Muscle Shoals Legacy of Fame

FAME Publishing first opened in 1959 and produced hits for great musicians like Etta James, Clarence Carter and Aretha Franklin.

ot long after, the city of Muscle Shoals became known as the Hit Recording Capital of the World. FAME was the foundation that produced Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, the Nutthouse and Sundrop Sound at Single Lock Records - studios that gave a voice to artists like Drive-By Truckers, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and John Paul White. A new generation, including the Pollies and Doc Dailey & the Magnolia Devil, today carries the tradition of great music. Through extensive research, and enriched with interviews from those who lived it, local author Blake Ells chronicles the epic story that started with FAME.

Blake Ells works in public relations by day, and he's a music journalist by night. His work has been published at AL.com, Birmingham Post-Herald, Birmingham News, Weld for Birmingham and Birmingham magazine, among many others. Blake continues to serve the Literacy Council of Central Alabama, where he has previously served as chair. He is a proud alumnus of Auburn University.