♪ "Muscle Shoals to Music Row" ♪ (upbeat music) [Announcer] The Sam Phillips Music Organization invites you to step behind the music where the hits are made, the stories are told, and the legends are born.

♪ Muscle Shoals ♪ ♪ The music alone, yeah ♪ [Announcer] This program is brought to you by Visit the Shoals, Big River Broadcasting, Sutherland Sight and Sound, and the University of North Alabama's David and John Briggs Family Department of Entertainment Industry.

(upbeat music) And now, live from the the Shoals, this is "Muscle Shoals to Music Row," live.

(upbeat music continues) (light instrumental music) ♪ Keep what you want ♪ ♪ Throw the rest away ♪ ♪ Reach down and touch the road ♪ ♪ See if it's the same ♪ ♪ Go and lie on your dreams (indistinct) ♪ ♪ Am I ♪ ♪ Am I ♪ I had two organizations approach me within two days of each other.

One was Room in the Inn, which deals with homeless people, and the other was The Healing Place, which deals with grieving children.

And they both wanted to hire my band, the Fiddleworms, to play benefits for their charities.

Having reopened the family business, I told 'em, this is perfect for me.

I don't have any money, but I can give you my time, but that I would need to pay everybody else.

I didn't want to do that, taking money out of the charities' pockets or it would defeat the whole purpose of having a benefit.

I wasn't a promoter, so I didn't know how to put that together.

I had the DVD of when the Beatles played the Sullivan Theater, February 9th of 1964.

And I had all these old commercials from that time period, and I just, off the top of my head, I said, "Well, we could show clips and those old commercials and then we would come out and play some Beatles covers.

We'll call it "Muscle Shawls meets The Beatles," and try to raise money for your charities.

But again, I didn't know how to get the money to be able to pay the fellas and for the sound to make that happen.

So it kind of just floated around in my head for about a year and a half.

I was at a local restaurant and Mike Miller, who owned Ray Miller Buick here in town, approached me out of the blue and said, "Hey, there's a cover band from out of town that wants us to sponsor a show.

You got any ideas for a show?

And I said, "Mike, actually I've had a show in my head for like a year and a half, if you don't mind me asking, how much money do they want??

And he said, "Well, they want $3,500 from me and $3,500 from Mark Blackburn over at CB and S Bank.

Our good friend, Wild Man Steve, drove up to Muscle Shoals with his wife Laura, to look at rings at my store.

And afterwards we went to dinner and I was telling him about the Muscle Shoals meets the Beatles show.

And he said, man, if you'll let me MC it, I would love to be a sponsor.

So that's how we obtained the first sponsorships for the Muscle Shoals Meet shows.

And with that money, I called up Jimmy Hall from Wet Willie, had him do a reprise of Wilson Pickett's version of "Hey Jude."

Called Charles Rose, and he and Harvey Thompson came in.

Those guys were touring with Elton John, and performed with John Lennon, really at his last public performance on Thanksgiving Day at Madison Square Garden.

So we recreated those songs.

Jerry Phillips, whose father Sam Phillips, Sam recorded Carl Perkins doing, "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby," which The Beatles covered.

So we had Jerry perform that song.

♪ Well, everybody wants to be my baby now ♪ ♪ You know everybody's trying to be my baby now ♪ As I put this together, it occurred to me that the Beatles actually introduced me to my own music.

The first time I heard "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby," it was George Harrison singing it, not Carl Perkins.

The first time I heard Anna, it was John Lennon singing it and not Arthur Alexander.

So we put the show together, I called the charities and I said, "Hey man, I got great news.

We've raised the money and we're gonna have a show.

I raised $7,000."

And they said, fantastic, what'd you do with it?

And I was like, well, I spent it.

They were like, man, that's not usually how we do this, you know?

And I was like, well, I don't know what I'm doing.

The Marriott Conference Center gave us the room.

I didn't know if people would buy a ticket and support it, but they did, man, and we sold it out and we raised a little over $11,000 for each of the charities.

And that's how it all got started.

("Sweet Emotion") ("Boys Are Back in Town") ("Boys Are Back in Town" continues) Have you ever seen a $2,500 floor tom?

("Boys Are Back in Town" continues) This is always one of my most major puckering moments, man, because it always takes longer to set up than we can ever anticipate.

