Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s rewind

Finale: Welcome to the human race

The final performance of the Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s Labor Day weekend stand – ELO’s “Mr. Blue Sky” – was the epitome of ending on a high note. What an uplifting song, friends, to close out an absolutely uplifting life experience.

Those Fiddleworms and friends really get it, y’all. Russell Mefford, Mitch Mann, Clint Bailey, Scott Todd, Steve Vickery, Michael Dillon Curington, Alyssa Guin, Marie Lewey, Cindy Walker, Andrew Granlund – thank you for doing everything within your power to make sure we all went out on top.

Seriously, after more than 50 MSM the 70s performances, the Fiddleworms and friends truly understood the outro brief. Those world-famous Fiddleworms knew that the MSM the 70s grand finale wasn’t about topping any of the spectacular (preceding) performances, it was about celebrating every single one of the performances and those artists who gave of themselves. The two-night stand’s denouement was indeed the delicious cherry on top of MSM the 70s.

Fair warning: From here on out, I'm going to call Russell “Mr. Blue” – it’s his new name as far as I’m concerned. I will never look at him again and not see him in that beautiful baby blue suit with a top hat and umbrella bringing us a new day and sending us on our way with a smile.

Let me be real with y'all ... when the (robed) choir made their entrance that Saturday night, my heart skipped a little. Can't you just imagine the worms having that conversation? I can hear Mr. Blue himself saying, “So, hey man, how about we have a choir at the rock show?”

“Mr. Blue Sky” is a brilliant amalgam of many genres, friends, and it was the perfect song to close out a Shoals celebration of a decade of music that was all over the map. This song is a literal masterpiece. “Mr. Blue Sky” is your favorite artist’s favorite song – bet. Hear the choir? Hear the (Shoals) strings? Hear the (Polyester) horns? It doesn't get any better than that, y'all. The crossover/choir and orchestra connection in “Mr. Blue Sky” is perhaps the most feel-good collab in rock n' roll history. You know it’s true.

Did I mention that the Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s setlists were dang works of art, friends? Y’all, Russell is a showrunner extraordinaire. He’s a producer with astonishing foresight. Seeing the big picture the way he does is such a gift. Jeff Lynne has that gift, don’t cha know? Russell has that gift, too. He's a dreamer with the tenacity needed to turn dreams into reality. He’s a visionary – he’s an artist's artist who knows everything is all about the music. Russell and the Fiddleworms get out of their own ways and bench their egos. Our beloved Shoals superstars are artist’s artists, too. Hallelujah. Amen.

That Saturday night in Florence’s historic Shoals Theatre when I was finished “taking notes with my eyes,” I couldn’t help but think of one of my favorite scenes from “Almost Famous:”

“Ladies and gentlemen, the evening is over. We hope you all enjoyed yourselves and we'll see you all again in 1974 ... [or, the 1990s]. Good evening!”

I have to go home … oh, wait – I'm already home.

See you in the 90s.

Dig Worms!

Photo credit: Devona Hawkins