Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s rewind

Part 18: Writing’s on the wall

Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s highlighted so many of the spicy ingredients that went into making me who I am. Did the MSM the 70s two-night stand do that for you, too? Both nights were so very nostalgic, friends, but the experience was so much more than just a stroll down memory lane. Almost every performance had me recalling life-changing music moments in the history of me.

For example, I held my breath as Earnest Davis, James Counts, those world-famous Fiddleworms, and those funky Polyester Horns took on my second favorite song of all time, "Superstition," by one of the most important artists in my life, Stevie Wonder. Spoiler alert: They exceeded my expectations. It’s not surprising that this Midnighters/Fiddleworms collab resulted in something I like to call “tearing it up.”

Holy smokes! Please universe – I beg you, give me those horns every minute of every day. Brad Guin, Drew White, Ricky Burks – please play “Superstition” at my next wedding or my celebration of life (whichever comes first, lol). Absolute fire, y’all.

Listen: I believe that song is king and “Superstition" is the Holy Grail of songs, friends. All other songs chase “Superstition” because ... goals, duh. I looked to Earnest, James, Clint, Scott, Cissy, Mitch, and Steve that Saturday night in Florence’s historic Shoals Theatre and realized the people on that stage were just like me. They obviously loved, appreciated, and respected “Superstition” in the same way I have my whole life.

Y’all, the MSM the 70s rendition of “Superstition” was so next level because Shoals superstars submitted to the power of the song. They let the song weave its magic by living through them. Yes! Right? In the Shoals, we get that music should make us feel. If music – especially live music – doesn’t make you feel something, what’s the point?

One of my earliest memories is of watching Stevie Wonder perform "Superstition" on television. I was really young – like pre-school age young. I remember I was sitting on the floor in front of my family's console television absolutely enthralled. Google tells me the core of this memory is likely true, and I was probably watching a replay of a 1973 episode of Sesame Street. I promise you, that moment in time could very well be the first stone in the foundation of my love for music. Stevie Wonder equals life changed for me over and over again.

"Superstition" continues to change my life on the regular. How can one song that's more than 50 years old still be revealing truths to me with each listen? I'll tell you this, if you do the math, assuming I've listened to "Superstition" at least once a week since I first got "Talking Book" when I was 10 – it’s safe to say I’ve heard it thousands of times. Listening to “Superstition” always feels like the first time. From the song’s message to its depth and emotion – “Superstition” is always such a complicated, engaging, powerful experience for me. Plus, it’s just cool, y’all.

Stay tuned … more to come.

Dig Worms!

Photo credit: Devona Hawkins