Results for “Muscle Shoals”

We welcome you to the Ace podcast, lovingly presided over for us by journalist, record collector and broadcaster Pete Paphides. This occasional series will feature interviews with guests from many branches of the extended Ace family, detailing their own careers, the artists that have influenced their lives and the records that they love, all enjoyably explored over two microphones and plenty of cups of tea.

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2012

The Fame catalogue rolled on, as did the Songwriter and London American series, Mod Jazz and New Breed danced on and there were more cute EPs and cuddly 45s. So all of the flowers in the Ace garden were being well tended.

There was a new compiler on the block, looking like he was ready to bop. Ian Saddler, a record collector who specialised in Louisiana music created a new series. The first release was “Boppin’ By The Bayou”. Essential to making the series work was accessing the seminal rock’n’roll and R&B recordings made by JD Miller out of Crowley. While Miller provided Excello with a huge amount of their catalogue, he was also responsible for a lot of great rockin’ rhythm and blues sides that he didn’t sell on. With a big helping hand from John Broven, a deal that had been sought for many a year was finally put together. Before long, the Paddington Branch of the Grand Union Canal was doing a pretty good impersonation of the Bayou. Vince Anthony & the Blue Notes’ ‘Watch My Smoke’ was not just one of the great tracks in the deal but could well be the byword for the alacrity with which the series expanded.

It’s always sad to hear of the death of anyone whose music has been such a huge part of one’s life. 

2018 has begun with the loss of Rick Hall, founder of Florence, Alabama Music Enterprises  - or FAME, as it’s known throughout the world. Ace has represented the Fame catalogue exclusively for many years, and is proud to do so to this day. It goes without saying that we are all greatly saddened that the gregarious and immensely likeable Mr. Hall will no longer be sitting in his big chair in his office above his studios, running his company in a hands-on capacity.  He may have been getting up there in years, but Rick had the energy and enthusiasm of a man half his age. Although nobody and nothing lasts forever, you always felt Rick had a better chance than most of making that happen.

Singer, bandleader and showman par excellence Wayne Cochran passed away on November 21 at the age of 78. Alec Palao explains why he mattered.

1998

The “Miami Rockabilly” CD finally appeared from the glades, with its tale of a ‘Knocked Out Joint On Mars’ from Buck Trail and Curley Jim with ‘The Rock’n’Roll Itch’ — boy, is he anxious to tell us all about it. Screamin’ rockabilly from the bastard offspring of the Memphis Flash. Well worth the wait. Later in the year, Benny Joy “Crashed The Rockabilly Party” with very distinct versions of the album’s title track and dance hall perennial ‘Spin The Bottle’. The records were originally on Antler, a label owned by Platters manager Buck Ram.