No’Ala Shoals, May/June 2016

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STARS FELL ON ALABAMA | THE BEAT GOES ON | NORBERT PUTNAM, HITMAKER

THE PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OF THE

SHOALS SOUND

Gary Nichols of theGrammy Award-WinningBand, Th e SteelDrivers


Serving the Shoals for 60 years! 801030

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10 May/June

featuresStars Fell on AlabamaEight of our most glamorous friends play dress up as eight of our most in uential style icons.photos by robert rauschintro by roy hall

Robert Rausch

62Th e FutureIs NowRebecca Ryan peers into her economic crystal ball for a glimpse into our local and national future. by allen tomlinson

34North Alabamas British InvasionTh e Shoals British Car Club shares its members sportiest rides.

by roy hallphotos by patrick hood

92

52Folks of FlorencePhotographer Abraham Rowe brings his popular Facebook series to print, with stories behind the friends you havent yet met.photos by abraham roweintro by roy hall

46Why Not Be a Place Where Stars Are Born?Grammy winner Gary Nichols discusses the future of the music industry, and how the Shoals can play a major part in it.by allen tomlinsonphotos by patrick hood

See page 116 for where to buy Cover photo by Patrick Hood

72Shindig8A Q&A with Billy Reid

by roy hallphotos by abraham rowe

noala advisory board

Jeremy Britten

Anne Bernauer

Vicki Goldston

Leslie Keys

Tera Wages

Ashley Winkle

11 editors letter Allen Tomlinson

New Beginnings. Cherished Traditions. Th e more things change, the more they stay the same. Or at least thats what they say.

Th ats our intent for this magazine. Beginning with this issue, Roy Hall begins his tenure as editor in chief of NoAla and NoAla Huntsville, replacing me and doing the job he pretty much has been doing for the past year or so anyway. You know Roy: hes the sharp, witty writer, the guy with the quick sense of humor and the eye for detail. For quite a while now, hes organized us and kept us in line, basically issuing marching orders for me, so its appropriate that he take the reins. Youll love him; we do.

For those of you who follow David Sims and me personally on Facebook, you know that we are relocating to the Paci c Northwest. David will continue to design the magazines from there, overseeing the creative work that comes from our agency and these publications. Th ats a cherished tradition that isnt changing; the new begin-ning is my role as director of marketing and communications for the Knight Cancer Institute in Portland, an organization with a billion dollars in the bank to invest in cancer research. Its a breathtaking challenge, one I could not pass up, although leav-ing the best spot in the world for the second best spot in the world has its bittersweet moments. Matt Liles, the president of NoAla Studios, has spent the last two years training to replace me on the agency side, and he has better marketing instincts than I have. Youll love him; we do.

Jamie Noles will continue to be the liai-son between the magazines and the cre-ative sta ; our stable of artists, writers, and creators remains intact. After all, the more things change, the more they re-main the same. Weve been so humbled by the response and support our com-munities have given these magazines, and our pledge is to continue to give you the very best glimpse into the lives of the people who make these communities so special. You might not see me as much, but that wont matter. What matters is that you live in a great spot, you have retailers who deserve your support, and everything moves toward good. Th ank you for being such a loyal supporter. We love you for that.

Allen TomlinsonPublisher

Matt Liles Roy Hall

Jamie Noles David Sims

68

MAY/JUNE 2016Volume 9: Issue 3

Publisher C. Allen Tomlinson

Editor-in-Chief Roy HallPresident Matthew Liles

Creative Director David SimsAdvertising Director Jamie Noles

Graphic Designer Rowan FinneganWeb Designer Justin Hall

Editorial Assistant Dylan AndrewsProofreader Carole MaynardDistribution Kathleen Bobo

Contributing Writers

Sara Wright Covington, Amy Greer CruceSarah Gaede, Roy Hall, Judy Hood,Nancy Sanford, Allen Tomlinson

Contributing Photographers

Patrick Hood, Robert Rausch, Abraham Rowe

Contributing IllustratorRowan Finnegan

NoAla is published six times annually by NoAla Studios PO Box 2530, Florence, AL 35630

Phone: (256) 766-4222 | Fax: (256) 766-4106Toll-free: (800) 779-4222 Web: noalastudios.com

Standard postage paid at Florence, AL.A one-year subscription is $19.95 for delivery in the United States.

Signed articles re ect only the views of the authorsand do not necessarily re ect the views of the editors.

Advertisers are solely responsible forthe content of their advertisements.

2008-2016 NoAla Studios, All rights reserved.

Send all correspondence toRoy Hall, Editor, at the postal address above,

or by e-mail to [email protected] may be edited for space and style.

To advertise, contact us at(256) 766-4222 or [email protected].

The editor will provide writers guidelines upon request.Prospective authors should not submit unsolicited

manuscripts; please query the editor rst.

NoAla is printed with vegetable-based inks.Please recycle.

Connect with us on Facebook: NoAla StudiosInstagram: noalastudios, Pinterest: NoAlaStudios,

and Twitter: @NoAla_Magazine

everything else

12 contents

Patrick Hood

14 Calendar Selected Events for May/June 2016

16 Cryin Out LoudTh e Princess and the Peanut Butterby sara wright covington

20 Kudosby roy hall

22 Market by jamie noles photos by patrick hood

30 Rootsby nancy sanford,

florence-lauderdale public library

108 A Favor for Eleanor Chapter Six: Billy Two

amy greer cruce illustrations by rowan finnegan

114 Food for Th oughtLight and Springyby sarah gaede

118 Parting Shot by robert rausch

76In the Beginning:Before FAME was a hitmaker or Muscle Shoals had a Sound, a group of young musicians jammed above a downtown Florence pharmacy. Th e music world hasnt been the same since.

by roy hallportraits by patrick hood

Patrick H

oo

d

OOPS. A story about The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee in the March/April issue should have stated that co-founder Carol Buckley bought 112 acres to start the sanctu-ary in 1995. Buckley began leasing land from International Paper in 1996.

Dont mess with the mojo.by judy hoodphotos by patrick hood

14 calendar

Friday, May 6 and Friday, June 3Florence First Fridays

Th e exciting monthly event gathers artists of all kindsmusicians, painters, sculptors, photographers, hand-crafted jewelry creators, and morefor a community-wide celebration. 5:00pm-8:00pm; Free; Downtown Florence; rstfridays orence.org

Sunday, May 8Shoals Symphony presents Americana Spring

Dr. Daniel Stevens conducts the annual spring concert. 3:00pm; Admission charged; Norton Auditorium, UNA; (256) 765-5122; shoalssymphony.una.edu

Tuesday, May 10Prayer, Poetry, and Passion

Th e Shoals Chamber Singers spring performance features stirring arrangements of some familiar hymns and spirituals. 7:00pm; Free (Donations encouraged); Grace Episcopal Church, 103 Darby Ave, She eld; (256) 810-1212

Th ursday, May 19 Sunday, May 22Sordid Lives

Sissy is trying to give up cigarettes. Brother Boy thinks hes Tammy Wynette. Latrelle and LaVonda cant stop bickering over funeral arrangements, and Noleta is holding her husband at gunpoint! And theyve all gathered for Grandma Peggys funeral. Th is black comedy, more suited for adult audiences, has been nominated for over 30 awards. Th ur-Sat 7:30pm and Sun 2:00pm; Admission charged; Shoals Th eatre, 123 N Seminary St; (256) 764-1700; shoalstheatre.org

Friday, May 20 Saturday, May 21UNA Front Porch Storytelling FestivalTh is UNA event has become a tradition lled with laughter and nostalgia, as professional storytellers and musicians guide audiences to di erent times and places through the magic of great storytelling. For event descriptions and times, visit una.edu/storytelling

Saturday, May 21Alabama Chanin Spring Harvest Dinner

Join Alabama Chanin for their rst Spring Harvest Dinner. Chef Zach Chanins menu will include local, seasonal, and organic vegetables, meats, and ingredients.A portion of sales willbene t their current partnership withnon-pro t organizationNest.6:30pm; $78 (includes cocktails, appetizers, four courses, and wine pairings); Alabama Chanin at Th e Factory, 462 Lane Dr; (256) 760-1090; alabamachanin.com

Saturday, May 21 Sunday, May 22Arts Alive

Celebrating its 30th year, Arts Alive attracts hundreds of art and craft lovers from across the Southeast to downtown Florences Wilson Park for two family-friendly days of art browsing and buying. Come to the park, chat with artists, and enjoy beautiful downtown Florence, as you stroll through booths featuring a juried collection from across the country. Sat and Sun; 9:00am-5:00pm; Free; Wilson Park; alabamaartsalive.com

Th ursday, June 23 Sunday, June 26Helen Keller Festival

Over 100 events including headliner music artists, ne arts and crafts show, a parade, and Keller Kids educational activities. Th is annual event is one of the largest festivals in North Alabama. For event descriptions, times, locations, and other information, visit helenkellerfestival.com


Im not sure who started cutting the crusts off her bread. All I know is that one day Princess Kate went from a smiling PB & J enthusiast, happily eating her sandwiches in all their crusted glory, to a demanding picky eater, refusing all bread set before her not sans crust. And no, the princess to which I refer is not the current Duchess of Cambridge, but my four-year-old, Katherinealso referenced as the former, from the moment she practically pranced out of my womb, speaking in perfect sentences, turning her tiny nose up to anything but breast milk, and sleeping a maximum of two hours a night.

