Living In Stereo

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Charles Hughes writes: The death of Barry Beckett – who passed away last week at the age of 66 – marks a truly unhappy milestone in American musical history. With his passing, the second Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, which is among the most significant studio ensembles of the twentieth century, loses one of its core members. Beckett’s is not the first death in the larger ranks of prodigiously talented Shoals musicians and songwriters, given the losses of Arthur Alexander and Eddie Hinton, among others. But Barry Beckett’s stature, not only as primary keyboardist in the studio ensemble, but also as co-owner of the immensely successful Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, makes this a particularly momentous loss for the Shoals, as well as for Nashville, since – like many who made their name in the Shoals’ numerous recording studios – Beckett later moved to “Music City” and found great success there. In each place, he helped define genres, launch careers, and create a vast catalog of classic, hit recordings that continue to shape our listening. Beckett, who grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, came to Muscle Shoals under the wing of “Papa” Don Schroeder, the Miami-based DJ/producer who – like many during the period – came there to work at Fame Studios, where producer Rick Hall and a cadre of talented players and songwriters had established themselves recording soul, pop and country sessions. Beckett arrived at Fame at a fortuitous juncture, as Hall was in the process of rebuilding his core group of studio musicians following the 1964 departure of his first rhythm section, who moved to Nashville and became some of the most sought-after players in the city. Beckett’s fluid style fit perfectly into Fame’s model of musical professionalism, which favored the efficiency and versatility necessary to service Fame’s growing roster of paying clients. Beckett quickly became a cornerstone of the new, second group, along with drummer Roger Hawkins, guitarist Jimmy Johnson, and – later – bassist David Hood. Beckett’s spare, supple work on piano and organ helped establish Fame as a Southern soul center, a reputation that only intensified once the studio (and its musicians) became a favorite of Atlantic producer Jerry Wexler. In Fame’s heyday, Beckett played on records by soul greats like Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Arthur Conley and Aretha Franklin. This Aretha Franklin session – which produced her breakthrough single “I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)” and “Do Right Woman (Do Right Man)” – gained infamy for a race-related confrontation between a white horn player and Franklin’s husband. This fracas ultimately led to Franklin’s (and Wexler’s) departure from Muscle Shoals, with a half-completed recording and plenty of tension between Wexler and Rick Hall. Despite his ill feelings about the politics at Fame, Wexler remained committed to the musicians, and ultimately flew the Rhythm Section to New York to finish the session in semi-secret. Although Franklin never physically returned to Muscle Shoals to record, Shoals musicians, including Beckett, appear on her pivotal early Atlantic albums.

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