Whilst we were in Muscle Shoals we* took in a couple more studios for photo opportunities One was planned (Muscle Shoals Sound at 3614 Jackson Highway, Sheffield AL), and one was happenstance (Cypress Moon at 1000 Alabama Avenue, Sheffield AL). 3614 Jackson Highway is, of course, a very famous studio where the likes of The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and various other members of music royalty have recorded down the years. The Stones' recorded four tracks there that found their way onto Sticky Fingers, which happens to be one of my favourite ever albums. Cypress Moon Studio we stumbled upon. We had decided to drive down to the river and take a walk and parked right by the studio. I had never heard of it and took a picture to remind me to research it. It turns out it was where Muscle Shoals Sound relocated in 1979. They then sold it to Malaco Records in 1985 and some of my favourite Soul artists - Johnnie Taylor, Bobby Bland, and Little Milton(!) - recorded there late in their careers. Every day is a school day, as they say. I'm doubly glad I took a picture of it now (although annoyingly I can't find it at the moment).
But I have been kicking myself since for not visiting 104 East 2nd Street, Sheffield AL and 1307 Broadway St., Sheffield AL. It is quite possible we drove down East 2nd Street on the way from Muscle Shoals Sound to Cypress Moon because checking Google maps just now the most direct route between the two is along East 2nd Street. I'm not sure we took the most direct though, but if we did we drove past the site of Quin Ivy's first studio without even realising it!
Quin Ivy may not be a name your are familiar with. But there is a fair chance you will be familiar with at least one song recorded there - Percy Sledge's When A Man Love's A Woman.
I knew he had operated a studio - Quinvy - in Sheffield AL, and I have a few singles that were recorded there - Judy White's Satisfaction Guaranteed being one, significant because it is on my list of all time favourite Soul tracks. So I have beat myself up a bit for not doing my revision properly before this trip. and because of that not visiting these "shrines", when they were literally just down the road.
In recent months since coming back home I have done a very deep dive into all things Quinvy and I will share some facts next time.
I have also bought a fair few records that were recorded there in the last few months, here is one from one of Quin Ivy's labels...
Don Varner - Down in Texas 1967
... i might as well have been down in Texas!
*Mrs Darce was tagging along like the dutiful wife. She did indulge me and I was very grateful.
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