For me, the grand mystery of child rearing is likely no di erent than it was centuries ago, as I imagine parents have always pondered the ancient argument of nature versus nurture. So like any responsible parent questioning their childs behavior, I stare at her across the table and wonder who has created this picky eater. Is it her surroundings or just her DNA? Are we spoiling her or has she truly developed a crust aversion? And although I personally believe it is likely a combination of both, if I cant pin it on my husband, a grandparent, or one of her fellow picky friends, I go to my other default source of pretty much all blamethe Disney Princess Franchise. It might be reckless journalism to make this claim without proper sourcing/research, but I feel fairly certain that even if you dont have small children, watch television, listen to the radio, or bother to climb out from under the rock where youve been living for the last decade or so, youve heard of at least one or more of these little animated monarchs. Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty have all been on the scene for well over 50 years, so I feel fairly certain youve at least heard of those, while Th e Little Mermaids Princess Ariel, Beauty and the Beasts Princess Belle, and Tangleds Princess Rapunzel have arrived in more recent years, along with a

slew of others. Th e one thing all these ladies have in common? Th ey all end up with a prince. Every. Last. One.

When you are a mom of girls, you realize early on that Disney is omnipotent, and these famed females are in your life whether you like it or not. Th eir pink presences begin arriving when those baby girls are still in utero at baby showers and then at birthdays and holidays, via supermarket checkouts, television, movies, books, and more. And its not that I mind so much really, as I also

grew up with a few of these characters; its just that when I was growing up, these characters didnt permeate the marketplace as they do now, with theme parks, cruise ships, multiple entertainment networks, and endless merchandise lining the aisles of retail stores. My point is that in this sea of

pink propaganda, it can become di cult to manage a little girls expectations for life when the majority of these princess characters end up with Prince Charming, living in a palace.

But mommy, princesses do not wear pants, or the color black.

Mommy, princesses DO NOT have to brush their teeth.

How old am I going to be when I marry a prince, Mommy?

We argue over these things, while on the television in the background Belle from Beau-ty and the Beast bellows loudly from a hilltop in France that she wants adventure in

the greatwide somewhere, after rejecting a proposal from the roguishly handsome town brute that would no doubt destine her for a life of childbearing and husband servitude. Th en, in what I can assume is only a matter of days, Belle has shacked up with a beast and fallen in love with him as he seems to magically transform into a nice guy overnight.

16 cryin out loud Sara Wright Covington

THE PRINCESS AND THE PEANUT BUTTER

In this sea of pink propaganda, it can become di cult to manage a little girls expectations for life when the majority of these princess characters end up with Prince Charming, living in a palace.


My daughter, distracted from the no-pants ght, stops to swoon as she watches, and I have to bite my tongue not to say, Sweetie, nobody with that bad of a temper changes over night. When a man, er a beast, locks you in a room and tells you if you dont eat with me you dont eat at all, RUN LIKE HELL.

It truly would be reckless journalism for me not to point out, to Disneys credit, they have in recent years introduced a few more modern female protagonistsstrong leading la-dies who arent waiting around to be rescued by a princedemonstrating that girls really can do anything they set their minds too, whether its shooting arrows or going to war. And recent box o ce record breaker Frozen is also a bit more relatable. Main character Princess Elsa is born with ice in her veins and learns at an early age that getting emotional or an-gry causes her to physically freeze everything around her. She means no harm to anyone, and chooses to live her life behind the seclusion of a closed door, lest she get provokeda wise decision. Frozen clearly takes place long before the medical marvels of mood elevators via medication, and poor Princess Elsa just wants to be left alone to manage her likely manic depressive disposition, but a meddling sister just wont let her be, and Elsa ends up unintentionally freezing her entire kingdom. To Frozens credit, the curse-breaking resolution turns out to be true loveand not in a romantic form, but in the unconditional love of the two sisters. Bravo, Frozenyouve at least encouraged my two daughters to try and get along for Frozens sake.

So the irony, as I obligingly cut the crusts o Princess Kates bread, is that I have to remind myself that it is not my job to create a palace for my daughters, fussing over their happi-ness and catering to their every whim. It is my job to make them realize that true happiness has to come from within. It is my job to teach them fairy tales can look like many dif-ferent things, and that sometimes even the strongest magic cant change a person or place. Princesses do wear pants, and lab coats, and scrubs, and suits, and army fatigues. Not all stories end with a prince at the end, and there is no magical trident to transport them into another world. One princesss happy ending may look completely di erent from another, and Prince Charming may or may not be in the equation at all. And so we turn o the TV and read books, and take walks, and fold laundry, and have living room oor picnics with saltines and orange juice. We talk about having good friends, and dreams, and why God painted the grass green, and how smart, kind, independent girls can rule the world without a crown, or even a prince. Walt Disney himself fa-mously said, I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter. Life is complex, but childhood is enchanting, and we can never go back to it once we are all grown up. So I bite my lip and try to leave the tiaras and the magic, and hope against all hope, that my little princesses are listening to me.

* Names for photos are provided by the organization or business featured.

18 scene

Melissa Daniel Bain

Stanley and Karen Goldstein

Loee Miree and Katrina Hudson

Tricia and Harold Lewis

Roseann Gibson and Cindy Buckner

Shannon Wells and David Montgomery

Abraham Rowe

Above: Wine Tasting Event hosted by Mary Ellens Circle to bene t CASA

february , sweet basil caf, florence

Below: Tables of Ten, a bene t for the 610 Projectmarch ,

marriott shoals conference center, florence

Elizabeth Messer, Temberly Tyler-Sledge, Kim Gosney, and Stacy Hooper

John Waters and Shannon Wells

Sh W ll d D id M

Regina Bien, Mike Ivanco, Hillary Eckl, and Angie Locker

Josh Quick, Ryan Matthews, Alan Phillips, Ashley Terry, Zach Chanin, Kyle Ogden, Einar Gud-mundsson, John Melton, and Garien Shelby

Hope Carrico, Sarah Gillis, Michelle Carrico, and LeAnne Roach

Debra Dombrowski-Hendrix and Jackie Hendrix

Kris Lard and Tracy Burdine

Julie Raoulx, Lyndsie McClure, and Rachel Rohler

Melissa Daniel Bain

Dominique Dixon, Melissa Daniel Bain, and Devon Dixon

Tracy and Eli Flippen


DO YOU SUFFER FROM: Shortness of breath Numbness Chest pain or tightness

Burning or tingling in your legs Weakness or coldness in your legs or arms

Pain in the neck Headaches Heart burn, indigestion, or burping

If so, these could be signs of cardiovascular disease. If you are suering from any of these symptoms, Dr. Ajit Naidu and Dr. Brian Cole,

Board Certied Cardiologists at the Cardiovascular Institute of the Shoals can help

determine if these are serious. We give second opinions, too!

Please call 256-766-2310 for an appointment.

2415 Helton Drive, Suite A,Florence , AL 35630 Phone 256-766-2310

And the GRAMMY goes to

Th e National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences honored Shoals-area artists at the 58th Annual GRAMMY awards held February 15 in Los Angeles.

Florence Academy of Fine Arts songwriting instructor and Th e SteelDrivers lead singer Gary Nichols and his band were presented with the GRAMMY for Best Bluegrass Al-bum, for Th e Muscle Shoals Sessions, recorded at producer Jimmy Nutts NuttHouse studio in She eld.

Greenhill-native Jason Isbell took home two GRAMMYs for Best American Roots Song (Frames) and Best Ameri-cana Album (Something More Th an Free). Something More Th an Free debuted at number one on Billboard magazines rock, folk, and country charts.

