“Now, Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers
And they’ve been known to pick a song or two
Lord, they get me off so much
They pick me up when I’m feeling blue
Now, how ’bout you?“
Sweet Home Alabama / Lynyrd Skynyrd

Los Angeles had The Wrecking Crew of session musicians. Nashville had The A Team. Detroit had The Funk Brothers. And in Alabama, there was a group of studio musicians who more than held their own.


The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, also known as The Swampers, thanks to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s tribute, consisted of four men you’ve definitely heard – but likely never heard of. Session musicians David Hood on bass, Jimmy Johnson on rhythm guitar, Roger Hawkins on drums, and Barry Beckett on keyboards (later replaced by Spooner Oldham), played on scores of hit records in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s


From 1969 to 1978 alone, The Swampers played on more than 200 albums and had hundreds of hit songs with artists including Bob Dylan, Bob Seger, the Staples Sisters, Willie Nelson, and Cat Stevens, just to name a few. More than 75 RIAA Gold and Platinum records came out of their studio.


The Swampers honed their craft at FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama by playing with musicians like Aretha Franklin, Etta James, and Wilson Pickett. To FAME owner Rick Hall’s surprise, shortly after the Aretha Franklin sessions, The Swampers left FAME to start their own recording studio.

Jerry Wexler, the vice president of Atlantic Records, had offered the men a $19,000 loan to start their own studio and offered them financial support for the first 18 months. The Swampers took it and opened the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio at 3614 Jackson Highway in Sheffield, Alabama, which is within the “Shoals” jurisdiction.


More than a few musicians were surprised to see how small the studio was and even more surprised to learn that the musicians backing many notable black artists were white guys.

“When Paul Simon wanted to come here to record,” said Jimmy Johnson, “he phoned Al Bell at Stax Records, who had put out some of our recordings, and said he wanted the same black band that had played on those records. Bell said, ‘Well I can book you the same band but for black guys you’re going to find them awfully pale.'”

Black, white or green, The Swampers left a legacy of timeless music. The medley below is a very small sample. And yes, they do “pick me up when I’m feeling blue. Now, how ’bout you?“

Memories … That’s What We’re All About

Play button is on the left … Volume slider is on the right

The Swampers Medley

Percy Sledge – Aretha Franklin
Staple Singers – R.B. Greaves
Paul Simon – Wilson Pickett
Simon & Garfunkel – Bob Seger