#fame studios

[kdo-three]

Wilson Pickett - Mustang Sally (1966) Sir Mack Rice from: "Mustang Sally" / "Three Time Loser" (Single) "The Wicked Pickett" (LP)

Rhythm and Blues | Soul | Southern Soul (…widely considered a cornerstone of Southern Soul)

FLAC File @Archive (left click = play) (608kbps) (Size: 13.4MB)

MP3 File SnuhFiles (left click = play) (320kbps)

Personnel: Wilson Pickett: Lead Vocals The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section: (also known as "The Swampers") Chips Moman: Lead Guitar Jimmy Johnson: Rhythm Guitar Spooner Oldham: Keyboards: Organ / Piano Bass: Tommy Cogbill: Bass Roger Hawkins: Drums

Horns: Gene "Bowlegs" Miller: Trumpet Charlie Chalmers / Gilbert Caples / Eddie Logan: Tenor Saxophones Floyd Newman: Baritone Saxophone

The Sweet Inspirations: Backing Vocals Cissy Houston Sylvia Shemwell Myrna Smith Estelle Brown

Produced by Jerry Wexler / Rick Hall

Recorded: @ FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama USA during a three-day session between October 12th and 14th, 1966

Single Released: on November 4, 1966 Album Released: January, 1967 Atlantic Records

[twixnmix]

Etta James recording at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama circa 1967.

[nofatclips]

Renegade by Dylan LeBlanc, live at FAME Studios - Director: Alysse Gafkjen

[gregorygalloway]

Roe “Rick” Hall (31 January 1932 – 2 January 2018)

[chrisgoesrock]

Etta James at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala., in 1967

[eric-winnert]

From the documentary film Muscle Shoals

1. Rick Hall

2. Clarence Carter

3. Wilson Picket

4. Percy Sledge

[magneticsouth1966]

Visited Fame Studios today

[vinylspinning]

Wilson Pickett: The Exciting Wilson Pickett (1966)

“Exciting” doesn’t describe the half of it: Wilson Pickett was a force of nature!

And when Atlantic Records bosses Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler shipped Wilson down to Memphis and Muscle Shoals to work with the crews at Stax and Fame Studios, respectively, the term “fireworks” also can’t do the music they delivered proper justice.

1966’s The Exciting Wilson Picket was one of three long players issued in quick succession to compile singles from this golden era of Pickett’s career and soul music, in general, and -- let me tell you -- there was very little “filler” to be found amongst the “killer.”

Powered by Pickett’s remarkable pipes (part James Brown, part Little Richard, but mostly Wilson), even lesser known sides like “Barefootin’,” “You’re So Fine,” and “I’m Drifting” go for the jugular; or else, the album’s sole ballad, “It’s All Over,” aims for the ladies’ hearts (and panties).

And you want hits?

Then let’s start with the iconic, kinetic “Land of 1,000 Dances,” the undoubtedly catchy “634-5789” (never one of my favorites, but a chart topper in its own right), and the similarly numerical “Ninety-Nine and a Half,” with its sensual, laid-back groove and the coolest breakdown you ever heard.

Finally, there’s that historic monument of soul, “In the Midnight Hour,” which was notably co-written by Pickett and Stax guitarist Steve Cropper at Memphis’ historic Lorraine Motel (several years before Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination there), and features numerous Cropper associates, including fellow M.G.’s ’s Donald ’Duck’ Dunn on bass and Al Jackson on drums.

Rhythm & blues really doesn’t get any better than this -- all hail Wilson Pickett!

p.s. -- Pictured above: Wicked Pickett backed up in May of 1966 by a young guitarist named James Marshall Hendrix, soon to depart the Chitlin’ Circuit for good, bound for England and immortality.

More Wilson Pickett: The Wicked Pickett.