In honor of Wilson's career, here's a look back at a recording Pickett made in 1968 of a classic song originally issued by The Beatles. Simultaneously, Hall taught them the ins and outs of studio recording sessions. June/July 2016. illustration: Tim Bower. The Beatles YouTube Channel Muscle Shoals was the setting for the recording of Janis Joplin by Stax Records. Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys recorded a solo project in March 2017. Hood recalled Johnson working with the band. After several . There's been so much amazing music made there. Another massive Beatles concert was held in Queens, New York, at Shea Stadium a year later. . In 1963, the Governor of Alabama, George Wallace, had stood in front of the Foster Auditorium at the University Of Alabama in a vain attempt to block the enrollment of black students. Rick Hall reportedly signed a $1 million deal with Capitol Records and offered his session players $10,000 each. In Muscle Shoals in 1967, the Queen of Soul recorded her first hit - despite swirling clouds of drink, jealousy and masculine competition David Taylor Sun 19 Aug 2018 02.00 EDT Last modified on . How do I submit material? Aretha Franklin had failed to make an impact in five years recording for CBS, so after the label dropped her, Wexler snapped her up and took her to Muscle Shoals in 1967. With Stephen Badger, Rick Hall, Aretha Franklin, Jerry Carrigan. Released: 1978. - The formula usually . [22] It is about Muscle Shoals sound, and features Rick Hall, FAME Studios, and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (Swampers) who had founded the Muscle Shoals Sound Studios. [8], The studio at 3614 Jackson Highway closed in April 1979, relocating to a larger updated facility in Sheffield located at 1000 Alabama Avenue. Lord they get me off so much Its worth remembering that this all took place against a backdrop of the civil-rights struggle, and blatant racial aggression. Despite the cancellation, the band was welcomed with enthusiasm in Birmingham, with a sold-out crowd of over 12,000 fans. The Muscle Shoals guys were immortalized in Lynyrd Skynyrds legendary single Sweet Home Alabama: Now Muscle Shoals has got The Swampers After rhythm guitarist Jimmy Johnson died in 2019 at 76 years old, bassist David Hood spoke with reporter Mike Wake for the websiteAlabama. Total war., From their point of view, the musicians had reached the end of their patience with the way Hall operated. We just kind of grew up like animals, he recalled. The Beatles have a long history with Alabama, having recorded in the historic Muscle Shoals Studios. When Hall returned to Muscle Shoals, it was with a determination to immerse himself in the business of making records. The Muscle Shoals Music Museum is a treasure trove of musical history located in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The Beatles, "Rubber Soul." . The studio remained afloat, thanks in part to session work for Stax Records. Tours: Monday-Friday 9 am and 4 pm; Saturday from 10 am-3 pm (tours every hour, last tour starts at 2 pm) Gift Shop. Required fields are marked *. In October of 1964, the band performed at the Odeon Cinema in Birmingham. "We all respected Jimmy so much, not just for his guitar playing but also for his production ideas," Hood said. When he was still a boy, his three-year-old brother died in a tragic accident after falling into a tub of scalding water as their mother was doing the washing in the backyard. After injuring his elbow in a horse-riding accident, Allman had turned to bottle-neck guitar playing in his reduced mobility. The Japanese Beatles Are Coming To Arkansas: Get Ready To Rock With The Iconic Band! Visitors can learn about the legendary Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, the musicians and producers who have contributed to the areas musical legacy, and the iconic songs that have been recorded here. Muscle Shoals Sound Studio opened in early 1969 by the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (also known as the Swampers) - David Hood on bass, Jimmy Johnson on rhythm guitar, Roger Hawkins on drums, and Barry Beckett on keys. The Black Keys recorded their Grammy-winning album Brothers at the MSS Studio in 2009. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The Rolling Stones had it, the Beatles had it and Muscle Shoals had it." Next came Aretha Franklin in 1967, who recorded "I Never Loved a Man" and "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man" at FAME. He was the engineer [on The Stones' Shoals sessions], so he guided them on all that.". !Thanks for Your Energy, Muscle Shoals-Musical tribute (NEW) Listen here: https://soundcloud.com/hillipsand/muscle-shoals, Your email address will not be published. It was a partnership that created a phenomenal run of hits. "You Better Move On" Arthur Alexander, Recorded at: Fame Studios Released: 1961 Songwriter: Arthur Alexander Producer:Rick Hall, Recorded at: Fame Studios Released: 1966 Songwriter: Chris Kenner Producer:Jerry Wexler, Rick Hall, Recorded at: Muscle Shoals Sound Studio Released: 1978 Songwriter: George Jackson, Thomas Jones Producer: Bob Seger, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, Recorded at: Fames Studios Released: 1968 Songwriter: Etta James, Ellington Jordan, Billy Foster Producer:Rick Hall, 14. Hall struck up a songwriting partnership with another local musician named Billy Sherrill when the pair played together in a band, and they began selling their songs to the likes of Brenda Lee and Roy Orbison. The album they created remains one of the greatest in soul music history. Muscle Shoals was in many ways the home of the blues, the home of rocknroll, and the home of soul music, even if the Alabama pioneers had to journey to the relatively more pluralistic city of Memphis, Tennessee, in order to bring the music they loved to a wider audience. Muscle Shoals, AL (Fame Studios) . Cher's sixth album was titled 3614 Jackson Highway (1969) and this became the informal name for the studio in 1969. "Mojo Man" Ghetto Fighters featuring Jimi Hendrix on guitar and available on 2013 Hendrix posthumous compilation "People, Hell and Angels" Recorded at Fame Studios. Add Review. They have sold millions of records, have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and have inspired generations of musicians. They had first worked together in 1967 and initially played sessions in New York and Nashville before doing so at FAME. In 1924, Wilson Dam was completed, destroying the hazardous shoals that gave the new town and its neighborhood its name. I couldnt believe it, Pickett told journalist Mark Jacobson. The list of albums recorded at Muscle Shoals is a testament to the studios versatility, providing a unique sound to a wide range of music. This was the beginning of FAME Music (FAME standing for Florence Alabama Music Enterprises). The dynamite title track went to No.10 on Billboard's R&B chart and, with Hall's production given the fuel injection of the Muscle Shoals Horn Section, it crossed over to No.23 pop. Despite the fact that Sam Cooke did not record A Change Is Gonna Come at Muscle Shoals, the song was made there. Thank you for inspiring me to learn more of the Studios and Muscle Shoals, and the life that breathes throughout the South, and those walls and leaky roof! Jimmy really believed in the things he worked on. APPLE CDS7464439. Jerry Wexlers Atlantic guaranteed them work for 18 months, but when he decided he wanted to move his soul music operation to Miami, and the Muscle Shoals players werent prepared to follow, that was the end of their relationship with Wexler. The album was recorded at Muscle Shoals and released just three days before the plane crash that tragically claimed the lives of three band members. The Beatles are one of the most iconic and influential bands of all time. Free U.S. shipping! There is no better place to experience the history and influence of Muscle Shoals music than at the Muscle Shoals Music Museum. Other popular songs they recorded in Muscle Shoals include The Ballad of John and Yoko, I Feel Fine, and Cant Buy Me Love. The Beatles also recorded a cover of Twist and Shout, which was a major hit for them. The show was a success, with the band playing many of their hits, including I Want to Hold Your Hand and She Loves You. Atlantic loaned us $19,000 to make the transition to eight-track, modify the console, and we owed $40,000 on the loans that Fred [Bevis, landlord] had gotten on the buildings and the improvements. 1966 ), and The White Album (the Beatles, 1968 ). Today, the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and the FAME Studio both continue to operate as working studios, as well as being popular tourist attractions, offering daily tours of the restored facilities. He took to the style instantly (Hall later remarked that hed never heard anybody play slide guitar like Duane). Hall called Jerry Wexler at Atlantic Records in New York and struck a deal (taking a share of the royalties as a finders fee). The Beatles. by Bruce Eder. As Johnson explained to Guralnick, We just built the business from clients Rick threw out the door. In 1973, Rick Hall was named producer of the year after records hed made topped the Billboard pop charts for an extraordinary 17 weeks. