Friday Night at the Movies: Muscle Shoals

Muscle Shoals, Alabama, a small town in the northwest corner of the state, became the unlikely birthplace of some of the most iconic music of the 1960s and 70s. Thanks to Rick Hall, whose FAME studio recorded artists such as Percy Sledge, Brenda Lee, Roy Orbison, Paul Anka, Jerry Reed, the band Alabama, and many, many more, Muscle Shoals would earn a well-deserved reputation as a place where black and white musicians could collaborate during turbulent times in our nation’s history.

On Friday, May 8, at 6 p.m., Moon Lake Library will show “Muscle Shoals,” the 2013 documentary that traces the journey of Hall and Fame from its founding in 1959, through its ups and downs and its history-making sessions with bands from the Rolling Stones to Aretha Franklin to the Osmonds to Tim McGraw. The house band of backup musicians became known as the Swampers, duly recognized in Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama.” They were known for their rich, authentic R&B sound.

Join us for this film celebrating Alabama’s musical heritage and its influence on music across different genres. The program is free and open to the public. Bring your friends and a snack to share as we kick back and rock out with music and stories from some of the best in the business.