Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s rewind

Part 8: Rob x 2 x 2 = 50 ways to stay alive

Ladies and gentlemen: May I have your attention, please. Keep your hands inside the ride at all times and hold on tight. Yes, you guessed it, dear friends — we've reached the Rob Aldridge portion of Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s.

It was midway through night one, set one of the latest MSM celebration when the region's favorite son took the stage at Florence's historic Shoals Theatre. "Staying Alive" was the first of two Rob sightings of MSM the 70s night one. Let me just say, Rob was a double-denim 70s falsetto dream who did right by the brothers Gibb.

I tell you what, Rob bringing the funky falsetto really led the charge elevating this Bee Gees iconic feel-good classic in a very Muscle Shoals Meets way. Those Shoals Sisters (plus James LeBlanc), y'all! Those Shoals Strings, y'all! Those Polyester Horns, y'all! Those world-famous Fiddleworms, y'all! Yes. This eighth performance of night one was more than worth the price of admission.

For his second performance of night one — five songs into set two — Rob strolled back onstage and slipped into a smokey cool Paul Simon storyteller mode to serve us "50 Ways." This may be my favorite pairing of MSM the 70s. Rob is so very Paul Simon-esque. He's such an astounding talent, sure, but there's an underlying humor to him that reminds me of how Paul Simon doesn't seem to take himself too seriously — as evident by the existence of "50 Ways." What a brilliant song. What a super cool timeless story for the ages and Rob told it the house down.

The night one Rob double dose proved to be twice as nice, too, because he gifted us again night two. Absolute heaven.

I know, I know — these MSM shows are not a competition. Of course not, it's all for charity, friends. BUT, I have to say that Rob totally won night one. You know how something going viral "breaks the internet?" Well, Rob did that old school and he did it 8-track style. Yeah, Rob broke the room four times during the Muscle Shoals Meets the 70s weekend, y'all. Good times.

More to come ... stay tuned.

Dig worms, friends.

Photo credit: Angel DeAnn Pilati