Once we get rolling, everything catches up, but right now we're an hour behind so it's kind of, kind of puckered.

(laughing) Look at this, my goodness.

Think about lattes too.

They're not good with the lids, man, you gotta take the lids off.

-Let it breathe.

-Let it dribble down your- You gotta let it, exactly.

Right there, man.

That's what I'm talking about right there.

(rock music) (rock guitar music) Jamie Barrier is the coolest guy in the Shoals, man.

He's a skateboarder, he's a surfer.

His band travels the world and nobody knows it.

He's not on Facebook.

I'm surprised he even has a cell phone, man, he's that kind of cat.

He's also one of the most authentic people that you will ever run into.

And he's a punk guy.

His band, the Pine Hill Haints, are one of my favorite bands.

And I'm really a little bit surprised and starstruck that he's willing to be a part of these shows.

(indistinct) I originally had Bay Simpson slated to do "Sedated."

That didn't work out.

They had another opportunity that he could not turn down, come up, that he'll be finding out about soon.

♪ 20 20 24 hours to go ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ ♪ Nothin' to do, nowhere to go ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ I called up Jamie and asked him if he would do it, and of course he said, "I already know it."

♪ 20 20 24 hours to go ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ ♪ Nothin' to do, nowhere to go ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ I love that Russell is like, has me a part of it, and all the other people he has a part of it.

It's just a beautiful thing, man.

I have no hit records.

(laughing) ♪ 20 20 24 hours to go ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ I was raised country as can be, but coming from a metal background, I would go to as much of that stuff as I could go, and I couldn't drive.

My sister would drive me.

and I'd see these colorful psychedelic bands across the way, and that was Russell and the Worms.

And so it's cool to later on down the line just to be able to get up and play with them.

I have a lot of respect and honor for 'em.

♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ Rock and roll.

One two three four (punk music) ♪ 20 20 24 hours to go ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ ♪ Nothin' to do, nowhere to go ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ ♪ Just get me to the airport, put me on a plane ♪ ♪ Hurry, hurry, hurry, before I go insane ♪ ♪ I can't control my fingers, I can't control my brain ♪ ♪ Oh, no, oh, oh, oh, ho ♪ (punk music) ♪ 20 20 24 hours to go ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ ♪ Nothin' to do, nowhere to go ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ ♪ Just get me to the airport, put me on a plane ♪ ♪ Hurry, hurry, hurry, before I go insane ♪ ♪ I can't control my fingers, I can't control my brain ♪ ♪ Oh, no, oh, oh, oh, ho ♪ (punk music) (punk music continues) ♪ 20 20 24 hours to go ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ ♪ Nothin' to do, nowhere to go ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ ♪ Just put me in a wheelchair, get me to the show ♪ ♪ Hurry, hurry, hurry, before I go loco ♪ ♪ I can't control my fingers, I can't control my toes ♪ ♪ Oh, no, oh, oh, oh, ho ♪ ♪ 20 20 24 hours to go ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ ♪ Nothin' to do, nowhere to go ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ ♪ Just put me in a wheelchair, get me to the show ♪ ♪ Hurry, hurry, hurry, before I go loco ♪ ♪ I can't control my fingers, I can't control my toes ♪ ♪ Oh, no, oh, oh, oh, ho ♪ (punk music continues) ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ ♪ I wanna be sedated ♪ (audience applauding and cheering) I tell people that the Fiddleworms successfully have remained in obscurity for over 30 years.

And we've had people trying to help us out along the way.

And one of those people is Eric Erdman.

Eric was in a band called Ugli Stick and they were very successful.

Toured the southeast, went out west, they played on USO tours overseas.

And we developed a friendship.

They moved up here to write songs and to record with Jimmy Nut.

And originally he had to write songs with Rick Hall and then, and to record with Jimmy.

And he recommended that their manager, Kathy Kemp, manage us.

And that opened doors for us as well.

We started playing places like the Soul Kitchen in Mobile, Skybar in Auburn, larger clubs than we were playing.

And Eric and I, with that friendship, also started writing songs together.