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. It really needed to be preserved.". Malaco used the Sheffield studios for its own artists, including Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Bland and Little Milton, as while continuing to operate its own facility in Jackson. When my brother was there gigging a couple of years ago he was inspired by the river that sings and wrote this song called Set Me Down by the Singing River. Drummer Roger Hawkins told Modern Drummer Wexler then asked The Swampers to go to New York to record with Franklin, and they were all in. The band took advantage of being in blues territory to cut Fred McDowells You Gotta Move, before tackling their own Wild Horses. Richards testified to how effortlessly well the sessions went: I thought it was one of the easiest and rockin-est sessions that wed ever done. Of course, I lost five to ten million on that venture., The times were very much a-changing by now, however, and the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section decided that this was the right moment to tell Hall that they were going into business in direct competition with FAME. The original January 11th date was pushed back due to a blizzard, but they are now set to perform on March 14th. The Yuchi Indians called the Tennessee the river that sings. Legend told of a woman who lived in the river and sang songs that protected her people. But when they took a break and stepped out of the studio, racism hung on every corner. Among the more recent artists to record in Muscle Shoals are Drive-By . Ive only just discovered your work, Paul, and am reading all your other articles with relish. What Atlantic subsidiary recording studio did The Rolling Stones record at in the early 1970s? In July 2016, Cobb took residency of RCA Studio A on Nashville's Music Row. But the playing was light and loose, the songs melodic and full of stories. Stax and Muscle Shoals had a natural rivalry that only deepened when Atlantic Records abandoned Stax and began to send its artists to record in Muscle Shoals. Reviews. (And not MSSS' original and more famous 3614 Jefferson Hwy. In 2013, a documentary about the impact of the Muscle Shoals sound and its players highlighted the richness of the music made in this Podunk part of the country for decades, music that could be considered the soundtrack of American life in the 1960s and 1970s. The groundbreaking sound quality of the solid-state EMI TG12345 recording console left its . Johnson produced Lynyrd Skynyrd's first songs that later were released as "Skynyrd's First The Complete Muscle Shoals Album." "Quickness" album Bad Brains Parts of the LP were mixed at Muscle Shoals Sound. On the bank of the Tennessee River, about halfway between Memphis and Atlanta, lies the town of Muscle Shoals. In the recording studio, however, blacks and whites worked together blind to the color of each others skin. - Beatlemania, USA- cont'd Meet the Beatles - debut album in USA went to #1 one week after release and stayed 3 weeks all subsequent Beatles albums would go to #1 1964 - movie released - "Hard Day's Night . Now that I look back at what we did, in addition to being musicians, we were really arrangers as well. Twenty years later came an expanded version with eight extra tracks, rebranded as Skynyrd's First: The Complete Muscle Shoals Album. The scene cuts there, but in a . To Hall's surprise,shortly after the Aretha Franklin sessions, The Swampers left FAME to start their own recording studio. During Let It Bleeds sessions in March of that year, the already-legendary band began to develop and evolve their sound with the recording of Sister Morphine. Photo courtesy of Alabama Tourism Department, Percy Sledge - When A Man Loves A Woman (Live), Dub Music: Exploring The Genres Jamaican Origins, The Sinister Urge: How The Marriage Of Metal And Horror Terrified The World, Highway 61 Visited: A Road Trip Through The Birth Of The Blues, Strings Attached: How Symphonic Soul Scored Big In The 70s, Sound Escapes: From Eno To Einaudi The Story of Instrumental Music, Fight For Your Right: The Battle Over Music Censorship, Taking Notes: How Musical Nostalgia Creates Future Sounds, Come As You Are: The Story Behind The Nirvana Song, Glen Campbell, Shaggy, And Lil Wayne: Currently Trending Songs, Weighty In The Eighties: When Prog Rock Went Pop. Here's a look (and listen) at some lesser-known Muscle Shoals music . She recorded countless fantastic records in the . When A Man Loves A Woman forged a partnership between Hall and Wexler, with the might of the latters Atlantic Records label put behind Halls productions. I have had a feeling of something inside of me for all these years, didnt know what it was and now I get it,-it all makes sense and I feel itThanks to all of you for the Sound the Life and Groove, The Swampers