Muscle Shoals music pioneer Rick Hall dies at 85
Sad news:
MUSCLE SHOALS — Hit record producer Rick Hall, the founder of FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals and the man responsible for the Muscle Shoals sound, died today at the age of 85 following a battle with cancer.
Hall died at his home in Muscle Shoals.
The music pioneer had been living in a local nursing home, but returned home before Christmas, Alabama Music Hall of Fame board member Judy Hood confirmed.
"It's a very, very sad day for Muscle Shoals and music in general," Hood said.
Hall rose from poverty in the Freedom Hills area of Franklin County to become a musician, then a studio owner, sound engineer, songwriter, record producer and shrewd businessman.
At FAME Recording Studios, Hall worked with soul and rhythm and blues artists like Arthur Alexander, Jimmy Hughes, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Clarence Carter and Otis Redding.
He later began working with mainstream pop artists like The Osmonds, Paul Anka and Tom Jones, then with country artists like Mac Davis, Jerry Reed, Barbara Mandrell, Shenandoah and Ronnie Milsap.
His life was the centerpiece of the award winning 2013 music documentary “Muscle Shoals.”
RIP
a great one
A legend and legend-maker. RIP
Sad to hear
Regards to family & friends
RIP, Mr. Rick Hall
the Muscle Shoals documentary was so well-done -- seeing the guys patch it up at the end etc. -- it shows how important it is to get someone's greatness out there for all to see, in the same fashion that Johnny Sandlin's Musical Oddysey did for him in print....
so glad I picked up the recent DVD by Terry Kath's daughter -- work like this helps bring attention to how great these musicians were
-- this DVD, also Galadrielle's book, are two tremendous projects that leave you feeling you know intimately both them and their dads
-- two daughters, in search of the famous guitar-god rock-star dads they never knew -- and they both look a lot like their dads too
Rick riding his tractor working the Alabama fields is one of the many great segments in the DVD -- RIP, bro
[Edited on 1/3/2018 by Stephen]
Mr. Hall could be a hard man-completely understandable both considering where he came from and the vultures like Jerry Wexler in the recording industry. But he had a good heart. I have a friend who's father died young. Rick Hall is part of the reason he was able to go to school and become successful in his field.
RIP, quite a story
RIP, Mr. Rick Hall
the Muscle Shoals documentary was so well-done -- seeing the guys patch it up at the end etc. -- it shows how important it is to get someone's greatness out there for all to see, in the same fashion that Johnny Sandlin's Musical Oddysey did for him in print....so glad I picked up the recent DVD by Terry Kath's daughter -- work like this helps bring attention to how great these musicians were
-- this DVD, also Galadrielle's book, are two tremendous projects that leave you feeling you know intimately both them and their dads
-- two daughters, in search of the famous guitar-god rock-star dads they never knew -- and they both look a lot like their dads too
Rick riding his tractor working the Alabama fields is one of the many great segments in the DVD -- RIP, bro[Edited on 1/3/2018 by Stephen]
For those who haven't seen the Muscle Shoals documentary, it is highly recommended...excellent!
Sad passing of a beloved pioneer. RIP
Another recommendation for the Muscle Shoals documentary to get to know the man, the difficult background of his early years, and his eventual successes.
Rest in peace, thank you for the wonderful music that you helped produce and create.
[Edited on 1/4/2018 by The_Newt]