Alabama Music Hall of Fame Inductees

Congratulations to hometown honorees Donna Jean Godchaux-McKay and Th e Muscle Shoals Horns for their induction into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

Godchaux-McKay, whose career began singing backup on iconic records When A Man Loves A Woman and Elviss Suspicious Minds, spent most of the 1970s as a member of super group Grateful Dead. In 1994, Godchaux-McKay was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with her former Grateful Dead bandmates.

As FAME Records in-house horn section, Th e Muscle Shoals Horns contribution to the pop music canon is nearly unrivaled, including session work with Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, B.B. King, Bob Seger, Jimmy Bu ett, and Elton John. Th e Muscle Shoals Horns are Harvey Th ompson, Charles Rose, Harrison Calloway, and Ronnie Eades.

Alabama Music Hall of Fame inducted its new members during a ceremony at the Marriott Shoals Conference Center, February 26.


If you want to share some good news about a friend, neighbor, or colleagueor even toot your own hornsend your kudos to [email protected].

David

McC

lister

Jason Isbell

Ro

bert R

ausch

The SteelDrivers

David

McC

kudos20 by roy hall

Donna Jean Godchaux-McKay

The Muscle Shoals Horns

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Academic Excellencein a new location

Come grow with us! Riverhill School will break ground this summer on a new building in a new location on Darby Drive in Florence. Were planning to be in our new school in the Fall of 2017. This new 32,000 square foot facility will position us to grow and continue to provide academic excellence - in a new place.

Watch for more announcements concerning our new venture. If youre interested in academic excellence for your children, were enrolling now for Fall of 2016. Contact Mary Jane Fowler at 256-764-8200 or visit www.RiverhillSchool.org.


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From Muscle Shoals tothe world and back.

When you fly the Shoals, well take you therein style & comfort!

By now, everyone is familiar with the significant contribution the Shoals has made to the history of popular music. W. C. Handy, Sam Phillips, Percy Sledge, Donna Jean Godchaux-McKay, Norbert Putman, and a host of others, too many to name, hail from here. What many people dont know is that some of the biggest stars of their day traveled to the Shoals throughout the 50s, 60s, and 70s, not only to record music, but to perform it.

Th e most familiar name of all is the king himself, Elvis Presley, who played three shows at the She eld Recreation Center, on Nashville Avenue, in 1955. For his January performance that year, Elvis appeared as the opening act for other, bet-ter known, but now mostly forgotten, artists. Tickets were 75 cents. Th e line-up at the second show eight months later included some of highest-wattage stars of their day: Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, and, of course, Elvis. By the third show in November, ticket prices were one dollar, and country music star Hank Th ompson was added to the bill.

Th e She eld Recreation Center also hosted one of the great jazz vocalists and trumpeters of all time, Louis Armstrong, and the Man in Black himself, Johnny Cash, who performed in both She eld and Florence, where he was joined by the future Mrs. Cash, June Carter.

Across the river, the Florence Coliseum also hosted its share of musical stars from across the globe. Th e dark days of segregation still hung over the South, so there were usually two performances, one at 7 p.m., another at 9:30 p.m. In 1960, pow-erhouses B.B. King and Ray Charles rocked the Coliseum, and in 65, the Ryan Seacrest of his day, American Bandstand host Dick Clark brought his musical re-vue, Caravan of Stars, to the Coliseum. A second Dick Clark show included Th e Four Seasons, Paul Revere and the Raiders, and English singer Dusty Spring eld, whose iconic album Dusty in Memphis was only a few years away. Solomon Burke and his Orchestra, known at the time as the King of Rock and Roll Big Show and Dance, also performed at the Coliseum.

And the coliseum didnt just feature rock bandsthe ex-governor of Louisiana, Jimmy Davis, performed with his gospel group in August 1969.

In the early 70s, country legends Conway Twitty, Barbara Mandrell, and Hank Williams, Jr. brought their signature brands of twang to the Coliseum, followed a few years later by ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd with their newly-emergent south-ern rock sound. (A young singer and guitarist named Jimmy Bu ett opened for Skynyrd in August of 1974.)

According to producer David Johnson, of David Johnson Productions in She eld, many of the shows at the coliseum in the 70s, featured local bands as opening acts for the likes of Charlie Rich, Jeannie C. Riley, and Neil Diamond.

30 roots Nancy Sanford, Florence-Lauderdale Public Library

THE KING WAS HERE

What many people dont know is that some of the biggest stars of their day traveled to the Shoals not only to record music, but to perform it.


Th e Coliseum also hosted Battle of the Bands shows, which featured local bands like Mickey and the New Breed, Th e Weejuns, and Th e Dimensions. Part concert, part dance party, you can almost imagine the prom scene from the lm Grease when hearing about these days. Allen Easterling, of Mickey and the New Breed, remembers a oor full of young people dancing the night away at these shows. Admission was usually about two dollars.

Th e Shoals musical history is indeed a diverse one. Th e legends whose journeys began here and those that have de-parted this world still in uence our music today. Th eir music inspires, consoles, and energizes our spirit. And that is a his-tory we can all be proud of.


PLEASE SUPPORT YOUR LOCALLY OWNED INDEPENDENT RETAILERS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, AND NONPROFITS!

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The four medallion plates af xed to the badge bar are not originalto the 59 MGA 1600. They represent (from left to right) a combination of the Royal Familys

crest and car company logo, the Union Jack, the English ag, and MGs iconic marque.

NORTH ALABAMAS

text by roy hall photos by patrick hood

For nearly two decades, members of the Shoals British Car Club (SBCC) have been promoting the preservation of British-made automobiles.

As you turn these pages, youll see why. Some of Britains most celebratedpost-war car models, all the pride and joy of Car Club members, are represented here:

sporty MGs and spritely Triumphs; an Austin-Healey Austin Powerswould be proud to call his own, baby; and a Rolls-Royce t for a queen.

If youre the proud owner of a British caror just a fan of English automotive designthe SBCC welcomes you to visit their website at shoalsbritishcars.org,

for membership information.

To get a closer look at these beauties, mark your calendar for September 10, when the SBCC hosts their annual car show at Joe Wheeler.


ROLLS-ROYCE

English engineer and industrialist Frederic Henry Royce and car sellerCharles Stewart Rolls partnered in 1906 to produce luxury auto line Rolls-Royce.

Th e rst model under the Rolls-Royce marque, the Silver Ghost, quickly earned a world-wide reputation as the Cadillac of cars.

Well, maybe not Cadillac. But they are considered quite bling-bling!

FROM DETROIT WITH LOVE:Did you know, Special Agent 007s

rst big screen ride wasnt in his trademark Aston Martin. Or a Jaguar. Not even a Mini

Cooper. We rst see Bond behind the wheel of a Chevrolet Bel Air convertible,

in 1962s Dr. No.


This rubber-bumpered 76 MGB was purchased brand new for $5,328, in 1976,

from Foreign Car City, Birmingham. (Thats ber-ming-HAM, Alabama, not BUHR-mingum,

England.) It still has all its original parts.


AUSTIN-HEALEY

Th e product of another partnership, this time between British Motor Corporations Austin division and Donald Healey Motor Company, Austin-Healeys were manufactured for a mere

20 years, between 1952 and 1972.

This bug-eyed former thoroughbred is taking it easy in retirement. The former race car,

a 59 Austin-Healey Sprite (or Bugeye), was purchased from one of the Alabama Sports Car Clubs original members, who raced it at Courtland AFB, back in the 50s.


Sleek and simple on the outside, plush on the inside, this 74 Triumph TR6

sports an ostrich leather interiorand a handmade, walnut dash.

In the lead-up to World War II, the British government built shadow

factories adjacent to existing automotive plants, for the ef cient transfer of production

from cars to military productionwhen the time came.


TRIUMPH

Triumph traces its origins all the way back to Queen Victorias day, when Siegried Bettman began selling bicycles imported from the continent, in 1881, followed by Triumph

motorcycles, in 1902. Th e rst Triumph motor car rolled o the assembly line in 1921. Triumph ceased car production in 1981, although its trademark is still held by BMW.

The logo on the 73 Triumph Spit res hood (or bonnet) is taken from a 71 modeland is inspired by an RAF Spit re ghter plane.


Some of the re-build budget for this59 Austin-Healey 3000

was recouped in chiropractor savings. The seats were reclined three inchesfrom their original, vertical position

to make a road trip to Texas and backmore comfortable.