Two of the songs that are on the Fiddleworms' "See the Light" record were co-written, Eric was part of that, and actually performed on those songs on the record ♪ To the moon and back ♪ ♪ You slash your wrists and say goodnight ♪ ♪ Scratches down my back and there's a line in my bed ♪ ♪ I've died four times ♪ ♪ The love of my life is crazy (beep) ♪ ♪ Moaning at the season ♪ Eric has continued to write and travel as a solo artist.

He has a cut on the Red Clay Strays record and just received his first gold record.

("All Right Now") I played a rough mix that Jimmy had done of "Fire and Rain" to a friend of mine.

He asked me, "When did I go see James Taylor?"

(acoustic guitar music) ♪ Just yesterday morning they let know you were gone ♪ ♪ Suzanne the plans they made put an end to you ♪ ♪ So I walked out this morning and I wrote down a song ♪ ♪ I just can't remember who to send it to ♪ ♪ I've seen fire and I've seen rain ♪ ♪ I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end ♪ ♪ I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend ♪ ♪ But I always thought that I'd see you again ♪ ♪ Won't you look down upon me, Jesus ♪ ♪ You've got to help me make a stand ♪ ♪ You've just got to see me through another day ♪ ♪ My body's aching and my time is at hand ♪ ♪ And I won't make it any other way ♪ ♪ I've seen fire and I've seen rain ♪ ♪ I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end ♪ ♪ I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend ♪ ♪ But I always thought that I'd see you again ♪ ♪ I've been walking my mind to an easy time ♪ ♪ My back turned towards the sun ♪ ♪ Lord knows, when the cold wind blows ♪ ♪ It'll turn your head around ♪ ♪ And there's hours of time on the telephone line ♪ ♪ To talk about things to come ♪ ♪ Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the ground ♪ ♪ Oh, I've seen fire and I've seen rain ♪ ♪ I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end ♪ ♪ I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend ♪ ♪ But I always thought I'd see you baby ♪ ♪ One more time again ♪ ♪ I thought I'd see you one more time again ♪ ♪ There's just a few things coming my way ♪ ♪ This time around now ♪ ♪ I thought I'd see you ♪ ♪ See you fire and rain ♪ (soft instrumental music) (audience applauding and cheering) So before the Sam Phillips show, I was driving my wife crazy.

"Who's gonna sing Roy Orbison, who's gonna sing Roy Orbison?"

And Andreas had put on a Muscle Shoals songwriters event during the WC Handy Music Festival, and he had asked me to come and perform some of the songs I'd written.

And so after I had performed my set, I sat down out front with Allison and with Lenny came out, started singing "Falling," and my wife tapped me on the knee and said, "There's your Roy Orbison."

(acoustic guitar music) Well, I asked Lenny if he would be interested in being a part of the show, and told him I would like for him to sing Roy Orbison.

He said, "Oh, well I wrote a song that Roy cut."

The man is amazing.

And so when we decided to do thee 70s show, he said, "Well, you know, I had a hit in the 70s."

And I was like, "Yeah, you did."

(singers vocalizing) ♪ Morning ♪ ♪ He loves ♪ ♪ When you ♪ My roommate and I, Eddie Struzick, who's in heaven now, he and I would write a lot of songs together.

And we wrote this one at the studio one day and I looked at him, I said, "I think this is gonna be a hit."

I hope it's on me, on one of my records.

But I knew it was a hit song, and everybody we played it for, they just loved it.

It was one of those records that it took a long time to be a hit because it stayed in the charts 27 weeks.

Like it would go to 80 and then it would fall back down to 90 and then it would go to 70 and it would fall back down to to 60 and then, or it would go up to 60, then it would fall back down to 65.

And so it was a lot bigger record than it appeared, because it stayed in the chart for so long, got so much airplay, every market we'd go to.

But you know, Gary and I go way back because when we put a road band together, after "Falling," the song, doing well on the radio, when we flew Gary in for an audition, he was my bass player.

I flew in here into a cotton field on a big old plane that had, big plane.

probably, you know, 200 seater, those big ones used to fly in here, walked right across the street to Wishbone Studios, met Pete Carr, Lenny LeBlanc, and stayed, you know, decided to stay.

We did hundreds of concerts.

I think we did 56 shows one time on a tour in two and a half months.

We were touring with, anybody from Journey to Foreigner to, gosh, you name it, we would tour England Dan and John Ford Coley.

We were on the same label.

