journalist's perspective. In the mid-70s, on the advice of my good friend Johnny Wyker, I decided to change careers, which required a change in how I viewed the industry. As a journalist I concentrated on Who, What, When, Where and How. As I shifted gears, I concentrated on solving problems that arose
The worst moment was when Beckett told
me he was moving to Nashville. We had an apartment there in 1983, and I learned very quickly that I wouldn't thrive under those cir- cumstances. He asked me if I was going with him, and I told him, "I would rather starve than move to Nashville." I spent the next cou- ple of years proving that statement.
Dick Cooper, Bob Dylan, Terry Young, Regina Havis, Mona LisaYoung and Clyde King recording in the Shoals. (Photo courtesy Dick Cooper)
during performances, recordings, songwriting sessions and the events leading up to them. Since my first job in the industry as road manager for LeBlanc-Carr I have earned my keep by keeping things working.
Which is the most interesting period in your life? Which was the best and worst moment of your career? Working as production assistant for Barry Beckett, Oct 20, 1978 to May 15, 1984, was unquestionably the greatest time in my life. Barry was a wonderful person to work with. He was an exceptionally talented musician and the greatest boss I ever had. We also got to work with some very talented artists, but most importantly to me, was the opportunity to work with Jerry Wexler. Wexler was one of the people who created the music industry as we knew it at that time. Beckett and Wexler are the sources of my success in the business.
Why do you think that the Muscle Shoals and FAME Stu- dios continue to generate such a devoted following? We always make good music. It doesn't matter what style of music it is, Music made in Muscle Shoals is good. A big part of this is the overall music community and the language of music which they speak. It is a broad based commu- nity with roots in all styles of music. Unlike most places Muscle Shoals has historically been an area that ignored conventional
prejudices. In 1963, while Eugene "Bull" Connor was
ordering the Birmingham Police to assault Civil Rights demonstrators, 125 miles away Rick Hall was recording a Black artist, Jimmy Hughes, with an all white band. It was polar opposites. In Birmingham you had the exam- ple of how bad life can be when people are di- vided over superficial issues. In Muscle Shoals you had the example of what can be accomplished when we work together, and each brings his intrinsic talent into the mix.
What are the best jams you ever saw and what are some of the most memo- rable gigs? Well, I really haven't witnessed that many "jams." As Jimmy Johnson says, "Jimmy don't jam," and in the studio music is too im- portant to do much jamming. I guess the best impromptu music I've witnessed is at the par-
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