The only person in Britain allowed to drive without a license

is Queen Elizabeth II. Because licenses are issued in Her Majestys name, a license bearing the name Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor would be redundant. Nor can she be arrested if her custom-built Bentleys

bonnet bumps you whilst crossing a roundabout: as head of state, Liz is

immune from prosecution.


This 74 MGB has been with its current owners, who rebuilt it from

the ground up, for 25 years.


The current owner found this baby blue beauty, a 57 Austin-Healey 100-6,

in a classi ed ad, when he was in the11th grade. In 02, he drove it to California

and back, top down the whole way.

Downside? I lost a bunch of hats.

MEDIEVAL ROAD RAGE:Its why they drive on the wrong side of the road. In feudal times, a horseback

traveler wanted his sword-arm closest to his approaching enemies. Since most people are

right-handed, that meant traf c movesto the leftto the left.


MG

Th e origin of the iconic British roadster dates back nearly a century, to 1924. Th e initials MG represent Morris Garages, the Oxford-based employer

of the original models designer.

The bill of sale from the second owner, dated January 30, 1959, sets the payment schedule for the 50 MG TD over a 17-month term. Even factoring in ation, the $6/month payments

are still a bargain: $6 in 1959 is the equivalent of only $59 today!

NORTH ATLANTIC TRAFFIC ORGANIZATION: Designed in England by American-based

Ford, and manufactured in Wales, Germany, and Spain, the UKs biggest-selling car ever,

the Fiesta, is truly an international effort.


WHY NOT BE A PLACE WHERE STARS ARE BORN?



The important thing, according to Gary Nichols, is that Muscle Shoals be the place where music is happening. Not where it used to happenwhere its happening now.

And Gary Nichols kind of knows what hes talking about. A member of the popu-lar bluegrass group Th e SteelDrivers, Gary and the gang won a Grammy last year for an album produced by Jimmy Nutt at Nutthouse Recording Studio in She eld. Th at wasnt the rst time Gary has had success in the music business; in 2006 he made his debut with the release of his single Unbroken Ground, which reached No.39 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts. Following it were the singles I Cant Love You Anymore and Goin Fast.

Born and raised in Florence, Gary started performing when he was six, and by the time he was a young teenager, he was playing at Tappers Lounge, taking breaks to go outside and do his homework. Although his music lets him travel, the Shoals area is his home, and with his wife and four children, hes able to be a writer, pro-ducer, fatherand teacher.

Which brings us to the idea of making the Shoals an entrepreneurial center for musicians.

Gary teaches at the Florence High School Academy for Fine Arts (FAFA). His belief is that young people cant necessarily be anything they want to bebut they can be whatever they work to be. Id like to see us reclaim our position as the Hit Recording Capital of the World, he says, and points to no less than 20 of his current students who he thinks will have promising careers in some aspect of the music business. When I was growing up here, if I hadnt seen others succeed in this business, I wouldnt have known it was possible, he says. Its possible.

So, that begs the question: how can we continue to build on our musical success and continue to make Muscle Shoals Music whats happening now?

It probably wont happen by competing head-to-head with Nashville, New York, or Los Angeles. Th ose brands are way too strong, and larger labels have signi -

Facing page: FAFA student David Craft

text by allen tomlinson photos by patrick hood

A SPECIAL NOALA WHY NOT? UPDATE


Gary Nichols


cantly invested in locations there. But the one thing that they are not doing, which leaves a niche for us, is promoting the idea that the Muscle Shoals area is where careers get started.

History is on our side with this approach. Gary Nichols, John Paul White, Patterson Hood, and a host of other established musicians started their careers herebut, it could be argued, so did megastars like Aretha Franklin, Bob Segar, Th e Rolling Stones, Percy Sledge, and on and on and on. Many of the really big ones recorded their rst hits here (hence Th e Hit Recording Capital of the World), but went on to other, larger places to continue their careers. Its not hard to see, though, that the head start they got in Muscle Shoals gave them the visibility and momentum they needed.

Th e University of North Alabama, the Shoals Chamber of Commerce, and the Shoals Entrepreneurial Center are all involved in the business of helping young, start-up businesses get on their feet and grow. Th at creates an atmosphere of entrepreneurship in the Shoals area that could easily translate to those wanting performance careers. Why not focus on the speci c and special needs of the aspiring recording artist and design a program that fosters their growth? It would be good for them, good for the commu-nity, and good for the continuation of our brand as a place where careers get started.

FAFA is the rst step. Gary is a part of the GRAMMY Associations Aspiring Musicians Program, which creates opportunities for high school students to work with music professionals to get real-world expe-rience and advice about how to have a career in music. (Th at includes any kind of music careeraudio engineer, concert promoter, electronic music producer, manager, musician, music journalist, singer, songwriterany music career.) As a teacher in the FAFA program, Gary o ers encouragement to students, often, who are like I waslost in the cracks, sometimes, but with promise and the ability to succeed. Without guidance, music can sometimes be a dangerous profession, Gary says, and Ive lost friends to addiction and stupidity. Were telling our students the truth, that they can get high on the music.

Another idea that has been bandied about has to do with an Artist-in-Residence program. If the area held a talent searchthink American Idol or Th e Voiceto nd the very best rising talent, and then adopted that person for a year, it might have multiple bene ts. Th e community could agree to house and feed the artist (or artists) and provide them with a small stipend in exchange for the artists time teaching music, songwriting, or music in the schools. Area recording studios could o er the use of their studios to record, and might even produce albums or EPs for the artist; the result, when hits are pro-duced (and they will be produced), is increased attention for the artist, the studio, and for the Shoals in general. Students in the school system win because they get to work with talent and learn about music as a career; local studios win because they get to produce up-and-coming talent and help put them on the map; the artists win because they become a part of a musical support group in this community, get

WITHOUT GUIDANCE, MUSIC CAN SOMETIMES BE A DANGEROUS PROFESSION, AND IVE LOST FRIENDS TO ADDICTION AND STUPIDITY. WERE TELLING OUR STUDENTS THE TRUTH, THAT THEY CAN GET HIGH ON THE MUSIC. GARY NICHOLS

professional studio help in producing their work, and get to take advantage of all of the resources here that will help them launch their careers. One or two good hits from a program like thissay, from a tal-ent like the next Gary Nichols, or John Paul White, or Jason Isbell, or you name a hundred othersand the word will spread. Muscle Shoals is where music careers get started, where talent is fostered, and where an entire community works together to help launch hits. Muscle Shoals continues to be the place where music is happening. Not where it used to happenwhere it happens, every day.

Why not? Th ey write songs about how Stars Fell on Alabamamaybe our role, in the future, is to take those stars, teach them, nurture them, and send them out into the world to make a di erence. Muscle Shoalswhere careers are started.

From left to right: Gary Nichols with student musicians from the Florence Academy of Fine Arts (FAFA); Christian Maybrey (left) and Emmett Redding; Nichols with David Craft

WHY NOT FOCUS ON THE SPECIFIC AND SPECIAL NEEDS OF THE ASPIRING RECORDING ARTIST AND DESIGN A PROGRAM THAT FOSTERS THEIR GROWTH? IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR THE CONTINUATION OF OUR BRAND AS A PLACE WHERE CAREERS GET STARTED.


We like to go to

the Chicago Cafe

or to a concert.

We normally go

to shows at 116.

I really like The

End, but my

parents are strict

and they trust 116

because of Billy

Reid, although

they recently let

me go to a poetry

slam at The End.



Everybody has a story.

Two years ago, photographer Abraham Rowe set out,

camera in hand, to help the folks of Florence tell theirs.

Inspired by Facebooks hugely popular photo-documentary project,

Humans of New York, Rowe approached people throughout Florence

at ball games, outside grocery stores, on city sidewalks, at festivals

and gatherings and asked to take their pictures and to share with him

what was on their minds.

The vignettes that developed offer a glimpse into the

lives of people we see all around us, every day.

There are stories of friendship and celebration, loss and joy,

and ordinary moments that usually pass without a trace.

Folks of Florence has grown into an impressive archive of hundreds

of photos and stories. Each issue, well share a few of them.

We begin with a skateboarder, a saxophonist, a couple of patriots,

and a Steampunk captain.

Very special thanks to Abraham Rowe for sharing his work,

and to his subjects, for sharing their stories.

FOLKS OF FLORENCE

photo essay by abraham rowe intro by roy hall

We met at

W.C. Handy

School in the

rst grade. We

were neighbors

on the West Side

all our lives. We

are cradle to the

grave friends.

Its lovelove

bonds anything

together. We

dont look at

each others

faults, but we

do fuss a lot.