So we were bouncing from tour to tour, and also we were on the Skynyrd tour when the plane went down.

We had the same manager as Skynyrd.

And so we got booked in that whole tour.

It was 27 shows, and five shows into it the plane crashed and that was a sad day.

The night before we left to go do a show for our record label, they were leaving to go do a show for theirs.

And the night after the show there, yeah, Ronnie and I sat at the bar and had a drink.

Sure did.

I got a photo of him that I hope I can find it one day, 'cause it was absolutely amazing.

Him on stage, our hands up.

I've never still to this day seen anyone command a stage like him.

(muffled speaking) Guess I start it off.

(indistinct) guy looking over there.

(Lenny laughing) -Okay, you ready?

-Yeah.

[Lenny] Me and Gary are, we're playing a Foreigner song.

[Gary] Yeah, we don't wanna play "Falling."

(all laughing) I don't either.

We came to play hits.

Yeah, I know, right?

So one of the stops on the tour was, we were scheduled to go to New York City and open for Dickie Betts.

He had his own band at this time.

We were booked at a place called The Palladium.

And the record company was gonna be there, our booking agent was gonna be there, our whole management team was gonna be there.

Everybody who was anybody connected with us on the promotional side was there.

They told me that they searched the audience before they come in because it's pretty rowdy crowd.

They'll search the young lady's purses because they'll have, if they have liquor bottles in their purse, they'll get, you know, pretty tanked up and they'll throw the bottles at the band if they don't like 'em.

And so that was kind of freaky.

So we start our set and about the second song in I started feeling stuff bouncing off my forehead and I looked on the stage and it was like candy and me and Gary were looking at each other like they're throwing candy at us, like milk duds and you know, jelly beans.

And I was so mad.

I walked off the stage and I told my manager, I said, "Don't you ever book me in this town again?"

And he went, "Oh no, you don't understand.

If they didn't like you, they'd boo you off the stage."

At the first song they booed Mark Farner off the stage in Grand Funk Railroad the week before.

I said, man, that's a rough crowd.

Hey we are the 70s.

Yeah.

(audience applauding and cheering) My wife says, "I'd like Muscle Shoals meets the 80s better."

I said, "That's 'cause you weren't born in the 70s."

But anyway.

You got the acoustic?

[Audience Member] Let's go Lenny.

Hey, I gotta tell y'all something about Lenny real quick before we go.

He's the only one here actually gonna sing a song from the 70s that he wrote and sang in the 70s.

(audience cheering) And I got to be there through it all.

Yeah, this guy and me, we crisscrossed the country doing this song.

And had a lot of great memories.

You're dang right.

All your old-timers know this song.

If you're young and you don't know it, if you work in a place where they got elevators, you'll know it.

(audience laughing) (soft music) ♪ I think about winter when I was with her ♪ ♪ And the snow was falling down ♪ ♪ Warmed by the fire ♪ ♪ I love being by her ♪ ♪ When there's no one else around ♪ ♪ And I'm falling ♪ ♪ Whoa, I'm falling ♪ ♪ I'm falling ♪ ♪ In love with you ♪ ♪ I think about summer ♪ ♪ My head was swimming ♪ ♪ You wrote my name in the sand ♪ ♪ We walked together ♪ ♪ Hoping forever ♪ ♪ Please don't let go of my hand ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm falling ♪ ♪ Whoa, I'm falling ♪ ♪ I'm falling ♪ ♪ In love with you ♪ ♪ The fall and the springtime ♪ ♪ Were like in between times ♪ ♪ You're here and then you're gone away ♪ ♪ Whoa, I just wanted to say ♪ ♪ Won't you please, please stay ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm falling ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm falling ♪ ♪ I'm falling ♪ ♪ In love with you ♪ (soft instrumental music) ♪ Whoa, I'm falling ♪ ♪ Yeah, I'm falling ♪ ♪ Oh, I'm falling ♪ ♪ In love with you ♪ ♪ In love with you ♪ ♪ In love with you ♪ (audience applauding and cheering) (upbeat acoustic guitar music) I love the song "Big Yellow Taxi."

It's like the quirkiest, coolest thing ever.

That's not something just anybody can sing.

And I didn't know who was gonna sing it.

I had asked around and gone out and listened to some folks playing and it was Mike Dylan.

