Small Town Produced Big Music

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Muscle Shoals is a tiny town in northern Alabama and the birthplace of some of the biggest hits in rock and roll history. The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Etta James all recorded there. "Each time some person went to Muscle Shoals, they came out of there with a hit record," says musician Clarence Carter. "You had to know, there was something magic in Muscle Shoals."

That magic is what the new documentary “Muscle Shoals” is all about. The film explores the forces that came together there in the 1960s and 70s to create so many unforgettable songs. It opens The Boulder International Film Festival on Thursday, Feb 14. And its director is from Boulder. Greg Camilier speaks with CPR’s Zachary Barr.