Visit FAME Studios & Muscle Shoals Sound from the UK

FAME Studios, at 603 East Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, at 3614 Jackson Highway in nearby Sheffield, are two small buildings in a small town on the Tennessee River. Between them, they gave the world Aretha Franklin's "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)", Wilson Pickett's "Mustang Sally" and the Rolling Stones' "Wild Horses". For music fans from the UK, they are among the most special places you can stand.

At Travelling Time we have been taking music lovers to the Deep South for nearly 30 years, and a visit to FAME and/or Muscle Shoals Sound is part of nine of our escorted tours. This guide tells the story of the two studios, explains how UK visitors can get there, and shows you which of our tours include them.

The story of FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound

The story starts with Rick Hall. In 1959 he helped set up FAME, short for Florence Alabama Music Enterprises, in Florence, Alabama. The business soon moved to nearby Muscle Shoals. In 1961 singer Arthur Alexander recorded "You Better Move On", the first big hit from the area, and Hall used the proceeds to build the studio on Avalon Avenue that still stands today.

The hits kept coming. Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler brought Wilson Pickett to FAME, where he recorded "Land of 1000 Dances" and "Mustang Sally". In January 1967 Wexler brought Aretha Franklin there too. With the studio's house band, the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, she recorded "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)". The session ended early after a disagreement and the rest of the album was finished in New York, but Aretha later credited Rick Hall with the turning point in her career. Etta James also made "Tell Mama" at FAME, and in 1968 a young guitarist called Duane Allman camped out in the car park to be near the sessions. Before long he was playing lead guitar on Wilson Pickett's version of "Hey Jude".

Just down the road in Sheffield, Percy Sledge recorded "When a Man Loves a Woman" in 1966. It went to number one in America and helped put the whole area on the map.

That house band was the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, better known as the Swampers: Barry Beckett on keyboards, Jimmy Johnson on guitar, Roger Hawkins on drums and David Hood on bass. In 1969 the four of them left FAME and opened their own place, Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, at 3614 Jackson Highway. The building had been a coffin showroom. Jerry Wexler helped them get started, and the first release was Cher's album 3614 Jackson Highway, named after the address.

Word travelled fast. In December 1969 the Rolling Stones spent three days there and recorded "Brown Sugar", "Wild Horses" and "You Gotta Move" for their album Sticky Fingers. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Paul Simon, Bob Seger, Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Cat Stevens and Willie Nelson are among the many other artists who recorded there. Skynyrd even gave the Swampers a mention in "Sweet Home Alabama": "Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers."

Today FAME is still a working recording studio and is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places. The original Muscle Shoals Sound building was restored by a non-profit, the Muscle Shoals Music Foundation, and reopened to visitors in January 2017. Interest in the restoration was boosted by the 2013 documentary Muscle Shoals, which tells the story of Rick Hall, FAME and the Swampers and is well worth watching before you go.

How UK visitors can visit

Muscle Shoals is in the north-west corner of Alabama, on the Tennessee River. UK visitors usually reach the area by a connecting flight through a major US hub. Nashville, Huntsville and Birmingham are among the airports within driving distance.

You can plan a visit yourself, arranging your own transport and tickets. Both studios run their own tours, so it is a good idea to check their official websites for current tour times and booking details before you go: famestudios.com for FAME, and muscleshoalssoundstudio.org for Muscle Shoals Sound. Or you can join one of our escorted tours, where the studio visits are already part of the itinerary and the travelling between cities is taken care of. Most of our tours pair Muscle Shoals with Nashville, and several continue on to Memphis. A friendly tour manager and a coach full of fellow music lovers make it a real pleasure.

Visit FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound with Travelling Time

These Travelling Time escorted tours all include a visit to FAME Studios and/or Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Each tour page shows exactly what is on each day.