FO

LK

S O

F FL

OR

EN

CE


I am Murdoch

Strongarm,

Captain of the

Iron Sheep of the

Phoenix Air Fleet.

This is going to

be one of the

rst meetups

of the Florence

Steampunk

Society. There

arent many

Steampunks in

the Florence area;

to nd a few is a

rarity. We nally

found each other.

Were meeting in

Wilson Park in a

few minutes if you

want to skip on

over there.

FO

LK

S O

F FL

OR

EN

CE


We have lived

here longer than

anyone, about 40

years. Were not

real sure when the

[North College]

neighborhood

4th of July parade

started, but it gets

bigger every year.

There are so many

fairy godmothers

and brothers and

sisters who have

put so much

into it.

FO

LK

S O

F FL

OR

EN

CE


I have been

long boarding

since before

summer

semester, so

ve or six

months. If you

go to the top of

the parking deck

for an hour, you

will probably

run in to other

boarders, so

you have instant

friends.


I just got off

work. Im just

playing right now

because I lost my

mom this year.

I went to go see

her grave today.

This is the rst

Thanksgiving

without her. Its

been pretty hard.

Just playing to

free my mind.

FO

LK

S O

F FL

OR

EN

CE



Courtesy photo


Th e Future Is Now(or could be anyway)

An interview with Futurist Rebecca Ryan, Next Generation Consulting

text by allen tomlinson

OF ALL OF THE SUPERPOWERS YOU MIGHT BE GRANTED, wouldnt the

ability to see the future be the most rewarding? Seeing through walls or

being able to y are nice, but understanding what could happen in the real

world in the near and short-term future would be a fascinating skill.

Believe it or not, there are people who make their livings doing just that

predicting the future. Usually trained as trend analysts, these futurists look

at current conditions and make predictions about how the world might look

a few years out. Its an invaluable skill for business, government, and anyone

who wants to plan ahead.

Wikipedia says, Futurists or futurologists are scientists and social scien-

tists whose specialty is futurology, or the attempt to systematically explore

predictions and possibilities about the future and how they can emerge

from the present, whether that of human society in particular or of life on

Earth in general.

On February 16, UNAs College of Business and the Florence/Lauderdale

Public Library brought Rebecca Ryan, a futurist, to Georges 217 in Shef eld

to address a gathering of businesspeople. Rebeccas insights into how we

should be planning for economic development and what she sees happen-

ing in the near and short-term future, based on her analysis of trends, was

fascinatingand led us to follow up with a phone interview to ask some

questions about the Shoals area in particular.

Rebecca is energetic, fun, and easy to talk to. The con-

versation started, of course, with the obvious question:

How in the world does one become a futurist?

NOALA: So, Rebeccawhat is this futurist thing, and

how did you get to be one?

REBECCA: (Laughs.) I didnt even know there was such a

person! I trained as an economist and did a lot of trend

analysis work, and when I decided to start my company,

I was doing demographic trend analysis. When the re-

cession hit, I wanted to broaden my scope, and realized

I could get a degree in Strategic Foresight from one

of three universitiesUniversity of Houston, University

of Hawaii, and Notre Dame. I chose Houston.

NOALA: One concept you promote is the idea of sea-

sons. Tell us a little about what that is.

REBECCA: Things operate on a seasonal cyclespring,

summer, fall, winterand each season takes about 20

years, the length of a generation. Baby boomers were

born in a summer, and got to be older during a winter;

many of them will not be alive to see another spring,

but their kids and grandkids will. Our bodies dont usu-

ally live through four or ve entire cycles.

Were in winter right now. This winter started in 2001,

with the collapse of the World Trade Center, followed

by the collapse of the bull market in 2002. Were at

the end of this winter cycle, and will move into spring

around 2020.

In a spring, things get reshuf edand that feels fan-

tastic for companies and communities that didnt get

frozen during the winter. During that reshuf ing, the

cycle favors those who were thoughtful during the win-

ter and can actually be a leapfrog moment. Winter is

a time to replant and get ready for spring, but its also

a time when things get stuck and frozen, especially in

politics. In winter, people try to go backwards to things

that seem familiar and comfortable, and politics are al-

ways interesting during those times. (Rebecca elabo-

rated a bit about how winters tend to create politicians

who promise to make the country or community like it

used to be, to play on that impulse to go back to a sim-

plerand warmertime.)

Winter can actually be a leapfrog moment for com-

munities who see things differently, who think winter

is here but spring is coming, and when spring is here,

what will be true and what will we do?

NOALA: Give us an example.

REBECCA: A perfect example is transportation planning.

Communities are always working on 20-year transpor-

tation plans, and they are expensive plans to design

and implement. Right now, as communities are doing

their transportation plans, how many of them do you

think are looking at autonomous vehicles? None. Now

leapfrog aheadanyone paying attention will have to

consider that this stuff is coming, and we have an op-

portunity to be ready. (Google has announced that its

driverless cars will be ready in ve years or less.)

Thats just one example. One thing that the Shoals should

consider is becoming a digital corridor, with high-speed

internet. This is super important! Computers and the in-

ternet are not going away. In the same way that towns

died because they didnt have a train stop, towns will die

because they dont have high speed internet.


High speed wireless is the train that will not stop.

The home of the future will not be complete with-

out high speed internet. Its almost like a utilityyou

wouldnt build a home without plumbing or electric-

ity; you shouldnt build one without high speed inter-

net, either.

NOALA: How does that change the economic devel-

opment model?

REBECCA: High speed wireless is the train that will not

stop. Internet can be thought of as a public utilitya

MUST HAVE, the new plumbing for the next economic

building. The days of recruiting companies with 5,000

workers are overAmericans most valuable companies

have a few hundred employees, not thousands, because

those days are over. For the next generation work isnt a

place to go, its something you do.


So, we have to think about place, people, and jobs dif-

ferently. Get your place ready, and people will come

and bring their own jobs.

The communities who will come out of winter and into

spring ahead of everyone else know that those large

employers are few and far between. Instead, they are

investing in high speed internet, and people are moving

to their towns for the quality of lifeand bringing their

own jobs with them. These days, more and more people

work from home, using the internet, and its the quality

of life that becomes important. Communities that get it

know that, and the added bene t is that your commu-

nity is less at risk for an economic downturn if the large

employer downsizes.

NOALA: How would we go about doing something like

that in the Shoals?

REBECCA: Why dont you do an experimenta micro-

project? Carve 10 percent out of that huge economic

development fund youve got (Rebecca is referring to

the $40+ million currently reserved by the Shoals Eco-

nomic Development Fund for industrial recruitment)

and do a couple of things. First, invest in high speed in-

ternet. Secondly, directly invest in entrepreneurs. They

are doing this in other places, especially in southwest

Louisiana and Georgiathey subsidize startups, but

they do it in a smart way, which gives them the op-

portunity to move quickly, like gazelles. In the Research

Directly invest inentrepreneurs

Sometimes just starting a conversation createschange.


Rebecca Ryan uses the familiar concept of seasons and their periods of growth, decline, and renewal to illustrate broader cycles of historical change. Below, Ryan looks back over the past centurya time of unprecedented change and tumultand assigns to each generation one of natures four seasons. As you read the following paragraphs, see if you recognize how each season a ected your parents, your grandparents, your children, your community, and yourself.

SPRINGThe allies World War II victory brought Spring to America and lasted from 1946 to 1964. Twelve million vets, most of them members of the GI Generation (b. 19011925), came home from the war, birthed the Baby Boomers (b. 19461964), and took advantage of the GI Bills low-cost mortgages, business and farm loans, tuition payment, etc. The economy responded, as incomes nearly doubled, from $3,940 per year in 1946 to $6,900 in 1960. Innovations transformed daily life, allowing more Americans to reach the middle class and enjoy amenities that had once been reserved for the wealthy. By the end of the 1950s, 87 percent of all American families owned at least one TV, 75 percent owned cars, and 60 percent owned their homes.

SUMMERRyan ties the start of Summer, a period of increased social awareness, to the 1965 Watts riots in Los Angeles. The riots sparked a renewed energy for civil rights, especially among Americas youth. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, three major movementscivil rights, womens rights, and environmentalismtook root. Young Americans expressed themselves through clothing, music, and rebellion, and by protesting the Vietnam War. Summer lasted from 1965 through about 1980, when Ronald Reagan was elected president. These are the birth years of Generation X.

