On this day in Alabama history: Swamper Spooner Oldham was born near Florence
Spooner Oldham onstage during the 24th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at Public Hall on April 4, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
June 14, 1943
Keyboardist and songwriter Spooner Oldham was born in Center Star, near Florence. Oldham was an early member of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, or the Swampers, at FAME Studios. His keyboard, piano and organ work are featured in many of the studio’s hit recordings, including Percy Sledge’s “When a Man Loves a Woman” and Wilson Pickett’s “Mustang Sally.” Throughout his life, Oldham has recorded and toured with numerous artists, including Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, the Drive-By Truckers and Neil Young, including Young’s critically acclaimed album “Harvest Moon.” Oldham was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009 and the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 2014.
Read more at Encyclopedia of Alabama.
Percy Sledge, Rick Hall, Spooner Oldham, Greg Camalier, Richard Lowe and David Hood attend a “Muscle Shoals” New York screening at Sunshine Landmark on Sept. 19, 2013 in New York City. (Taylor Hill/Getty Images)
For more on Alabama’s Bicentennial, visit Alabama 200.