Music Cities - Southern Style: 14 nights. New Orleans, Memphis, Muscle Shoals and Nashville, with 4 nights in Muscle Shoals. Includes both FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio on day 9. Next departure 25 May 2027.
Memphis, Mountains & Music Cities: 11 nights. Nashville, Muscle Shoals, Pigeon Forge and Memphis. Includes both FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio on day 6. Next departure 20 September 2027.
Mountains, Moonshine & Music City: 9 nights. Nashville, Pigeon Forge and Muscle Shoals, with Dollywood. Includes both FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio on day 6. Departures 20 September 2027 and 29 September 2027.
Southern Style: 12 nights. Nashville, Muscle Shoals and Memphis, with a visit to Elvis's birthplace in Tupelo. Includes both FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio on day 8. New dates coming soon. Register your interest on the tour page.
Meet The Music Makers: 10 nights. Nashville and Muscle Shoals, with 4 nights in Muscle Shoals. Includes both FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio on day 8. New dates coming soon. Register your interest on the tour page.
Country, Capitals, Jack & Coke: 10 nights. Atlanta, Macon, Birmingham, Muscle Shoals and Nashville. Includes both FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio on day 7. New dates coming soon. Register your interest on the tour page.
Music 'N' Motion: 10 nights. Nashville and Muscle Shoals, with 4 nights in Muscle Shoals and plenty of live music and dancing. Includes both FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, with your Muscle Shoals music day on day 8. New dates coming soon. Register your interest on the tour page.
Soundtrack of the South: 13 nights. New Orleans, Orange Beach, Muscle Shoals, Memphis and Nashville. Includes Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, with your Muscle Shoals music day on day 7. New dates coming soon. Register your interest on the tour page.
The Ultimate American Music Tour: 15 nights. Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Louisville, Memphis, Muscle Shoals and Nashville. Includes FAME Studios, with your studio day in Muscle Shoals on day 10. New dates coming soon. Register your interest on the tour page.

Prefer to talk it through? Call us on 01738 643 737 or email info@travellingtime.co.uk. Arrive as a guest, leave as a friend.

While you are in the area

Alabama Music Hall of Fame: in Tuscumbia, celebrating the musical heritage of the whole state. It is part of the itinerary on all nine of the tours above.
Tupelo, Mississippi: Elvis's birthplace, visited as a day trip on Music Cities - Southern Style, Southern Style, Meet The Music Makers, Music 'N' Motion, Soundtrack of the South and The Ultimate American Music Tour. Read our Graceland guide and our guide to where Elvis recorded in Memphis to see the rest of the Elvis story.
Rattlesnake Saloon: food and live music in Tuscumbia, an evening out on many of our Muscle Shoals itineraries.
More reading: Muscle Shoals vs Nashville, Top 10 Music Landmarks in Muscle Shoals and The Ultimate Deep South Music Road Trip.

Frequently asked questions

Can I visit FAME Studios from the UK?

Yes. Muscle Shoals is usually reached from the UK by a connecting flight through a major US hub, followed by a drive. FAME is a working studio that also runs its own tours, so you can arrange a visit yourself, or join one of our escorted tours, where the visit is already part of the itinerary and the travel between cities is taken care of.

Is Muscle Shoals worth visiting?

If you love soul, rock and the stories behind great records, we think so. Muscle Shoals is a small, friendly town rather than a big attraction, and that is part of its charm. You can stand in the rooms where Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and the Rolling Stones made music, and the stories land even better with a guide who knows them.

Which Travelling Time tours include FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound?

Nine of our escorted tours include a studio visit: Music Cities - Southern Style, Memphis, Mountains & Music Cities, Mountains, Moonshine & Music City, Southern Style, Meet The Music Makers, Country, Capitals, Jack & Coke and Music 'N' Motion (all FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound), Soundtrack of the South (Muscle Shoals Sound) and The Ultimate American Music Tour (FAME). Details of each are in the list above.

Are flights included?

No. Our escorted tours are tour-only, so flights are not included. We can book flights for you as an extra, or you are welcome to arrange your own.

How big are the groups?

Our escorted tours typically have 20 to 30 guests, and can run with as few as 8. The maximum is 50. Private groups can be any size.

Is my money protected?

Yes. Travelling Time is a Member of Protected Trust Services (6332) and as such all your travel arrangements are 100% financially protected. All of our air holidays and flights are protected by the Civil Aviation Authority (ATOL 7516).

If you would rather travel independently, our bespoke Fly Drive Plus itineraries can also take in Muscle Shoals.