Muscle Shoals, Alabama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Muscle Shoals
City
Flag Seal
Location of Muscle Shoals in Colbert County, Alabama
Country	United States
State	Alabama
County	Colbert
Established	April 23, 1923
Incorporated	April 24, 1923
Government
• Type	Mayor/Council
Area
• City	16.82 sq mi (43.57 km2)
• Land	16.80 sq mi (43.52 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation	525 ft (160 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	16,275
• Density	968.58/sq mi (373.96/km2)
• Metro	147,317 (US: 281st)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central Time Zone)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP codes	35660(obsolete), 35661, 35662
Area codes	256, 938
FIPS code	01-53016
GNIS feature ID	2404345

Muscle Shoals is the biggest city in Colbert County, Alabama, USA. It's found on the left bank of the Tennessee River in northern Alabama. In 2010, about 13,146 people lived there. By 2019, the number grew to an estimated 14,575.

The city and the larger area around it, including Florence, are often called "The Shoals". The Northwest Alabama Regional Airport is right here in Muscle Shoals, serving the whole Shoals area.

Because of its great spot along the Tennessee River, Muscle Shoals was important to Native Americans for a long time. Later, in the late 1700s and early 1800s, it became a place of big land arguments as more Europeans arrived.

During the Great Depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt started the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). This project built dams and brought electricity to many rural areas. The Ford Motor Company also had a factory nearby for many years. It closed in 1982.

Since the 1960s, Muscle Shoals has been famous for its music. Local studios like FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio helped create the unique "Muscle Shoals Sound".

What's in a Name?

There are a few ideas about how Muscle Shoals got its name. One story says it came from a shallow part of the Tennessee River. Here, people used to gather mussels, which are shellfish. Early settlers spelled "mussel" as "muscle," leading to the name "Muscle Shoals."

The Cherokee people, who lived here, called this place ᏓᎫᎾᏱ (Dagunahi). This means "the place of clams or mussels."

A Look Back at History

This area along the river was very important to Native American groups for thousands of years. Muscle Shoals was part of the Cherokee hunting grounds. In the early 1700s, the French even had a trading post here.

In 1783, some important people from North Carolina tried to start a colony at Muscle Shoals. After the American Revolutionary War, the Cherokee were divided. Some fought against American settlers who were moving onto their land. A group called the Chickamauga Cherokee claimed Muscle Shoals as their territory. They strongly resisted when Anglo-Americans tried to settle there in the 1780s and 1790s.

The Upper Creek people, who lived in Alabama, also didn't want Europeans or Americans in the area. In 1790, President George Washington sent a group to build a fort here. But a combined group of Chickamauga and Creek people attacked them, and the plan was stopped.

American settlers kept wanting control of this region. It was a great spot because it led to good land for growing cotton. Finally, after the War of 1812, American officials took control. President Andrew Jackson later used Muscle Shoals as a place to move the Upper Creek people to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). This was part of the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

During World War I, President Woodrow Wilson approved building a dam on the Tennessee River. This dam would help power factories making materials for weapons. The dam, called Wilson Dam, was finished in 1924.

In 1922, Henry Ford, who made cars, tried to buy the dam and factories. He wanted to use the dam's power to help the public. But Congress didn't agree with his ideas for how to pay for it.

The plan to develop the area with hydroelectric power didn't really take off until the Great Depression. Then, President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) in 1933. The TVA built important structures and brought electricity to many rural homes using power from the dam.

The Sound of Muscle Shoals

Muscle Shoals is famous for its music. Two studios here have recorded many hit songs since the 1960s. These are FAME Studios, started by Rick Hall, and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, started by musicians known as The Swampers.

Many famous artists recorded at FAME Studios, including Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Otis Redding. The Swampers worked with stars like Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Rod Stewart, and the Rolling Stones.

The city is also home to the country band Shenandoah. Many artists still come here to write and record music. Both FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio are still open today. They've recorded recent hits like "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood.

The original Muscle Shoals Sound Studios were at 3614 Jackson Highway in Sheffield. They moved in 1979 and closed in 2005. Today, the old Jackson Highway studio is a movie company that also offers tours and concerts.

Muscle Shoals helped mix different music styles. Black artists like Arthur Alexander used white country music sounds. White artists often used blues and gospel influences from their black friends. This created a special sound.

Sam Phillips, who started Sun Records, grew up here. He said that the local radio station, WLAY (AM), played both "white" and "black" music. This influenced him to mix these sounds with artists like Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.