Breathe! Fewer hangers-on, groupies, nightclubs and dealers equaled a greater focus on making music. In 2013, the Muscle Shoals Music Foundation, along with the monetary help of Beats Electronics owners Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, purchased the MSS Studio and finished restoring it to its former glory in 2017. Established in 1959, FAME was the first successful, professional recording studio in Alabama. . [24] The interior is reminiscent of the 1970s, with relevant recording equipment and paraphernalia. Hey Jude is the ninth studio album by soul singer Wilson Pickett, recorded at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and released in 1969. On March 10th, the band performed at Birminghams Hippodrome again. December 8, 1980, New York, New York . 18: 02: 00: By the 1990s, the small building where huge hits were created became dilapidated. Reportedly in declining health in recent months, Hall was 85. A year after the plane crash, MCA released a collection of Skynyrd's earliest recordings from sessions at Alabama's fabled Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, symbolically titled Skynyrd's First And Last. Admission charged. "Phases and Stages" album Willie Nelson Recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound. Muscle Shoals is a documentary that can be viewed on Netflix. "The financial support from Beats is a direct result of their film." (Blues-rock duo Black Keys' 2010 album "Brothers" was the last record cut in the Shoals to have a truly massive impact.) And most of the time, he was right," Hood said. Located at 3614 Jackson Highway, Muscle Shoals Sound is . "Mourning In The Morning" album Otis Rush featuring Duane Allman on guitar Recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound. This Beach Boys album inspired The Beatles to record Sgt. This is the most amazingly creative workshop atmosphere I've seen. Producer and music industry legend Rick Hall first brought musicians to the town with his FAME Recording Studio. leap 2025 grade 6 ela practice test. The '90s - The Editors of Rolling Stone 2010-10-26 "Nobody really suggested anything to play; we would interpret it. Skynyrd's First: The Complete Muscle Shoals Album: Lynyrd Skynyrd: 1971-1972 (Released 1978) "Gotta Serve Somebody" Bob Dylan: 1979 No. The song You Better Move On was released as the first single. Please scroll down to the right hand side of the blog for all articles posted within the past 24 hou This location operated until it was closed and sold in 1985 to Malaco Records, Tommy Couch's Jackson, Mississippi-based soul and blues label, which also bought the publishing rights held by the Muscle Shoals Sound. Explore. The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section partnered with Jerry Wexler, who provided start-up funding[5] to found Muscle Shoals Sound Studio at 3614 Jackson Highway in Sheffield. The Muscle ShoalsRhythm Section, also known as The Swampers, consisted of four men you've definitely heard but likely never heard of. Did Aretha record in Muscle Shoals? Dan Penn Producer: Dan Penn, Recorded at: Fame Studios Released: 1969 Songwriter: Clarence Carter, George Jackson Producer:Rick Hall, Recorded at: Muscle Shoals Sound Studio Released: 1971 Songwriter: Jimmy Cliff, Guilly Bright Producer:Guilly Bright, Recorded at: Fame Studios Released: 1968 Songwriter: John Lennon, Paul McCartney Producer: Rick Hall, Tom Dowd, 10. The Rolling Stones began their ascent to rock and roll success with the release of Sticky Fingers in 1971, cementing their status as a rock and roll powerhouse. how to remove stains from silicone spatula; mississauga rebels home arena; did the beatles record at muscle shoals. He remembered, One of the guys stopped me and said, Weve already made a deal with Jerry Wexler and he is going to build us a studio across town. The album's cover photo revealed the band and studio faade, a trendsetting . the Beatles, formerly called the Quarrymen or the Silver Beatles, byname Fab Four, British musical quartet and a global cynosure for the hopes and dreams of a generation that came of age in the 1960s. The original studio building on Jackson Highway, which had become an audio visual retailer and then an appliance store until 1999, changed ownership, the subsequent owner completing some renovations and retaining the old recording equipment, allowing for tours of the property. James was struck by Halls feel for the music: Rick Hall was actually the first white man that I had seen that had that kind of soul, that was an engineer and was soulful, you know?. 256-381-0801. https://soundcloud.com/tony-james-shevlin/set-me-down-by-the-singing-river Not only has the studio become an iconic spot