FALLFall started during Ronald Reagans presidency, a time when hippies became yuppies and consumer culture replaced youth culture. During this period, long-standing institutions began to show signs of strain. Missing childrens photos were printed on milk cartons. Government scandals were exposed. Con dence in our nancial systems crumbled with the farm crisis and the savings and loan meltdown. And the nuclear family, the bastion of cultural norms and the familiar safety blanket for Americas next generation, was compromised by climbing divorce rates. Fall lasted from about 1981 to 2001, the birth years of the Millennials.

WINTERWinter crashed into America when two planes hit the World Trade Center in 2001. By 2002, Americas long-running bull market had ground to a halt. The housing bubble was born, preceding the economic meltdown of 2008 and subsequent Great Recession. A highly polarized and paralyzed Congress proved incapable of nding common ground. We have entered winter. A period when the whole country is resetting. Hibernati ng. Regathering. And it feels scary. Fortunately, for every February there is a March, and the next cycle of economic and cultural regeneration begins right around the corner, in 2020.

Triangle of North Carolina, they have made a science of

supporting entrepreneurs. Teach them Strategic Doing

(a program currently taught at UNAs business school)

and create a $1 million angel fund, which is a pittance

compared to the money you have set aside. Take a look

at the fastest growing sectors in your region, and invest

in the entrepreneurs. Its a much smarter bet, because

theres momentum there, in this sector. Theres no mo-

mentum in the manufacturing sector. None at all.

NOALA: Whats next for youwhats in your future?

REBECCA: Life on the road was starting to take a toll, so

Im ipping the modelIm planning two events where

clients come to me. The rst is a Futurist Campa meth-

od for me to train people in how to do foresight. I want

to train a group who can use these tools in their own

waythrough a three-day experience at a real camp,

with no tech. Then, I want to invite teams of people

to bring their thorny issue about the future, and well

gure it out. Ill guide you through the process with a

futurists perspectiveand you go home with insight,

a plan, and a process. I want to create a community of

people who understand this futurist languageI want

to create a tribe.

During this conversation, Rebecca continuously stressed that sometimes just starting a conversa-tion was the way to create change. NoAla has a history

of starting conversationstwo years ago, it created an

entire issue that revolved around the question Why

Not? which wasnt groundbreaking, and things didnt

change overnight, but conversations were started.

So, heres a conversation started. Why Not shift our

thinking about economic development, move away

from the traditional model of industrial recruitment,

and spend a small portion of our development money

on the basic tools needed to attract people who can

bring their jobs with them? Why not ramp up internet

service, create an angel fund for entrepreneurs, and

leapfrog into the approaching spring ready to compete

with just about any other American city on the things

people want more and more ofa good quality of life?

We already have that, and it gets better every day. This

seems so simple, and it could secure our place in the

future. The future is now. Or it could be.

Why not?


ERA OF PROMISE, BELONGING

PEACE AND PROSPERITY1946-1964,

2020-2040 (EST.)

ERA OF EUPHORIA, DEFIANCE

SUMMER OF LOVE1965-1980,

2041-2062 (EST.)

ERA OF SEPARATION, ANXIETY

DECLINE OF INSTITUTIONS1981-2000,

2063-2085 (EST.)

ERA OF SURVIVAL, REGENERATION

THE GREAT RECESSION2001-2019,

2086-2105 (EST.)

Things operate on a seasonal cyclespring, summer, fall, winterand each season takes about 20 years, the length of a generation.

Rebecca Ryan


text by judy hood photos by patrick hood



Dont mess with the mojo. Th at became the mantra of the Muscle Shoals Music Foundation Board as they in-structed the crews charged with restoring the iconic Muscle Shoals Sound Studio at 3614 Jackson Highway in She eld.

Th e modest concrete building became one of the most in u-ential recording studios in the world soon after the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, aka the Swampers, set up shop there in 1969. Jimmy Johnson, David Hood, Roger Hawkins, and Barry Beckett dubbed the building Muscle Shoals Sound and attracted some of the biggest names in the business: Th e Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, Cher, Steve Win-wood, Bob Seger, Linda Rondstadt, Rod Stewart, Th e Staples Singers, Cat Stevens, Dire Straits, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Levon Helm, Jimmy Cli , and many more.

In 1978, the Swampers moved out of the building into a larger facility and 3614 Jackson Highway was subsequently used for other purposes, many of which had nothing to do with music. (At one point it was an appliance store, with a used dishwasher sitting in the exact spot where Mick Jagger listened to playbacks of Wild Horses and a refrigerator oc-cupying the space where David Hood played his signature bass line on Ill Take You Th ere.)

In the late 90s, an individual purchased the building and at-tempted to restore it as a working studio, with mixed results. Th e critically-acclaimed Muscle Shoals documentary, which was released in 2013, propelled the building back into the in-ternational spotlight. Soon after the lm premiered, Rodney Hall (president of FAME Studio enterprises and son of music

Dr. Dre and his partner Jimmy Iovine of Beats Electronics were so captivated by the Muscle Shoals documentary that they decided to fund the renovation of 3614 Jackson Highway.


legend Rick Hall) brokered a deal to purchase 3614 Jackson Highway and chartered the nonpro t Muscle Shoals Music Foundation to own and operate it.

Extremely generous donors, including Gene Hamby of Shef- eld, stepped up to provide funds for the acquisition. But the relief of knowing the iconic studio was in good hands was quickly o set by the frustration of having acquired a xer-up-per with no money in the bank to make it structurally sound.

And then Dr. Dre saw the Muscle Shoals documentary. And loved it. In fact, Dre and his partner Jimmy Iovine of Beats Electronics were so captivated by the lm that they decided to fund the renovation of 3614 Jackson Highway. Beats ex-ecutive Ra erty Jackson ew to Muscle Shoals to work out the details.

Th e building opened for tours in March 2014, drawing 29,000 visitors from 42 countries during the 18 months that followed. Hard-core music fans, undeterred by leaky ceil-ings, cracked walls, and crude ooring, relished the opportu-nity to stand in the sacred spaces where the legendary sound was produced.

Shortly after Labor Day 2015, the building was closed for tours and the Beats-funded renovation began. Th e founda-tion board agreed that 3614 would be restored in a way that rendered it structurally sound but preserved the integrity (i.e., funky ambience and decor) of the original building. Les Tillery of Fuqua Architects and Drew Christopher of Craig Construction were given marching orders to restore the stu-dio with one caveat: Dont mess with the mojo. World-class acoustician Mike Cronin stepped in to assist with sound treatments.

Fast forward to spring of 2016: With the help of Jimmy John-son and David Hood, along with photographs gleaned from the Swampers and others who frequented the studio back in the day, the studio has been restored with meticulous attention to detail. Th e end result is a decidedly retro vibe that screams early 70sburnt orange carpet, colorful burlap ceilings, vintage tile and wood paneling. Th e windows, doors, light xtures, and paint colors are exactly (or very close to) the original installations. (A few liberties were taken in the name of safety and comfort. A heating and cooling system was added, along with a state-of-the-art security system and some plumbing upgrades.)

Currently, the board is nalizing plans for the operating model with an eye toward the SUN studio method, which allows for tourists by day and recording at night.

Im a sucker for happy endings. Maybe thats why I love this one so much. Th e studio is restored with the mojo intact. In fact, so much passion, soul, and hard work went into this that we may have even kicked it up a notch.

The end result is a decidedly retro vibe that screams early 70sburnt orange carpet, colorful burlap ceilings, vintage tile and wood paneling. The windows, doors, light xtures and paint colors are exactly (or very close to) the original installations.


TRUSTOur Reputation, Our Promise, Our Name.

1131 Wills Avenue, Florence (256) 766.6300 peoplestrustbk.com

Chip Hibbett, City PresidentRyan Moore, First Vice President


Lets go back to 2009, and the very rst Shindig.How did the idea originateand whos responsible for that fantastic name?

The name just happened naturally, no reasoning or intentions; it just stuck. The idea was for us to invite people from all over the country to come and experience the rich culture of our area. From that concept, it has grown into a festival-like atmosphere that incorporates many like-minded artisans to share their creativity.

Who are the sharply dressed visitors who come to town for Shindig, and how do they hear about it?

The visitors are customers, friends, magazine editors, actors, musicians, artists and just cool folks that are somehow connected to us or our e orts, and they really do come from all over the world to take in the weekend. My favorite take away from Shindig is watching our local community play such a gracious host for the visitors.

What impressions do you think visitors from far away take with them after spending the weekend in the Shoals?

They are typically blown away. You wouldnt expect a small town in north Alabama to have such cultural signi cance, and the natural beauty is something we

For seven home-spun summers, Billy Reids Shindig has attracted fashion lovers to the Shoals for long-weekends of genre-hopping music, ne art, Southern cuisine, and gorgeous garments, all carefully chosen to convey the same casual impeccability and soulfulness expressed in Reids designs.