Rolling Stone editor David Fricke said that if you wanted to hear the perfect "Muscle Shoals Sound," you should listen to "I'll Take You There" by The Staple Singers from 1972. When Paul Simon heard that song, he wanted to record with those musicians. He was surprised to learn he had to travel to Muscle Shoals. He recorded songs like "Kodachrome" there.

Bob Dylan also came to Muscle Shoals to record. He worked with producer Jerry Wexler at the studio. Dylan recorded two gospel albums here, Slow Train Coming (1979) and Saved (1980).

Even today, the music continues in Muscle Shoals. Artists like Jason Isbell and bands like Drive-By Truckers keep the legacy alive. Many famous musicians have homes nearby and sometimes perform in local clubs.

FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals

The nearby city of Florence is known as "the birthplace of the Blues." W. C. Handy, the "Father of the Blues," was born there. Every year, the W. C. Handy Music Festival celebrates blues, jazz, country, gospel, rock, and R&B music in the Shoals area.

In 2010, Muscle Shoals was added to the Mississippi Blues Trail. After FAME studio founder Rick Hall passed away in 2018, The New Yorker wrote that Muscle Shoals is amazing because a small town in Alabama became a center for progressive, mixed rhythm and blues music.

The Historic Jackson Highway Studio

The first location of Muscle Shoals Sound Studios at 3614 Jackson Highway in Sheffield is a historic site. It's been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2006.

A documentary film called Muscle Shoals (2013) made people more interested in restoring the old studio. A group called the Muscle Shoals Music Foundation was formed to raise money for this. A big donation of $1 million came from Beats Electronics, a company started by Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine.

The studio was closed for major restoration in 2015. It reopened as a tourist attraction on January 9, 2017. The inside looks like it did in the 1970s, with old recording equipment. The Alabama Tourism Department even named Muscle Shoals Sound Studio the state's top attraction in 2017!

Meet The Swampers

The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section were the amazing musicians who played on many hit songs. They were Pete Carr (lead guitar), Jimmy Johnson (rhythm guitar), Roger Hawkins (drums), David Hood (bass guitar), and Barry Beckett (keyboards).

They were nicknamed "The Swampers" by music producer Denny Cordell. He called them that because of their "funky, soulful Southern 'swamp' sound."

The band Lynyrd Skynyrd even mentioned The Swampers in their famous song "Sweet Home Alabama": "Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers / And they've been known to pick a song or two."

Geography and Climate

Muscle Shoals is on the south bank of the Tennessee River. The city covers about 40.3 square kilometers (15.6 square miles). Only a small part of this area is water.

Weather in Muscle Shoals

People of Muscle Shoals

Population in 2020

In 2020, there were 16,275 people living in Muscle Shoals. There were 5,371 households and 3,738 families.

Population in 2010

In 2010, Muscle Shoals had 13,146 people. The city had 5,321 households and 3,769 families. About 80.6% of the people were White, and 15.3% were Black or African American.

About 23.6% of the population was under 18 years old. The average age was 40.1 years. The average income for a household was about $48,134.

Schools in Muscle Shoals

The Muscle Shoals City School District has seven schools. Dr. Chad Holden is the Superintendent.

• Muscle Shoals High School
• Muscle Shoals Career Academy
• Muscle Shoals Middle School
• McBride Elementary School
• Highland Park Elementary School
• Webster Elementary School
• Howell Graves Preschool

Getting Around

The city has the Northwest Alabama Regional Airport. It's just one mile east of town and has commercial flights.

The Northwest Alabama Council of Local Governments (NACOLG) also offers transportation services. These services are called NACOLG Transit and serve the Shoals Area.

Muscle Shoals in Media

• Muscle Shoals (2013) is a documentary film. It's all about FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in the city. Greg 'Freddy' Camalier directed the film.

Famous People from Muscle Shoals

Many notable people have connections to Muscle Shoals:

• Jason Allen, a former NFL football player.
• Gary Baker, a country music singer and songwriter.
• Boyd Bennett, a rockabilly singer.
• Rece Davis, an ESPN sports commentator.
• Alecia Elliott, a country music singer.
• Donna Godchaux, a singer for the Grateful Dead.
• Dennis Homan, a former Dallas Cowboys football player.
• Patterson Hood, a singer-songwriter and co-founder of the Drive-By Truckers.
• Ozzie Newsome, a former NFL player and executive for the Baltimore Ravens.
• Gary Nichols, a country music singer.
• Michael "Nick" Nichols, a photographer.
• Leigh Tiffin, an American football placekicker.
• Chris Tompkins, a songwriter.
• Steve Trash, a magician.
• Kim Tribble, a country music songwriter.
• Rachel Wammack, a country music singer-songwriter.
• John Wyker, a musician.

See also

In Spanish: Muscle Shoals para niños