Alabama Musicians

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, legendary artists like Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan traveled to North Alabama to record with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm section, also known as the Swampers. But Alabama hasn't just attracted musical stars with its talent--it also has a history of creating stars of its own. Join author and musician C.S. Fuqua as he showcases the breadth of Alabama's musical talent through the profiles and stories of its historic performers and innovators. From the "father of the blues," W.C. Handy, to Hank Williams, the originator of modern country music, to folk music hero Odetta and everyone in between, this is an unprecedented compendium of Alabama's groundbreaking music makers.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, legendary artists like Aretha Franklin, the Rolling Stones, Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan traveled to North Alabama to record with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm section, also known as the Swampers. But Alabama hasn't just attracted musical stars with its talent--it also has a history of creating stars of its own. Join author and musician C.S. Fuqua as he showcases the breadth of Alabama's musical talent through the profiles and stories of its historic performers and innovators. From the "father of the blues," W.C. Handy, to Hank Williams, the originator of modern country music, to folk music hero Odetta and everyone in between, this is an unprecedented compendium of Alabama's groundbreaking music makers.

From the front man and lead singer/songwriter of Alabama--the biggest country music group of all time--comes an inspiring memoir of faith, family, and living the American dream.

Alabama has spawned a large wave of famous songwriters, singers and musicians. Here is a fascinating account of how the Shoals recording industry really started in a home garage, a bus station, and over a family drugstore.

This exploration of rock ’n’ roll music and culture in Birmingham, Alabama, is based on the oral histories of musicians, their fans and professionals in the popular music industry. Collected over a twenty-year period, their stories describe the coming of rock ’n’ roll in the 1950s, the rise of the garage bands in the 1960s, of southern rock in the 1970s, and of alternative music in the 1980s and 1990s. Told in the words of the musicians themselves, Magic City Nights provides an insider’s view of the dramatic changes in the business and status of popular music from the era of the vacuum tube to twenty-first-century digital technology. These collective memories offer a unique perspective on the impact of a subversive and racially integrated music culture in one of the most conservative and racially divided cities in the country.

In a state widely considered ground zero for civil rights struggles, Huntsville became an unlikely venue for racial reconciliation. Huntsvilles recently formed NASA station drew new residents from throughout the country, and across the world, to the Rocket City. This influx of fresh perspectives informed the citys youth. Soon, dozens of vibrant rock bands and soul groups, characteristic of the era but unique in Alabama, were formed. Set against the bitter backdrop of segregation, Huntsville musiciansblack and whitefound common ground in rock and soul music. Whether playing to desegregated audiences, in desegregated bands or both, Huntsville musicians were boldly moving forward, ushering in a new era. Through interviews with these musicians, local author Jane DeNeefe recounts this unique and important chapter in Huntsvilles history.

Focuses on the lives and careers of the successful band's four members, examining how their work has contributed to the increasing popularity of country music.

Music Fell on Alabama is the story of the Muscle Shoals, Alabama, music industry, which began with Rick Hall's single Fame Studios and exploded to turn the Shoals into a thriving music hot spot. Competition and jealousy threatened to end the Shoals' story before it began, as the area quickly began attracting the attention of a who's who of stars, including Bob Seger, Cher, the Osmonds, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, and Lynard Skynard. This Edition of Music Fell on Alabama includes the Stars Who've Risen guide to the modern music legends of Alabama, as well as a new epilogue by author C.S. Fuqua.