He said, if you need a another female voice, Ashley Brown is a heck of a singer.

♪ Don't it always seem to go ♪ ♪ That you don't know what you've got till it's gone ♪ ♪ They paved paradise, put up a parking lot ♪ I said, do you think she could handle "Big Yellow Taxi?"

I think she knocked it outta the park.

(upbeat instrumental music) ♪ They paved paradise, put up a parking lot ♪ ♪ With a pink hotel, a boutique and a swinging hot spot ♪ ♪ Don't it always seem to go ♪ ♪ That you don't know what you've got till it's gone ♪ ♪ They paved paradise, put up a parking lot ♪ (singers vocalizing) ♪ They took all the trees, put 'em in a tree museum ♪ ♪ And they charged the people ♪ ♪ A dollar and a half just to see 'em ♪ ♪ Don't it always seem to go ♪ ♪ That you don't know what you've got till it's gone ♪ ♪ They paved paradise, put up a parking lot ♪ (singers vocalizing) ♪ Hey farmer farmer, put away the DDT now ♪ ♪ Give me spots on my apples ♪ ♪ But leave me the birds and the bees ♪ ♪ Please ♪ ♪ Don't it always seem to go ♪ ♪ That you don't know what you've got till it's gone ♪ ♪ They paved paradise, put up a parking lot ♪ (singers vocalizing) ♪ Late last night I heard that screen door slam ♪ ♪ And a big yellow taxi took away my old man ♪ ♪ Don't it always seem to go ♪ ♪ That you don't know what you've got till it's gone ♪ ♪ They paved paradise, put up a parking lot ♪ (singers vocalizing) ♪ I said, don't it always seem to go ♪ ♪ That you don't know what you've got till it's gone ♪ ♪ They paved paradise, put up a parking lot ♪ (singers vocalizing) ♪ They paved paradise.

put up a parking lot ♪ (singers vocalizing) ♪ They paved paradise, put up a parking lot ♪ (audience applauding and cheering) Thank you.

(audience applauding and cheering) So "Convoy" is a song that I loved as a child.

If you're around my age or close to that, you probably remember that CB radios were a thing, man.

Like I was Super Slugger, like we all had a handle.

A lot of automobiles, not trucks, but just like regular, like a Ford LTD would have a CB radio in it, you know?

And everybody's talking going down the highway and it's before there were fancy detectors and stuff, that's how you tried to keep from getting a ticket.

But it was really more of a community way to talk to each other.

There were no cell phones, and so it was a big deal and "Convoy" was the front end of that.

This is C. Like C minor?

Then we hit like the A flat, E flat B flat, all that crap.

But yeah, birds and (indistinct).

(upbeat music) (lyrics muffled) Again trying to figure out, well who's gonna sing "Convoy?"

So I had a couple ideas that didn't pan out, and I got a Facebook messenger from Matt Prater.

He had come to the 80s show and said that he would, he would like to be part of the show if we had space and that he would do anything to be involved.

And so I went to Matt's page.

He had posted a song of his, "Fire on the Mountain," Marshall Tucker Band song, live from a studio in Birmingham and he's just killing it, right?

♪ Fire on the mountain ♪ ♪ Lightning in the air ♪ ♪ Gold in them hills and it's waiting for me there ♪ I was like, that's "Convoy" man.

The first couple people that I called and asked to sing "Convoy" literally laughed in my face, and Matt didn't.

I think he thought I was crazy, but he was like, I he said I'll try that out.

Yeah.

♪ Well we laid a strip for the Jersey shore ♪ ♪ Prepared to cross the line ♪ ♪ I could see the bridge was lined with bears ♪ (all talking) ♪ I says, Pig Pen this here's the Rubber Duck ♪ ♪ We just ain't a gonna pay no toll ♪ ♪ So we crashed the gate doin' 98 ♪ ♪ I says let them truckers roll ♪ That's not an easy song to do, man.

It was the most difficult lyrics I've ever learned, because there's not an, there's not necessarily a rhythm to it.

I mean there's a little bit of a rhythm.

There's not a meter.

It's not like a song, there's not a melody.

It's not like a rap that's necessarily on the beat.

It was the CB jargon was the hardest part.

(indistinct) The rubble, rubble, rubble and the heavy hippy hole haul.