To help us bide the time between now and Shindig 8, commencing August 26, we spoke to the designer about the origins of Shindig, and what to expect this year.

text by roy hallphotos by abraham rowe


all take for granted sometimes. If youre visiting, the area becomes Camelot for a weekend.

An invitation to participate in Shindig must be highly coveted by musicians, food-makers, and artists. How does the selection process for bands, food vendors, and exhibitors work?

We began with selecting people that inspire us and really try to work as many new people into the events as possible. We also have folks that have participated each year, so the process is sometimes hard to balance, but somehow it comes together organically.

Austin Shindig is currently in its sixth year, coinciding with SXSW. Are there plans to take Shindig on the road for more appearances nationwide?

We do plan to continue to curate the spirit and experiences of Shindig for other markets. Finding unique ways to connect with our customers is something we continue to support and want to expand upon.

Some of us are still kicking ourselves for waiting until the last minute to buy tickets to the Alabama Shakes, before the concert sold out. Any words-to-the-wise for procrastinating ticket buyers about this years big act?

If theres a headliner out, we want the public to feel con dent that it will be worth their while. For us, this is


not a pro t center. We simply want to provide a unique situation for our community and visitors.

What all can we look forward to at Shindig 8? There will be a similar vibe to Shindigs past, but we will be adding new events and people. Fashion will play a major role this year as we plan to bring in guest designers, trunk shows, photography exhibits and more. Along with great music and food.

One nal question about the Sample Sale: Is there a hidden stash of mens 9.5 shoes somewhere? Asking for a friend

Ha! Not sure about the stash, but there will be a sample sale for sure.

Thanks, Billy!

SHINDIG 8 kicks o Friday, August 26. For

band and food truck listings, gallery hours,

sample sale info (including size 9.5 shoes), and

other Shindig-related revelry, visit billyreid.com.


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Norbert Putnam


Before the rock world arrived on Muscle Shoals doorstep beseeching its musical blessing, a group of young men, many still in high school, gathered in an upper room above a downtown Florence drugstore, to jam. Within the ash of a few short years, each of their names would be indelibly written in the history of the American Popular Songbook.

One of those teenagers went on to become a multi-platinum bassist, arranger, and producer, in uencing some of the 20th centurys most enduring artists. George Harrison, Joan Baez, Kris Kristo erson, Jimmy Bu et, Dan Fogelberg, and the king himself, Elvis Presley, all turned to Norbert Putnam to re ne and rede ne their sound.

Dynamic and gregarious, on the mid-30s side of his early 70s, Norbert Putnam sprawls, legs and arms akimbo, across a chair in his downtown Florence living room-slash-recording studio, and reminisces about how and where it all began.

It really is quite the tale. And to think, it all came to pass because Norberts dad just happened to have a 30-year-old acoustic bass.

A Band with a Plan

When I was 15, some kids from around the Greenhill area put a band together to play Elvis and Carl Perkins, Putnam says of the event that would change every-thing. Th e plan behind the band was as uncomplicated as its teenaged founders motivations were age-old: to make girls swoon. Simple, re ned, uncomplicated. But there was a glitch. Th e founding members had lined up most of their teenage talent. Th ey had a lead singer, the pompadoured, swaggering, Elvis Presley-wan-

Hitmaker Norbert Putnam, On the Lore, the Legends,and the Legacy of the Shoals Sound

text by roy hall portraits by patrick hood

Hi k N b P O h L h L d

1968Any Day NowJoan Baez(Bass)

1969Everything is BeautifulRay Stevens(Bass)

1970Silk PurseLinda Rondstadt(Arranger, Conductor, Bass)

1970Mancini CountryHenry Mancini(Bass Fiddle)

FROM HIS ARRIVAL IN MUSIC CITY UNTIL TODAY, NORBERT PUTNAM HAS BEEN INVOLVEDAS PRODUCER, BASSIST, ARRANGER, AND PRODUCERWITH SOME OF THE BIGGEST ACTS IN THE BUSINESS.

HERE ARE JUST A FEW.


nabe Glen Pettus; a high hat-hitter, Carrol Quillen; a couple of guitar impresarios in-the-making; and a pianist, David Briggsabout whom, much more later.

But they lacked a bass player, until one of the kidsDanny Cross, probablyrecalled a rumor hed heard somewhere along the way involving Norbert Putnams dad and that old bass ddle. Word was, Mr. Putnam used to play bass on the radio, way back in the early 50s. If that was so, maybe Mr. Putnam still had the bass. And if he did, maybe hed let Nor-bert borrow it.

Word on the street was right. Putnams dad, a responsible, upstanding insurance salesman and family man, had indeed plucked bull ddle strings to the woeful warbling of local country singer Autry Inman every Saturday morning on Muscle Shoals own WLAY, way back in the day. And ap-parently young Norbert was the only one who didnt know it. Even more shocking, Poppa Putnam had also played the damn thing in the unsavory Beale Street company of gam-blers, wild women, drunks, and reefer heads.

Heady stu , nding out your old man used to be a bassist of some renown in joints of ill repute. But the implications of his fathers talent were even more unsettling. If it were possi-ble a bass had been lurking unseen in his familys home right underneath his teenage nose, then might it also be possible that a careers worth of genetically imparted talent could be lurking somewhere inside young Norbert?

Probably not, according to Norberts aunt and piano teach-er, Elizabeth. She was 180 years old, weighed 60 pounds, and had little bony ngers, Putnam says of the woman who brie y steered his musical career into the rocks.

I was 12, Putnam recalls of his rst foray into the arts, and all I wanted was to learn to play Roger Williams Autumn Leaves. One lesson in the bag, aunty Elizabeth rings up her nephews parents with the bad news: I dont think you should send Norbert back. He cant concentrate for more

than three seconds, and he has poor manual dexterity. But, waitit gets worse. Aunt Elizabeths prognosis?

Hell never be a musician.

Putnams future bandmates were slightly less pessimistic about Putnams odds. Rockabilly, explained guitarist and high school sophomore Danny Cross, consisted of a grand total of three chords: E, A, and B7.

Surely to God you can nd three notes, Cross encouraged.

Emboldened by his future bandmates faith in him, Norbert asked his dad for the use of his old Beale Street bass. Mr. Putnam agreed and handed the instrument down to the next generation, but along with it, some fatherly advice. My fa-ther said to me, Son, I dont mind you taking the bass and having fun, but I want you to know, youll never, ever make money with it.

Th e notion of making a living in the music business may have been too ridiculous to take seriously, but Dad did have a plan for his boys nancial future: insurance. Were go-ing to start an insurance agency, Norbert, his dad declared. Putnam and Putnam. Th ats where well make our fortune.

Glen Pettus and the Rhythm Rockers

Th e gigs came steadily that rst year: high school dances, a Fourth of July bash, a Labor Day political rally in Tus-cumbia. Crowds gathered. Girls swooned. Socks hopped. Everything went according to plan. But Putnam and Briggs didnt let the grass grow beneath their tapping feet, and af-ter a year or so with the Rhythm Rockers, they were re-cruited into the lucrative fraternity party circuit by a teen-aged drummer, one Jerry Carrigan.

Already a heckuva good musician at 15, Carrigan was in the market for a bassist and a pianist for his band, later to be known as Th e Mark V. Th e band was the money-mak-

In the beginning:

1971The Silver Tongued Devil and IKris Kristo erson(Bass)

1971Ronnie MilsapRonnie Milsap(Bass)

1971Blessed AreJoan Baez(Producer, Arranger, Bass)

1972Ladies Love OutlawsWaylon Jennings(Bass)

1972Home FreeDan Fogelberg(Producer, Cello, Bass)

1972He Touched MeElvis Presley(Bass)


ing brain child of Jerrys dad, Larry, who saw dollar signs in teenage R&B bands. Every weekend, Mr. Carrigan loaded his son, his sons friends, and all their instruments into his Ford station wagon and chau eured Th e Mark V to every college fraternity party within a 150-mile radius of the Shoals. We sported brand new, matching turquoise tuxedo jackets or-dered from New York City, setting us back a cool 18 dollars each, Putnam says of his very rst work-related deduction. His second: a brand new Leo Fender electric bass, just like James Brown and Bobby Blue Bland bassist played.

Turquoise tuxedoes. Electric basses. Screaming co-eds. Its the sort of thing that could get a fella noticed.

