In 1969, Johnson and the rest of the rhythm section left FAME and founded Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, located at 3614 Jackson Highway (and later at 1000 Alabama Avenue) in Sheffield. During the studio's first year, Johnson engineered the Rolling Stones' hits “Brown Sugar” and “Wild Horses.” Throughout the 1970s, Johnson and his partners played on numerous hits for artists including Bob Seger, Paul Simon, the Staple Singers, Willie Nelson and Rod Stewart. Leon Russell dubbed the rhythm section the “Swampers,” a name under which they were later immortalized in Lynyrd Skynyrd's 1974 hit “Sweet Home Alabama.” Johnson and the rest of the Swampers were inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1995.