I think I counted it, and if you counted it like they were verses, it would be like a 15 to 17 verse song.

Except it wasn't like melodic, which made it harder.

♪ Ten-four Pig Pen, What's your 20 ♪ ♪ Omaha ♪ ♪ They ought to know what to do with them ♪ ♪ Hogs down there for sure ♪ ♪ Well mercy sakes good buddy ♪ ♪ We're gonna back on out of here ♪ ♪ So keep the bugs off your glass ♪ ♪ And the bears off your tail ♪ ♪ We'll catch you on the flip flop ♪ ♪ This here is Rubber Duck on the side ♪ ♪ We gone, bye bye ♪ (upbeat music) (march drumming) ♪ Breaker one-nine, this here's Rubber Duck ♪ ♪ You got a copy on my Pig Pen, c'mon ♪ ♪ Yeah, Ten-Four Pig Pen, for sure, for sure ♪ ♪ By golly it's clean clear to Flag Town, c'mon ♪ ♪ Yeah, that's a big ten-four there, Pig Pen ♪ ♪ Yeah, we definitely got the front door, good buddy ♪ ♪ Mercy sakes alive, looks like we got us a convoy ♪ ♪ It was the dark of the moon on the 6th of June ♪ ♪ In a Kenworth pulling logs ♪ ♪ Cabover Pete with a reefer on ♪ ♪ And a Jimmy a hauling hogs ♪ ♪ We was heading for bear on I-1-0 ♪ ♪ About a mile out of Shaky Town ♪ ♪ I says Pig Pen this year is Rubber Duck ♪ ♪ And I'm about to put the hammer down ♪ ♪ 'Cause we got a little 'ole convoy ♪ ♪ Rockin' through the night ♪ ♪ Yeah, we got a little 'ole convoy ♪ ♪ Ain't she a beautiful sight ♪ ♪ C'mon and join our convoy ♪ ♪ Ain't nothin' gonna get in our way ♪ ♪ We gonna roll this truckin' convoy ♪ ♪ 'Cross the USA ♪ ♪ Convoy ♪ ♪ Breaker Pig Pen this here's the Duck ♪ ♪ And you wanna back off them hogs ♪ ♪ Yeah, ten-four, about five miles or so ♪ ♪ 10 rogers ♪ ♪ Them hogs is gettin' intense up here ♪ ♪ By the time we got into Tulsa town we had 85 trucks in all ♪ ♪ But there's a roadblock up on the clover leaf ♪ ♪ And them bears is wall to wall ♪ ♪ Yeah, them smokies thick as bugs on a bumper ♪ ♪ They even had a bear in the air ♪ ♪ I says, calling all trucks, this here's the Duck ♪ ♪ We're about to go huntin' bear ♪ ♪ 'Cause we got a great big convoy ♪ ♪ Rockin' through the night ♪ ♪ Yeah, we got a great big convoy ♪ ♪ Ain't she a beautiful sight ♪ ♪ C'mon and join our convoy ♪ ♪ Ain't nothin' gonna get in our way ♪ ♪ We gonna roll this truckin' convoy ♪ ♪ 'Cross the USA ♪ ♪ Convoy ♪ ♪ You got a ten-nine on that Pig Pen ♪ ♪ Negatory Pig Pen, you're still too close ♪ ♪ Them hogs are starting to close up my sinuses ♪ ♪ Mercy sakes, you better back off another 10 ♪ ♪ Well we rolled up Interstate 44 ♪ ♪ Like a rocket sled on rails ♪ ♪ We tore up all of our swindle sheets ♪ ♪ And left them sitting on the scales ♪ ♪ By the time we hit that Chi-Town ♪ ♪ Them bears was a getting smart ♪ ♪ They brought up some reinforcements ♪ ♪ From the Illinois National Guard ♪ ♪ There's armored cars and tanks and Jeeps ♪ ♪ And rigs of every size ♪ ♪ Yeah, them chicken coops was full of bears ♪ ♪ And choppers filled the skies ♪ ♪ So, we shot the line ♪ ♪ And we went for broken with a thousand screamin' trucks ♪ ♪ And 11 longhaired friends of Jesus ♪ ♪ In a chartreuse micro bus.

