Muscle Shoals Sound Studio
The Rolling Stones 'Wild Horses' was recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio.
"Wild Horses" is a song written by the British rock band the Rolling Stones with Gram Parsons. It was first released in 1970 by the Flying Burrito Brothers as the Stones didn't think the demo was worth recording fully. It was subsequently recorded by the Stones for their 1971 album Sticky Fingers when they felt it was worth reconsideration. It was also released on 12 June 1971 as a single, with "Sway" as its B-side. Originally recorded over a three-day period at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Alabama during 2–4 December 1969 while Albert and David Maysles were shooting for the film that was titled Gimme Shelter, the song was not released until over a year later due to legal wranglings with the band's former label. Along with "Brown Sugar", it is one of the two Rolling Stones compositions from Sticky Fingers (1971) over which ABKCO Records co-owns the rights along with the Stones. Source: Wikipedia
Muscle Shoals Sound Studio certainly didn't look like much from the outside...
...but the list of people who recorded hits there...Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, Percy Sledge, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Leon Russell, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rod Stewart, Bob Seger, The Staple Singers, Duane Allman, George Michael, Willie Nelson, Joe Cocker, Levon Helm, Tamiko Jones, Cher, Cat Stevens, Etta James, Elton John. Jimmy Cliff, Traffic, Boz Scaggs, Dire Straits, Dr. Hook, Julian Lennon, Phish, Greg Allman, and more.
All sound studio's/sound engineers have their own little tricks to get 'their' own sound. Muscle Shoals had theirs, Phil Spector's Wall of Sound at Gold Star Studio's, Eddie Kramer at Jimi Hendrix Electric Lady Studio, Hitsville USA Studio A's 'Motown Sound', etc. Reminds me of a story back in the mid/late 90's a band from NE USA had just finished recording a CD in Philadelphia. The CD wasn't released yet and they asked me to come over to the mansion and give it a listen. I'd be one of the very first to hear it and they wanted my opinion. I truly liked it and as we were chatting I said that "I know you recorded it in Philadelphia but I keep feeling a certain Muscle Shoals thing when I'm listening to the songs". They all started laughing and told me that the sound engineer had worked at Muscle Shoals sound studio for 20 years before moving to Philadelphia! I've certainly heard enough music recorded at Muscle Shoals over my lifetime to have some idea of the sound. They didn't call it the 'Muscle Shoals Sound' for nothing. They had
The Swampers!
"Now Muscle Shoals has got The Swampers
And they’ve been known to pick a song or two (yes they do)
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
Longball