for recording, but the albums that have been produced at Muscle Shoals have become classics and have inspired generations of musicians. Their first project was the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, which is now refurbished with much of the original instruments and made to look the way it did in The Swampers heyday. In December 1969, The Rolling Stones recorded three songs at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, including Brown Sugar, Wild Horses, and You Gotta Move, and while the tracks and live vocals for these songs are still unmistakably reminiscent of the areas classic country, blues, and R&B music, The iconic FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals have also been used by notable musicians such as Bob Dylan, B.B. The Muscle Shoals style fused hillbilly, blues, rocknroll, soul, country, and gospel, to create a sound that cherry-picked the best features of each to forge something new. "My Love is Chemical" Lou Reed Fame Publishingsongwriter Walt Aldridge penned this tune, which Reed recorded for the 1985 "White Nights" film soundtrack. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). It was during their years at FAME where Hall had brought Hood, Hawkins, Johnson, and Beckett on as session musicians that they werecredited for helpingAretha Franklin find her sound after years of struggling to earn commercial success. Wexler blamed Hall for the session breaking up, and swore to never set foot in Muscle Shoals again. Anthology 1. Rolling Stone magazine placed the album at number-2 on its list of the Best Albums of 2010 and "Everlasting Light" at number 11 on its list of the Best Singles of 2010. All that remained for the bad boys of rock n roll was to record an album that would reach number one in the U.S. [23], The building closed when major restoration work began in September 2015, and reopened as a finished tourist attraction operated by the Muscle Shoals Music Foundation on January 9, 2017. The 2013 documentary film "Muscle Shoals" cast a bright light on the North Alabama area's rich recording legacy, particularly from the mid-60s to late-70s. [9] In 2005, Couch decided to close the Malaco studio on Alabama Avenue because he was having difficulty competing with more technologically advanced studios. Cobb met singer-songwriter Anderson East at Nashville's legendary Bluebird Caf. GreatGreatarticle! The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Hall produced her hit 1968 album Tell Mama at Fame. In the 1960's, the soul sounds of Motown in Detroit were sweeping through the American pop music charts as an answer to the chart dominance of The Beatles and the rest . It was up to us to come up with the part. They pick me up when Im feeling blue, now how bout you? On January 30, 1969, the Beatles final performance took place on the roof of Apple Corps headquarters in London, England, forever changing the face of music. Producer: Bob Seger, Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Regarding The Rolling Stones in the Shoals in 1969. Aretha Franklin, George Michael, Wilson Pickett, Willie Nelson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Joe Cocker, Levon Helm, Paul Simon, Bob Seger, Tamiko Jones, and Cher were just a few of the famous musicians who made their mark there. Filmmaker Greg Camalier pays tribute to an Alabama city that holds a prominent place in music history. The first album very nearly didn't get made at all. A chance encounter with a young singer-songwriter called Arthur Alexander led to Halls first hit, You Better Move On, which made it to No.24 on Billboards Hot 100 in early 1962. The TG12345 was put to the test in Studio Two the following year on the Beatles' Abbey Road album. . And you have to have hits to keep recording. But Wexler saw to it that their new venture had a steady flow of talent through the door. Haha did the beatles record at muscle shoals. The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section was the first group of musicians to own a studio and to eventually run their own publishing and production companies. The new Capitol deal was worth a reported $1 million, but Johnson claimed that Hall was offering the musicians just $10,000 each per year despite each having earned almost double that amount the year before. The museum celebrates the rich musical heritage of the Muscle Shoals area and features a variety of exhibits and artifacts that tell the story of the areas musical history. Not long after George Michael died on Christmas Day, a mid-80s photo of the British pop singer in Muscle Shoals began circulating on social media. According to The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio website, from 1969 to 