The Swampers
The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section is a group of American session musicians based in the northern Alabama town of Muscle Shoals. One of the most prominent American studio house bands from the 1960s to the 1980s, these musicians, individually or as a group, have been associated with more than 500 recordings, including 75 gold and platinum hits. They were masters at creating a southern combination of R&B, soul and country music known as the "Muscle Shoals sound" to back up black artists, who were often in disbelief to learn that the studio musicians were white. From 1962 to 1969, two groups used the name "Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section", both associated with Rick Hall at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals.
The original group hired by Hall in the early 1960s was Norbert Putnam, David Briggs, and Jerry Carrigan, who created hit records that brought recognition and stature to this unknown and out-of-the-way studio. Courted by Nashville studios, Putnam, Briggs, and Carrigan left Muscle Shoals to pursue independent careers.
To replace them, Hall hired Barry Beckett, Roger Hawkins, David Hood and Jimmy Johnson, who were initially called "the Second FAME Gang" but became widely known as "The Swampers". The Swampers recorded, produced, or engineered hits by Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Leon Russell, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rod Stewart, Bob Seger and the Staple Singers. The Swampers were the subject of the 2013 documentary film Muscle Shoals, winner of the 2013 Boulder International Film Festival Grand Prize. They were mentioned by name in the lyrics of "Sweet Home Alabama" (1974) by Lynyrd Skynyrd and appear on the cover of Cher's 1969 album 3614 Jackson Highway.
Aretha Franklin recorded her 1967 hit "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" at FAME, with the Swampers providing the accompaniment. After Franklin's husband Ted White started an altercation, producer Jerry Wexler decided to continue recording the LP in New York, again using the Swampers. The group also accompanied Franklin on other albums, such as Lady Soul, Aretha Arrives, Aretha Now and This Girl's in Love with You.
In 1969, the Swampers parted ways with FAME Studios and founded Muscle Shoals Sound Studios. Hall founded a third FAME rhythm section: Freeman Brown (drums), Jesse Boyce (bass), Junior Lowe (guitar), Clayton Ivey (keyboard) and a four-man brass section. They were a blend of African American and white, and sometimes they were called the FAME Gang.
In 2008, the original FAME group and the Swampers were inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame and into the Musicians Hall of Fame.
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