Hood’s son Patterson Hood) and Phish have held recording sessions at FAME. Gregg Allman’s posthumously released 2017 album Southern Blood was tracked at FAME.

Stream the 40-song Spotify Playlist featuring music made at FAME Studios below: