Timeline (1967-1972)
January 20, 1967: Otis Redding produces Arthur Conley's #2 hit "Sweet Soul Music" at FAME Studios.
January 24, 1967: Aretha Franklin's first and only Shoals recording session takes place at FAME, resulting in the #9 hit "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)."
February 14, 1967: Producer Jerry Wexler records Franklin's version of "Respect" in New York with Shoals musicians Roger Hawkins, Jimmy Johnson and Spooner Oldham.
October 1967: Etta James records the Top 40 hit "Tell Mama," written by Clarence Carter, at FAME.
August 1968: Quin Ivy moves his Quinvy Sound Studio (formerly known as Norala) to a larger, more modern facility at 1307 Broadway Street in Sheffield.
November 27, 1968: Wilson Pickett records his Top 40 cover version of the Beatles' "Hey Jude" at FAME, with Duane Allman playing lead guitar.
April 1, 1969: Former FAME musicians Barry Beckett, Roger Hawkins, David Hood and Jimmy Johnson open their own Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield.
April 21, 1969: Cher begins sessions for her 3614 Jackson Highway album at Muscle Shoals Sound.
August 19, 1969: R.B. Greaves records the #2 hit "Take a Letter Maria" at Muscle Shoals Sound.
November 1969: Capitol Records releases Bobbie Gentry's "Fancy," recorded at FAME and featuring Travis Wammack on lead guitar.
December 2-4, 1969: The Rolling Stones record "You Gotta Move," "Wild Horses" and the #1 hit "Brown Sugar" at Muscle Shoals Sound.
March 22, 1970: James Brown performs at the Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum.
May 1970: Ron Ballew opens Widget Sound Studio in Sheffield.
March 1971: Clayton Ivey (right) and Terry Woodford (left) form Wishbone Productions.
September 1971: The Staple Singers visit Muscle Shoals Sound to record the hits "Respect Yourself" and "I'll Take You There," the latter of which will earn the studio its first platinum sales award.
March 1, 1972: Mac Davis records his #1 hit "Baby Don't Get Hooked on Me" at FAME.
March-April 1972: The Swampers tour Europe with the English band Traffic.
July 29, 1972: Clarence Carter, George Jackson, Travis Wammack and the Fame Gang perform at the Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum.
December 1972: Paul Simon comes to Muscle Shoals Sound intending to record the song "Take Me to the Mardi Gras." He ends up recording a total of five tracks with the Swampers, including the Top 10 hits "Kodachrome" and "Loves Me Like a Rock."