Pickwick Lake to Florence, AL

Total Miles Traveled 3426

With the threat of possible storms moving through, we left our anchorage and arrived at the Florence Harbor Marina, Friday May 11^th.  We bypassed this stop during the loop last year, but made it a priority this year so we could visit the city across the river, Muscle Shoals.

Muscle Shoals is known for recording many hit songs from the 1960’s to today at two studios:  FAME Studios, founded by Rick Hall, and the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, founded by the musicians known as The Swampers.  The Swampers, a nickname given to The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, was a local group of first-call studio musicians, initially working at FAME and then at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios.

 Jerry Wexler and Willie Nelson

Original receipt for the Rolling Stones recording of "Wild Horses"

Just a sampling of the bands and artist that have recorded at the studios:  Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rolling Stones,   Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, Bob Seger, Wilson Pickett, Cher, The Staple Singers, Clarence Carter, Loue Rawls, Percy Sledge, The Osmonds, Candi Staton, Joe Cocker, Dire Straits, James Brown, Jimmy Buffett, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Steve Winwood, Allman Brothers, Carrie Underwood and many more.

The 2013 documentary “Muscle Shoals” tells the amazing story of the formation of the two recording studios and the mystical draw of artist all over the world.