NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WHNT) – The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum will debut a new exhibition on Nov. 14.
‘Muscle Shoals: Low Rhythm Rising’, a three-year exhibition, will explore how the small Alabama town became a recording powerhouse in the 1960s and 1970s, shaping the sound of American popular music.
The 5,000-square-foot exhibit highlights the studios, musicians, and groundbreaking collaborations that defined the Muscle Shoals sound, a blend of R&B, country, and soul that drew artists from around the world. It also examines the cultural significance of musicians working together during an era of segregation.
“American music crossed lines in Muscle Shoals that weren’t supposed to be breached,” said Kyle Young, CEO of the museum. “This exhibit takes an expansive look at a sound that forever changed popular music.”
The exhibit will showcase rare instruments, stage wear, and memorabilia from artists who recorded in Muscle Shoals, including:
- Aretha Franklin’s piano, used during her career-defining 1967 session at FAME Studio.
- Duane Allman’s Fender Stratocaster, played while he was a session musician in the late ’60s.
- Wilson Pickett’s jumpsuit, worn on the cover of his 1971 greatest hits album.
- Mac Davis’s handwritten lyrics to his 1972 No. 1 hit “Baby Don’t Get Hooked on Me.”
- Pops Staples’ Fender Telecaster, used in The Last Waltz concert film.
Additional items include instruments from Rick Hall, Roger Hawkins, Mac McAnally, and Patterson Hood, along with outfits worn by Candi Staton and Dan Penn.
To celebrate the launch, the museum will host concerts and programs from Nov. 14–16:
- Opening Concert (Nov. 14, CMA Theater): A lineup featuring Tiera Kennedy, Bettye LaVette, Wendy Moten, Spooner Oldham, Dan Penn, Maggie Rose, Shenandoah, and John Paul White.
- Songwriter Session (Nov. 15): Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham share stories and songs.
- Panel Discussion (Nov. 15): Linda Hall, Clayton Ivey, and Candi Staton discuss their Muscle Shoals experiences.
- Musician Spotlight (Nov. 16): Mac McAnally reflects on his career and connections to Muscle Shoals.
Concert tickets go on sale Sept. 12, while other programs are included with museum admission.
Muscle Shoals remains musically active today, with artists like Jason Isbell, the Alabama Shakes, and the Drive-By Truckers continuing its tradition. Historic studios such as FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound still attract top acts including Chris Stapleton, Lana Del Rey, and the Black Keys.
The exhibition runs through 2028 at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville.
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