Walt Aldridge is very good at what he does. The Florence, Alabama, native has written or co-written more than 55 Top 40 songs on the Billboard country charts and twice been a Billboard magazine Top 10 songwriter of the year. He has more than 20 gold and platinum RIAA certifications, seven Number One Record CMA certificates and more than 30 awards from the American Society for Composers, Authors and Publishers.
Tim McGraw and Reba McEntire, among others, have scored hits with his songs. But Aldridge has also worked with artists as diverse as Lou Reed, Peter Cetera, Blessid Union of Souls and Wilson Pickett. His songwriter signings include hit-writer Brad Crisler and John Paul White of the Civil Wars.
Aldridge was an integral part of Muscle Shoals’ FAME Studios for 17 years, before taking his craft to Nashville. That legacy is one he will share with the Golden Triangle.
The Columbus Arts Council presents Aldridge at two events Saturday — a free afternoon film screening and a ticketed concert that evening at the Rosenzweig Arts Center.
Free film at 3 p.m.
The respected industry veteran will introduce the documentary “Muscle Shoals: The Incredible Story of a Small Town with a Big Sound” at 3 p.m. in the arts center’s Omnova Theater at 501 Main St.
Released in late 2013, the film honors FAME founder Rick Hall and features a host of artists, from Aretha Franklin and Mick Jagger to Bono and, of local note, Columbus native Bryan Owings, a sought-after drummer in Nashville. Archived footage of pioneers like Sam Phillips and Jerry Wexler, and bands such as The Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd help tell the story of “that Muscle Shoals sound.”
The film, rated PG, runs 111 minutes. Admission is free. An audience Q&A with Aldridge follows.
Concert Saturday night
Aldridge appears in a solo concert Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Omnova Theater. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door, if available. Get tickets at columbus-arts.org or by calling 662-328-2787.
“Many people are surprised to learn that most performers don’t write their own material,” said Aldridge via email Thursday while on the road. “It’s great to give them a little peek behind the curtain into a songwriter’s life.”
While some writers aren’t often behind a mic themselves, Aldridge was lead singer for the band The Shooters, which charted seven songs for Epic Records from 1987 to 1990.
“I”ll do my best to tie my comments and performance into the history of recording in Muscle Shoals,” he said. “I’m proud of my home area and love to tell people about some of the significant music it has produced.”
For the past several years, Aldridge has been a visiting associate professor on the University of North Alabama faculty.
Vagn Hansen of Columbus served as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences there for a decade, until his retirement in 2014.
“Walt’s experience is invaluable to our students,” said Hansen Thursday. Aldridge’s expertise in not only writing but performing, engineering, producing and publishing creates “so much opportunity for our students to know how people in each of these specialties have to interact with one another … ” he continued.
Hansen described the musician’s performances as “extremely moving.” “He connects to audiences immediately; I don’t know exactly what the secret is there … but he has that talent.”
Did you know?
Aldridge’s Grammy-winning “No Getting Over Me” by Ronnie Milsap was named one of ASCAP’s most-performed songs. “Holding Her and Loving You,” a co-write with Tom Brasfield and No. 1 recorded by Earl Thomas Conley, was named Song of the Year by the Nashville Songwriters’ Association International.
Other credits include Tim McGraw’s “Some Things Never Change” (a co-write with Crisler), Reba McEntire’s “The Fear of Being Alone,” Blackhawk’s “I Sure Can Smell the Rain,” Travis Tritt’s “Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde” and Heartland’s “I Loved Her First.”
Watch the trailer for “Muscle Shoals” at magpictures.com/muscleshoals/.
Jan Swoope is the Lifestyles Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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