1978 alone, The Swampers played on more than 200 albums and had hundreds of hit songs with artists including Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, the Staples Sisters, Willie Nelson, and Cat Stevens, just to name a few.More than 75 RIAA Gold and Platinum records came out of their studio. [13] The album was nominated for a 2011 Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album. Born William Royce Scaggs in Canton, Ohio on June 8, 1944, he grew up in Oklahoma and Texas, where he spent his teenage years immersed in the blues, R&B and early rock 'n' roll. . They provided musical backing and arrangements for many recordings, including major hits by Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, and the Staple Singers; a wide range of artists in popular music also recorded hit songs and complete albums at the studio. Native Americans were the first to recognize the musical quality of the Tennessee River as it flows through the northwest corner of Alabama near Muscle Shoals. The sleepy town of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, would become the unlikely destination for Americas greatest recording artists, churning out classic hits like Percy Sledges When A Man Loves a Woman; I Never Loved A Man by Aretha Franklin; Brown Sugar by The Rolling Stones; and Ill Take You There by The Staple Singers. Songwriter: George Jackson, Thomas Jones. Men and birds alike fish in the river, as the sun beats down on the swampland where alligators wait. . Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama has produced some of the most magnificent recordings of all time. 24 1980 Grammy winner Pleasure and Pain: Dr. Hook: 1978 No. And deceptively simple sonic sorcery. . Issued in standard jewel case with black tray and a 16-page booklet. I dont think weve been quite so prolific ever. The album cover features a photo of the building, with the title of the album . From the first time I ever touched a bass, he encouraged me. the Beatles. bridesmaid pajama sets plus size; bryan trottier, md; cadbury canada contest The two ended up making East's record, Delilah, which was recorded at legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals. "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" Aretha Franklin, Recorded at: Fame Studios Released: 1967 Songwriter: Ronnie Shannon Producer:Jerry Wexler, Recorded at: Muscle Shoals Sound Studios Released: 1972 Songwriter: Al Bell Producer: Al Bell, Recorded at: Fame Studios Released: 1966 Songwriter: Mack Rice Producer:Jerry Wexler, 2. Over the years, artists who recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio included The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Duane Allman, George Michael, Wilson Pickett, Willie Nelson, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Joe Cocker, Levon Helm, Paul Simon, Bob Seger, Rod Stewart, Tamiko Jones, Cher and Cat Stevens. "Shootout At The Fantasy Factory" album Traffic Featured Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section (aka The Swampers) musicians David Hood (bass) and Roger Hawkins (drums). All rights reserved (About Us). FLORENCE The Muscle Shoals Meets the Beatles concert event is set for Saturday at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center. A Hammond organ, Wurlitzer electric piano and black baby grand. She signed her first recording contract at age 45. But it was in leaving Muscle Shoals for the bright lights of the live circuit that they discovered quite how much they valued their sweet life at home in Alabama. According to The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio website, from 1969 to 1978 alone, The Swampers played on more than 200 albums and had hundreds of hit songs with artists including Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, the Staples Sisters, Willie Nelson, and Cat Stevens, just to name a few. . That was a scary time, Johnson recalled with not a little understatement. Filmmaker Greg Camalier premiered his documentary film Muscle Shoals at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2013. The legendary Muscle Shoals studio defined the sound of Southern soul before becoming one of the go-to studios for the biggest names in music. Why were so many people able to make great records there? With their first album, I Want to Hold Your Hand, in 1963, The Beatles made their name known as the first of many to come, and the song set off Beatlemania, according to producer George Martin, at the apex of Phase One of the Beatles development. By geography alone, the city of Muscle Shoals, Alabama is small (population 13,000) compared to New York, Los Angeles, Detroit or Nashville.Musically, however, it has a rich history that rivals .