The making of a #1 Hit at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio w/ The Swampers, Mary McGregor Part II

Here is a rare glimpse into a session at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio during a 1970's recording session that produced Mary McGregor's #1 hit song "Torn Between Two Lovers." Pete Carr, Lead Guitar for Muscle Shoals Sound says: "

Peter Yarrow, who heard of us from Paul Simon, brought in a young lady named Mary McGregor which he and our piano player Barry Becket were to produce. Peter narates the video and we studio guys go through our usual setup, tuning, working out the song and recording etc. You can probably tell we were nervous with cameras on us the whole time. It is a little intimadating when you are trying to work and don't want to make a fool out of yourself. It all turned out very well I thought. I good one look in the studio where we made hundreds of records but just a small look at the varied styles of music we could do from week to week."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• muscle shoals
• swampers
• pete carr
• jimmy johnson
• barry beckett
• david hood
• roger hawkins
• peter yarrow
• mary mcgregor
• torn between two lovers

[mazematt10]

whats the name of this song?

[mickatmidnight]

Torn Between Two Lovers by Mary McGregor

[ASTROHOTROD]

Wasn't this recorded at Jackson Highway later Big Bear Audio ?

[mickatmidnight]

Yes, at 3614 Jackson Highway Sheffield, AL. It's all set back up a lot like it was then with pretty much the original equipment as a historical site and actual recording studio. Check it out if you're in the Shoals.

[bramley1001]

Brilliant. Look kiddies, no guitar tuners!

[kperk014]

@omadon12 Pete Carr

[omadon12]

Who is the dark haired guy playing acoustic guitar sitting next to Jimmy Johnson?

[ishiyama333]

This is a great video. I learned how they recorded this song at Muscle Shoals Studio

by watching this . Thank you very much for share this very important video.

[TonyBeazley]

man where did you find this??? wow!!!!!

[tomthefunky]

What a blast to see the guys at home in their own studio. It's funny watching Roger Hawkins playing so mellow when the guy was a beast of a drummer when he had to be. Wilson Picket's Land Of A Thousand Dances is still my all time favorite from Roger. Thanks for this Mick. I always wanted to know how they positioned themselves seating- wise in that room. Now if only some Stax footage could surface showing those guys working in the studio.

[StRuMzNdRuMz]

Neumann U67 tube microphone at 4:18!!

[aarfeld]

Well, actually not, Mr. Yarrow. In fact, they were closing in on the end of Muscle Shoals' most productive years and the big change in popular music was about to arrive in the form of a slap to the face with the arrival of Punk. But, if you didn't like that you could always retreat to the Disco. Not that I'm advocating those two developments, but with historic hindsight we now know in what form change was about to come. Sigh . . . :-(