♪ ♪ Yeah, Rubber Duck to Sod Buster ♪ ♪ Yeah, Sod Buster you wanna put that microbus ♪ ♪ In behind that suicide jockey ♪ ♪ Yeah, he's haulin' dynamite ♪ ♪ He needs all the help he can get ♪ ♪ Well we laid a strip for the Jersey shore ♪ ♪ Prepared to cross a line ♪ ♪ I could see the bridge was lined with bears ♪ ♪ But I didn't have a doggone dime ♪ ♪ I says Pig Pen, this here's Rubber Duck ♪ ♪ We just ain't gonna pay no toll ♪ ♪ So we crashed the gate doing 98 ♪ ♪ I says let them truckers roll, ten-four ♪ ♪ 'Cause we got a mighty convoy ♪ ♪ Rockin' through the night ♪ ♪ Yeah, we got a mighty convoy ♪ ♪ Ain't she a beautiful sight ♪ ♪ C'mon and join our convoy ♪ ♪ Ain't nothin' gonna get in our way ♪ ♪ We gonna roll this truckin' convoy ♪ ♪ 'Cross the USA ♪ ♪ Convoy ♪ ♪ Yeah, ten-four Pig Pen, what's your 20 ♪ ♪ Omaha ♪ ♪ Well they ought to know what to do ♪ ♪ With them hogs out there for sure ♪ ♪ Listen, we going back on out of here ♪ ♪ Keep the bugs off your glass and the bears off your tail ♪ ♪ We'll catch you on the flip flop ♪ ♪ This here's Rubber Duck on the side ♪ ♪ We gone, bye bye ♪ ♪ Convoy ♪ (audience applauding and cheering) Matt Prater.

I heard "Convoy" was killer man.

Yeah.

I'm multi-track recording the show tonight.

I asked them to to put me in the basement, so I could kind of get away from the sound a little bit.

And so the sound guys hooked me up with this wing console.

Yeah, we've got 48 tracks and gosh, I mean we're gonna have probably six hours of audio plus all the rehearsals.

I'm recording the rehearsals as well.

(soft piano music) ♪ Maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all the time ♪ So Angela is is my favorite singer, my wife's too.

When I was a child I had the "Wings Over America" record, and it has a version of "Maybe I'm Amazed" that I absolutely love.

I would sit as a child and open up that gatefold and it was kind of a painted stage scene of the band, and I would sit and look at that and imagine what it would be like to be at the concert.

So I always loved the song and Angela, she's a star.

She won the best season of "Nashville Star."

She was the winner.

She's an amazing talent and an amazing giving individual.

And we are so lucky, she's been on every show.

It's a super cool melody.

I like the fact that it, personally for me, it fits my voice really good I think.

And we had to change the lyric up a little bit in the chorus.

Angela (beeping).

(all talking) [Angela] First time I've ever sung this one.

[Speaker] Okay, and I love the lyric sound.

Yeah, yeah.

Thank you for that too.

I was like, I gotta figure out a way to sing that.

[Speaker] No, I think that's killing it.

Sounds perfect.

[Speaker 2] Amazing.

Thank you.

[Speaker 3] Where do you want to take it?

Y'all sound good.

Y'all want to pick it up from that solo?

I don't know, sometimes I sing songs and I'm always trying to do my best, but like sometimes you sing one and you just thoroughly enjoy singing it.

And that was one of those.

This year was really, really cool.

I just, I really felt good about it.

("Maybe I'm Amazed") ("Maybe I'm Amazed" continues) Man, I don't know if I would call it a hiatus, but like for years, for at least a decade, I mean I would do, I'd do a couple of nights a month at Swampers inside the Swampers Bar, the Marriott of the Shoals Hotel.

I've never really been good at being an artist.

I am one but I'm kind of really introverted and not good at promoting myself.

And you know, little by little each year these shows would come around and people were so receptive to me as a singer, whatever I was singing, they made me feel like, oh yeah, this is what you are good at.

And he initiated all that by asking me to be a part of these shows.

So, absolutely.

I was thinking about that really heavy that night and I just had a lot of gratitude.

♪ Baby, you come knocking on my front door ♪ ♪ Same old line you used to use before ♪ ♪ I said yeah, well what am I supposed to do ♪ ♪ I didn't know what I was getting into ♪ I always forget to say this, but people would say, why don't you ever do your own show?

