The Stax artist Johnnie Taylor recorded parts of several albums with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, between 1970 and 1977. The first Stax album to feature the Muscle Shoals Rhythm section was “One Step Beyond” in 1970, with Larry Hamby as sound engineer. Four tracks were recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio out of the eight tracks on the album. These tracks were “Time After Time”, “I Am Somebody (Parts I & II)”, “I Don’t Wanna Lose You (Parts I & II)” and “Don’t Take My Sunshine”.
Johnny Taylor in 1973
This was followed by the 1973 release “Taylored In Silk” studio album, with most of the tracks recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, except “Talk To Me”, which was recorded at United Sounds Studios, Detroit, Michigan. The string parts were recorded at A & R Recording in New York, with final mixing done in Detroit. The first track on the album is “We Are Careless With Our Love”. It is in my view a sweet Southern Soul performance by the rhythm section with beautiful strings and horns accompaniment, arranged by former Motown string and horn arranger Wade Marcus.
Another interesting deep Southern Soul treatment by producer Don Davis (with sound engineering support from Jerry Master) is evident on “Standing In For Jody”, which was not included on the original recording, but later added as a bonus track. Master was able to capture the vibe in the studio with the rhythm section on great form.
The organ part played (presumably) by Barry Beckett on “Starting All Over Again” is out of this world. He also did a brilliant job on “Cheaper To Keep Her”, performing a solo piece throughout the track behind Johnnie Taylor’s voice, with the other rhythm section members in the background. The recording of the Blues composition “I am Doing My Own Thing Part 1” (another later addition) shows the versatility of the rhythm section. Johnnie Taylor was in in his element and sounds like a worshipper with the dynamic female vocalists in support. Key elements of the sound come from the brilliant keyboard performance of Barry Beckett and Jimmy Johnson’s guitar workout, driving an explosive groove.
The track “I Believe In You (You Believe In Me)” became a number one single on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles Chart week-ending 21st July 1973 (2 weeks). The entire Muscle Shoal Rhythm section played on the song. The song became Johnnie Taylor’s last gold single for Stax Records.
The following track on the album, “One Thing Is Wrong With My Woman”, is a beautiful track full of drama. It is a powerful love story, expressed with rich Southern emotion. Johnnie Taylor sings with great vocal control and authority.
The last two tracks on the album, “I Can Read Between The Lines” and “This Bitter Earth”, show again the perfect balance achieved by the sound engineers in Detroit, with the strings and horns recorded at United Sound System Studios in Detroit and the rhythm laid down at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio combining beautifully.
Taylor switched to Columbia Records, when Stax went out of business in 1975. His first album for the new label was a major hit. “Eargasm” was certified gold on 5th April 1976 and eventually went platinum on 7th November 2001. All four key members of the Muscle Shoal rhythm section contributed to the album, with David Hood on bass, Roger Hawkins on drums, with Jimmy Johnson on rhythm guitar and Barry Beckett on keyboards.
Two tracks, “Please Don’t Stop (That Song From Playing)” and “Running Out of Lies”, demonstrate the Southern Soul and R&B funky groove of Muscle Shoals, with David Hood’s bassline patterns counter-balanced by Roger Hawkins’ pulsating drum beats, hard and soft as the song moves along. “Pick Up The Pieces”, with a groovy bottom line accompanied by dynamic horns and strings, has a timeless quality that certainly separates it and the other Muscle Shoals tracks from “Disco Lady”, which was recorded at United Sound Systems in Detroit. The rhythm section that played on the hit track also played regularly with George Clinton on his Parliament, Bootsy’s Rubber Band and Funkadelic recordings. The contrast is very clear.
The follow-up studio album “Rated Extraordinary”, released in 1977, also featured the Muscle Shoal rhythm section on several tracks, with backing vocals from Brandy (the backing vocalists for Millie Jackson). Some of the tracks on the studio album were also recorded at United Sound System Studios in Detroit.
It is obvious from listening to these Johnnie Taylor albums that the drummer and bass player are the fundamental anchor to any recording, as it develops in the recording studio. The pulsating signature sound drumbeats of the late Roger Hawkins, paired with David Hood’s raw, refined, and complex rhythm patterns on bass, are the heartbeat of the signature sound of Muscle Shoals.
