Historic Muscle Shoals Studio Shuts Down
 

I know there's a lot of classic rock fans around here...

Historic Muscle Shoals Studio Shuts Down

02/25/2005 4:19 PM, AP


The end has come for the historic Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, where classic records were made by the likes of Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan , the Rolling Stones and Paul Simon .

A local film production company is in the process of purchasing the 30,000-square-foot facility, said Tommy Couch, president of Malaco Music Group, the record label and publishing company that has owned the studio since 1985.

The last recordings were made in December; the studio closed down in January.

Couch said Malaco tried selling the facility as a recording studio for more than a year and a half, but couldn't find a buyer.

The original Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section was composed of guitarist Jimmy Johnson, keyboardist Barry Beckett, drummer Roger Hawkins and bassist David Hood. They opened their studio in 1969, and moved to the current site nine years later.

Couch said the label has not yet decided what will become of the studio's gold and platinum records and other memorabilia. "There's a lot of history there, that's for sure ? and nobody likes to see it come to an end," he said.

The production company, Cypress Moon, plans to modify the studio to accommodate a wide array of movie and music projects. Malaco sold its 24-track recording consoles to a separate buyer.

"Our focus will be on film and video production, but we'll be equipped for audio recording," said filmmaker Tonya Holly, the company's president and founder. "You could still cut an album down there."