And they said that to me for years, and then I was like, you know what?

Maybe I will.

So I did one earlier this year, and it's all because I started doing these Muscle Shoals Meet shows.

I always have such a great time doing these.

I like to play dress up and sing songs for a crowd and y'all make that possible.

And the coolest part is getting to do something for somebody else.

I think that's just the cherry on top.

Man, Russell Mefford putting all this together every year.

(audience applauding) He made me like playing music again.

And he wanted me to sing this one for you tonight.

I hope you like it.

(soft piano music) ♪ Maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all the time ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm afraid of the way I love you ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm amazed at the way you pulled me out of time ♪ ♪ Hung me on a line ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm a man ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm a lonely woman who's in the middle of something ♪ ♪ That she doesn't really understand ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm a man ♪ ♪ Maybe you're the only woman who could ever help me ♪ ♪ Baby, won't you help me to understand ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm a man ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm a lonely woman who's in the middle of something ♪ ♪ That she doesn't really understand ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm a man ♪ ♪ Maybe you're the only woman who could ever help me ♪ ♪ Darling, won't you help me understand ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm amazed at the way you're with me all the time ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm afraid of the way I love you ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm amazed at the way you help me sing my song ♪ ♪ You right me when I'm wrong ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you ♪ ♪ Won't you help me understand ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm a man ♪ ♪ Maybe I'm a lonely woman who's in the middle of something ♪ ♪ That she doesn't really understand ♪ ♪ Baby, I'm a man ♪ ♪ Maybe you're the only woman who could ever help me ♪ ♪ So baby, won't you help me to understand ♪ ♪ Yeah, baby, I'm a man ♪ ♪ I'm a man ♪ ♪ I'm a man ♪ ♪ That I'm a man with you ♪ (audience applauding) Y'all give it up for the band.

(audience applauding) Thank you.

("The Devil Went Down to Georgia") ♪ The devil went down to Georgia ♪ ♪ He was looking for his soul to steal ♪ ♪ He was in a bind, he was way behind ♪ ♪ He was willing to make a deal ♪ ♪ When he came across this young man ♪ ♪ Sawin' on a fiddle and playing it hot ♪ ♪ The devil jumped up on a hickory stump ♪ ♪ Said, boy, let me tell you what ♪ ♪ I guess you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player too ♪ ♪ And if you care to take a dare ♪ ♪ I'll make a bet with you ♪ ♪ Now you play pretty good fiddle, boy ♪ ♪ But give the devil his due ♪ ♪ I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul ♪ ♪ 'Cause I think I'm better than you ♪ ♪ The boy says, my name's Johnny and it might be a sin ♪ ♪ But I'll take your bet you're gonna regret ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm the best that's ever been ♪ ♪ Johnny, you rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard ♪ ♪ All hell's broke loose in Georgia ♪ ♪ And the devil deals the cards ♪ ♪ And if you win you get this shiny fiddle made of gold ♪ ♪ But if you lose the devil gets your soul ♪ (frantic fiddle music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) (upbeat music continues) [Deejay] The Shoals number one hit music station (light instrumental music) (big band jazz music) (upbeat music) (crowd murmuring) (upbeat music) ("Imagine") As we started to figure out what the set list would be for night two, we were driving somewhere, and Allison said, you know, you need to open a Saturday night show with a cold opening to pay tribute to "Saturday Night Live."

And you and Christopher need to "Imagine" together.

And that's like the greatest gift she could have ever given me, man.

-Ready?

-Ready.

("Imagine") I've always been into music.

I've played piano since I was, I think I was nine when I started, and then I've been playing in the band since middle school.

It was really a big honor for me to be able to play in something like that for such a great cause.

And I've always looked up to what he does on stage.

So it was a really great experience just to finally be a part of that.

My oldest son Christopher, is named after Chris Quillen, who I started this band with.

Chris is the other founder of the Fiddleworms.

Chris passed away in an automobile accident May 26th of, of 1996, kind of right in the middle as we were kind of getting going, you know?

Chris is the one who helped me put the band together.

To have my son play with me and sing "Imagine," which "Imagine" is always an important song, but it seems more important right now.

And to sing that song with my son who is named after Chris, is like all of the stars aligning.

It's like, it's like one of the most beautiful things I've ever been a part of.