You boys play in a band, doncha?

Tall, skinny, with a hunched back, Tom Sta ord stood out among the moviegoers exiting Tennessee Streets Princess Th eatre. Th e sharply dressed cinema manager greeted pa-trons with his trademark geniality, while his eyes carefully scanned the crowd. On the night in question, Sta ords peeps werent peeled for candy smugglers or teenage sneak-ins. In-stead, he was on the lookout for two young men, whom Staf-ford had heard play a mean frat gig.

Eventually, Briggs and Putnam shu ed out of the picture show and into Sta ords eld of vision and his plot for enter-tainment world domination.

Were gonna write songs and make hit records, Sta ord in-formed the teens, right here in Florence!

Th e how was simple. With the teenagers talent and Staf-fords management skills, theyd record demos of local musi-cians. Sta ord had music industry friends in Nashville and New York City, whod listen to anything Sta ord sent them. And, yeah, sure, Sta ord admitted, most of their customers wouldnt be any good. Th e thing is, though, if you record enough folks, eventually you stumble on a hit.

Above: Tom Sta ord plots music world domination from his Spar Music lair above Tennessee Street. Below: Court Streets Princess Theatre, where Tom Sta ord made Norbert Putnam and David Briggs an o er they couldnt refuse.

Historic photos courtesy of Norbert Putnam


In the beginning:

Above: THE NIGHT THEY DROVE YOUNG BAEZ DOWNJoan Baez naps while Norbert Putnam puts the nishing touches on Blessed Are.


Clockwise from top left: Producer Jimmy Nutt and Norbert Putnam;Dan Fogelberg and Norbert Putnam in the control room; Back row, left to right: David Briggs, Norbert Putnam, Elvis Presley, Al Pachucki, Jerry Carrigan; Front row, left to right: Felton Jarvis, Chip Young, Charlie McCoy and James Burton; Donnie Fritts, Kris Kristo erson, and Norbert Putnam

Above, left: NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET ITJimmy Bu ett, Norbert Putnam, and James Taylor, during a recording session in Montserrat.Above, right: Norbert Putnam performs in an Elvis tribute concert.

Historic photos courtesy of Norbert Putnam

Ro

bert R

ausch

To

m Co

rcoran

1973Quiet PlacesBu y Sainte-Marie(Producer, Bass)

1973The Adventures of Panama RedNew Riders of the Purple Sage(Bass)

1974Thats a PlentyThe Pointer Sisters(Bass)

1976Greatest Hits, Vol. 1Linda Rondstadt(Arranger, Harpsichord, Bass)

1977Nether LandsDan Fogelberg(Producer, Bass, String Arrangements)

1977Changes in Latitudes, Changes in AttitudesJimmy Bu ett(Producer, String Arrangements)


We thought he was delusional, Putnam says.

Sta ords terms of employment werent any more reassur-ing. In exchange for Putnams and Briggs services at the newly established Sta ord Publishing and Recording (or SPAR), the bassist and pianist would never have to pay for a movie ticket again.

How could a teenager refuse?

SPAR-ring Partners

SPAR occupied a second oor suite of empty o ces at the corner of Tennessee and Seminary in downtown Florence, right above the City Drug Store, where Tom Sta ords dad served as pharmacist. To sweeten the deal, Sta ord used his pharmacy connections to o er his young friends an oc-casional swig of codeine cough syrup, chased with a sip of Coca-Cola. (Judge not; remember, those were the days when cigarettes were good for you.)

Pianist Briggs and bass-player Putnam climbed the stairs to SPAR most days after school and on weekends, along with guitarist Terry Th ompson and drummer Jerry Carrigan. To-gether, they were the Shoals very rst rhythm section.

At the top of the steps, the neophyte musicians found two roomswhich one looked less reputable was anybodys guess. Th e rst room was a makeshift studio, featuring a hole cut into the wall between it and the adjacent space, which served as control room, complete with sound-enhancing egg crates on the wall.

It was the Shoals on-the-cheap version of New York Citys Brill building, and lounging on the threadbare sofa or plunked down in a chair shooting the breeze were the best undiscovered songwriting talent in the Shoals.

Th e worst, too. Guys came in with the most horrible songs you ever heard, Putnam says, laughing. Th e plan was to re-

In the beginning:

My father said to me, Son, I dont mind you taking the bass and having fun, but I want you to know, youll never, ever make money with it. Norbert Putnam

Spar Music, at the corner of Tennessee and Seminary Streets

M

arvin G

reen, co

urtesy o

f FAM

E Studios

1978Son of a Son of a SailorJimmy Bu ett(Producer, Bass)

1982Lets GoThe Nitty Gritty Dirt Band(Producer)

1984Windows and WallsDan Fogelberg(Bass)

1985Songs You Know By HeartJimmy Bu ett(Producer)

1986Twenty Years of DirtThe Nitty Gritty Dirt Band(Producer)

1987Classics, Vol. 8Joan Baez(Producer)


cord every Tom, Dick, and Harry, with the hope that one of them would deliver gold.

For a gang of rag tag novices with nothing but dry wall and egg cartons between them, Tennessee Street, and obscurity, the boys of SPAR were only a couple of years away from put-ting the Shoals music scene on the map; they just didnt know it yet. What they did know, as of mid-1959, was that SPAR had a decent rhythm section that got better with every pass-ing day, and a docket full of mostly bad, semi-pro table small town singer-songwriters willing to shell out a few bucks on the chance of becoming a star.

SPAR and Sta ord also had two new partners: saxophonist Billy Sherrill, and Sherrills bandmate, a Tishomingo County, Mississippi, native by the name of Rick Hall.

Rick was the rst real producer I ever played for, Putnam says. Ill always be grateful for his constant demand to play it di erent. He taught us all to look for a new, original way to play a song.

By 1960, theyd also have a recording artist who would alter all of their destinies.

Arthur Alexander and the road to FAME

Without Arthur Alexander, I dont think the Shoals music scene would have happened. Th ats Putnams evaluation of the handsome, dynamic, and ridiculously talented Alexan-der, whose single You Better Move On put the Shoals mu-sic scene on the map.

When he wasnt working as a porter at a downtown She eld hotel, Arthur Alexander wrote songs. And on a fortuitous day for any musician who ever borrowed some of Muscle Shoals musical mojo and ran with it all the way up the charts, Alexander brought some of those songs to SPAR.

[David] Briggs would sit at the piano, and Arthur would stand over him, Putnam recalls. As Arthur sang the melody, Briggs would play various chords, looking for the ones Ar-thur was hearing in his head. Arthur would say No, no, not that one, the other one! Over and over, theyd play until all the chords and melody rang true.

In 1962, Alexander, backed by Putnam, Briggs, and rest of the rhythm section, got it Billboard-Hot-100 right, with You Better Move On, the rst hit single produced in the Shoals, recorded at the newly christened FAME studios in Muscle Shoals. (Hall and his SPAR partners, Sta ord and Sherrill, parted ways the year before. Pegging the unknown Alexan-der as a hitmaker right o the bat, Hall made Alexander his premier act at the newly christened FAME.)

Putnam cant recall exactly how many takes Alexander and the rhythm section required before Hall pronounced their rst single nished. I know there were a lot, Putnam reckons. Dozens, probably, with Hall in the control room. Eventually, Rick motioned us in, Putnam says. Th e result turned out to be the most exciting musical experience of my young life.

Billboard, Bandstand, and Th e Beatles

Hall hit the road, single in hand, on the hunt for a label in-terested in releasing it. After much nagling in the country music capital of the world, Hall wheeled-and-dealed his way to Nashvilles Dot Records, home of superstar Pat Boone, where he nally found a taker for Alexanders soulful single. With the support of a bona de record label and DJ enthusi-asm, You Better Move On ascended the pop charts to the top 20, selling around 700,000 copies along the way.

One of those copies found its way to a mom-and-pop record store in Liverpool, England, where it was discovered by Brian Epstein, who passed it along to his good friend, a edgling singer-song-writer by the name of John Lennon.


1989Known Only To HimElvis Presley(Bass)

1991The Essential Marty RobbinsMarty Robbins(Bass)

1992Boats, Beaches, Bars, and BalladsJimmy Bu ett(Producer)

1993Rare, Live and ClassicJoan Baez(Producer)

1994Amazing Grace: His Greatest Sacred SongsElvis Presley(Bass)

1995Walk a Mile in my Shoes: The Essential 70s MastersElvis Presley(Arranger)

Back in the mid-70s, Putn

No’Ala Shoals, May/June 2016

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