Muscle Shoals

This is an important documentary if you have any interest in American Music. Well done and more information than you can believe. Musicians, songwriters and singers along with engineers and producers, tell how some of the greatest records of the past 60 years came to be.

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.

I just saw this at the George Lindsey Film Festival in Florence, Alabama -- right across the Tennessee River from Muscle Shoals. I rarely give 10/10 but this film is a gem. Photography, editing, sound values, emotional through lines, entertainment value -- this film has it all. Lots of great interviews and a kaleidoscope of personal memories from great entertainers, as well -- including Mick Jagger, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Picket, and Alicia Keys, to name just a few. This film pulls you in and puts you there, back when a handful of friends got together and made music history in their own back yards. You'll be amazed at how many number one hits came out of humble little Muscle Shoals.

Easily one of, if not THE best music documentary I have ever seen. So often these docs go flat after the first 20 minutes, none of that here! The visuals are fantastic and carry the show (as well as establish the sense of place) when the incredible music is throttled back. Underlying all of this is an incredible story of an incredible man, Jerry Hall, a man born in numbing poverty who somehow managed to rise above poverty and numerous personal tragedies to produce some of the most incredible blues and rock and roll recordings of all time. If you have access to this show and love music all I can say is WATCH THIS TODAY and prepared to be blown away!

I have a fairly broad taste in music, so enjoy watching music documentaries and went into this knowing little-to-nothing about Muscle Shoals or the two recording studios this film focuses on. With that in mind, I can't say how accurate the film was, or how much of the story was covered or omitted, but I can say that I was thoroughly engrossed by what was presented here and in awe of all of the amazing classic songs that were recorded in Muscle Shoals. Just hearing the fantastic soundtrack is enough to make this an enjoyable watch for any music lover and the photography and editing is excellent.

There was some tragedy in the story, and some element of conflict (such as when the studio players split from FAME studios and formed their own Muscle Shoals Sound Studio) but wisely the film concentrates on the music and the inspiring story of Rick Hall's rags-to-riches success and his work ethic, attitudes and musical philosophy.

If there's any weakness, it's some of the interviewees who trot out some fairly predictable platitudes: among them the tired/borderline racist "how could all that music be played by white guys!?" 'Cos, you know, white people have no soul or rhythm.

Ultimately, I was left wanting to know more, which is a good sign, although I think the film could have tried to get a bit more under the skin of what were the specific elements that resulted in this music coming out of this city, instead of pursuing a vague spiritual narrative of there just being "something in the water". Yes, there had to be some magic, and as romantic/poetic as that is, more robust information about the business side of just how Rick set up the studio, sold his first recordings etc. would have been great.

All in all a great documentary. Any music fan should enjoy this, but of course you don't need to be a music fan because at it's heart it's a fairy tale of achieving one's dreams through hard work, determination and a little bit of sacrifice.