Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s rewind

Part 25: Greatest song of all time

Did you see that, Shoals friends? Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s night one concluded with the torch being passed to the next generation. Wow. With rising artists like Ethan Sak, I can safely say: The future of Shoals music is in good hands.

I can't stop thinking about how Ethan taking on "Stairway to Heaven" must have been like going into battle. It's Led freaking Zeppelin, y'all — it's Robert Plant and Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones and John Bonham! I'll tell you this, I've seen artists take on "Stairway to Heaven" and fail miserably. Of course, those epic fails weren’t backed by the world-famous Fiddleworms plus Kelvin Holly. If it’s not handled with care, “Stairway to Heaven” can be an overpowering force of nature — it's a dragon of an epic song. Friends, I’m here to tell you — Ethan Sak is a dragonslayer.

Watching Ethan with our own Shoals guitar gods — Mitch Mann, Scott Todd, and Kelvin Holly — closing out MSM the 70s night one, I realized there is no danger of AI ever replacing real live artists. Oh my gosh, I’m still in awe of those sick beats — Michael Dillon Curington was in the pocket, y’all. I felt the searing heat when the Shoals Strings violinist gave us her heart, too. (Did you notice she was barefoot?!) It's the human element that gives music a soul, friends.

My passion for "Stairway to Heaven" is unparalleled. I have discussed its merits with countless folks over the years. Time passes and real-live artists continue to put quality music into the world, but “Stairway to Heaven” is still the best song ever written in this modern period. I will (likely) forever die on that hill.

"Stairway to Heaven" is literal poetry — it is a work of beauty. I love it when we all put on our cloaks and sing along to this epic medieval-tinged narrative. This song's structure is sheer perfection. I’ll tell you this, though, whether it’s as a listener or as a performer, “Stairway to Heaven” is an exercise in patience. We all know the storm is coming but you can’t get ahead of it — you just have to submit and let the storm brew all the while knowing the storm will blow in when it's good and ready. Then, just like that, there's the calm after the storm. Greatest song of all time ...

Great songs are absolutely not one size fits all but with the support of the Fiddleworms and friends, Ethan wore “Stairway to Heaven” so well. Thank you, Ethan — thank you, amazing Shoals artists — for reminding me what it feels like to truly be alive and live life.

This grandeur denouement of night one is what music is all about. Never forget: The energy, joy, and love that emanated from the Shoals Theatre stage Labor Day weekend isn’t something that can be faked or AI-ed into existence.

We all are one and one is all.

Dig worms.

Photo credit: Devona Hawkins

MSM the 70s night two reviews start Tuesday, Sept. 30.