Muscle Shoals (2013)

A documentary that celebrates Rick Hall, the founder of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and the signature sound he developed in songs such as "I'll Take You There", "Brown Sugar", and "When a Man Loves a Woman".

Director:

Greg 'Freddy' Camalier

Stars:

Rick Hall, Aretha Franklin, Keith Richards

3 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Stephen Badger	...	Himself / Interviewer
Rick Hall	...	Himself, founder, Fame Studios
Aretha Franklin	...	Herself
Jerry Carrigan	...	Himself
Alicia Keys	...	Herself
Jerry Phillips	...	Himself
Barry Beckett	...	Himself
Jerry Wexler	...	Himself
Bono	...	Himself
Jesse Boyce	...	Himself
Bryan Owings	...	Himself
Jimmy Cliff	...	Himself
Candi Staton	...	Herself
John Gifford III	...	Himself
Clarence Carter	...	Himself

Storyline

Located alongside the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals, Alabama is the unlikely breeding ground for some of America's most creative and defiant music. Under the spiritual influence of the 'Singing River' as Native Americans called it, the music of Muscle Shoals changed the world and sold millions upon millions of copies. At its heart is Rick Hall who founded FAME Studios. Overcoming crushing poverty and staggering tragedies, he brought black and white together in Alabama's cauldron of racial hostility to create music for the generations while giving birth to the 'Muscle Shoals Sound' and 'The Swampers'. Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Percy Sledge, Gregg Allman, Clarence Carter, Etta James, Alicia Keys, Bono, and others bear witness to Muscle Shoals' magnetism, mystery, and why it remains influential today.

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Plot Keywords:

reference to stax records | electronic keyboard | keyboardist | new york city | drug abuse | 

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Taglines:

A small town with a big sound

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | History | Music

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic elements, language, smoking and brief partial nudity

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 October 2013 (UK)

Also Known As:

Muscle Shoals - Dove nascono le leggende

Filming Locations:

Florence, Alabama, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$13,901, 29 September 2013, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$695,625, 9 March 2014

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ear Goggles

Technical Specs

Runtime:

111 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Winner of the Grand Prize, Boulder International Film Festival, 2013.

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Quotes

David Hood: [about working for Rick Hall] That was very frustrating and hard on the musicians, because you think "Well, I already did that."
Rick Hall: Nobody ever worked in the music business without getting their ass kicked. If they did, they're on the street somewhere pushing a wheelbarrow of concrete.
Jesse Boyce: He was kind of like a task master, and I don't fault him for that because he is an imperfect perfectionist. That's what made him great, though.

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Crazy Credits

Although Steve Winwood is feature prominently, including with on-screen name identification, hie name is NOT listed in the end credits.

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Connections

Version of Muscle Shoals

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Soundtracks

Kodachrome
Written and performed by Paul Simon
Courtesy of Legacy Records
By arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

Fantastic - must see for a music lover

OK, I plead guilty to living within a stones throw of the subject of this movie.

If you are a fan of the music that started out in the '60s in this country, this is a must see. It gives you an insight into how the music we listen to has come into being. From the roots in the blues and R&B morphing into Rock and Roll. You may find something out about your favorite songs that you never knew.

The setting for the interviews focuses you on the person speaking. There are some amazing images in the film. In some ways it shows the area in an almost idyllic frame. The historical footage is worth the ticket price alone.

Bonus points if you actually recognize the unnamed blues legend show while they talk about Sam Phillips. If you are going to create a list of must see movies about music and musicians, this will be on the short list.