Allstars, and Jay had kindly agreed to be my guest at my book signing that night. It’s what I call “The Johnson Magic.” (Not to be con- fused with Magic Johnson.) These guys have more talent than all of the folks on The Voice and American Idol combined. Cooper, Jimmy, Rick and I made our way
down the hall to Studio-B, where we contin- ued to listen to Jimmy’s history lesson. I was hanging on every word. After we bid farewell to Jimmy, Cooper led
the convoy and we drove over to 3614 Jack- son Highway, where we visited Muscle Shoals Sound. Now, last time I was here, it was under different ownership and wasn’t really a tourist attraction. It is now. You must pay the nominal fee of five bucks to walk past the plethora of t-shirts, hats, posters and memo- rabilia for sale, into the studio proper. Talk about ghosts of rock and roll past! The Rolling Stones recorded Sticky Fingers in this tiny room. Bob Seger did a bunch of albums, as did Rod Stewart, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon… the list goes on. Rick was snapping pictures and my mind was reeling, just pictur- ing the magic. Apparently, the magic isn’t over. I hear they are planning to re-open for recording. What I wouldn’t give to record a few sides in that place! Next on our loose agenda was a trip to The
Alabama Music Hall of Fame. I had visited the museum several times in the past, but never like his. With historian and museum curator Cooper leading the way, we got a real, fact-filled tour. I was trying to commit as many facts as possible to memory, and I do believe I retained a few of them. It was all re- ally interesting to me. I love that kind of stuff. Of course, my heart lies with the displays on Southern Rock artists, with all things Muscle Shoals running a close second. The museum is packed with great items from everyone from Otis Redding to Wet Willie, Jerry Wexler, the Muscle Shoals Swampers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Lionel Richie, Alabama, and Hank Williams. The Alabama Music Hall of Fame is
FScott Boyer, Buffalo, Jay Johnson and Dick Cooper in Muscle Shoals.(Photo by Rick Cash)
one of the nicest museums I have ever been in.
By the time our personal tour was finished
we had less than an hour to get to the book- store for my signing. We ran back to the Mar- riott and I changed shirts, grabbed a fist full of Rebel Yell bookmarks and headed toward Coldwater Books in Tuscumbia, not far from the Hall of fame. Coldwater Books is huge. It is a beautiful
store, filled with books of every kind, gifts and more. They have a coffee shop, and the sweet young lady who greeted us when we arrived hooked me up with a fine cup of coffee. I greeted my very special guests: Scott Boyer (Cowboy, The Decoys); Jay Johnson (Skinny Molly, The Rossington Band, Black- foot, Southern Rock Allstars); and Dick Cooper (Curator of The Alabama Music Hall of Fame, world class writer and photogra- pher, former road manager of Drive By Truckers, etc). We were all locked and loaded, but unfortunately, we didn’t get but a handful of folks at the event. We did, how- ever, have a good time talking music and nos- talgic stories. I don’t want top make light of the folks who did come out. You guys know I appreciate you! The whole Muscle Shoals trip was a large
time. On Thursday, March 26th I had a truly special night at Fiction Addiction in
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