MSM 90s: Good Riddance, Scott Todd
9/7/26
By Monica Collier
Muscle Shoals Meets is all about the tie that binds. Agreed? It took quite a bit of living for me to realize, though, that the tie that binds us together is not just one thing. Right? We're bound together by so many threads. We're bound together by life experiences.
Live music is absolutely a tie that binds us together in this magical place we call the Shoals. Yes, MSM is one, super powerful binding agent that's part of Shoals magic and the Fiddleworms are the engine behind Muscle Shoals Meets. They're the best at their craft, friends. They're the best in the business. It's so cool being tied to those glorious Worms.
The Fiddleworms are tied to each other with respect and humility at the center of everything they do. The Fiddleworms' Muscle Shoals Meets annual event is not an exclusive club. No, not at all. Quite the opposite actually -- the MSM circle keeps getting bigger, y'all. The Fiddleworms are forever welcoming artists into their world. Plus, once a Fiddleworm, always a Fiddleworm. Am I right or am I right?
I love how the Fiddleworms have a very special tie with us, too. Yes, I love the kinship I have with the Fiddleworms as both a fan and as a community member. Don't you?
Now, let's talk about Scott Todd. Listen, Scott is a good one, friends. He's special. I can't stop thinking about how the MSM documentary said Scott had to be coaxed into singing. Really? Isn't that so very endearing?
Sit back and relax for just a minute and let Memaw Emmy tell you a little story about Scott Todd. A week or so before we kicked off Muscle Shoals Meets the 90s Mixtape Week, I was fortunate enough to attend the Fiddleworms and friends rehearsal with the Shoals Strings at the Nutthouse in Sheffield. The afternoon was winding down when Scott (somehow) managed to rush to the microphone but in a very reluctant way.
Scott said, "I apologize ahead of time ... it was going good and now it's going to crash and burn."
We all laughed a little but then, Scott and his acoustic guitar -- backed by the brilliant Shoals Strings -- melted us with his remarkable talent and beautiful humility.
The thing is, Scott is the very definition of "what you see is what you get." It's obvious that his humility is a deep-rooted part of his generous nature. Scott is sincerely the guy you see on stage smiling. He radiates joy and guitar slings with the best of the best. His skills always shine but it's the way he encourages his stage mates that makes a lasting impression. Scott's the real deal, y'all, in every way possible and in the most literal sense.
Remember a few weeks back at the MSM 90s concert at Renaissance Shoals when Scott's rendition of Green Day's "Good Riddance" was so very perfect? I kind of love that Scott has no idea how his voice is so great. I love Scott's voice. Sure, he's allowed to consider himself a guitarist first -- dude, he's so very next level -- but, Scott's voice is really nice, too. Like so very nice, friends.
I'm a pretty big Green Day fan and Scott -- plus the Shoals Strings -- kind of made my life that Saturday night. Leave it to Green Day and their brand of punk rock to take one of the most famously negative and dismissive farewells in history -- good riddance -- and turn it into a celebratory life's milestones kind of anthem. Seriously, "Good Riddance" is a breakup song, y'all.
Leave it to Scott to dig deep and add another layer of meaning to this iconic 90s tune. He gave us his MSM heart and infused it with Shoals magic.
I've been to a lot of concerts, friends, and I've seen a lot of live music. In my former life as a journalist, I actually interviewed a lot of artists, too. Trust me when I say: Fiddleworms (and friends) and Muscle Shoals Meets stand alone.
Listen, it's OK to let humility, humor, and a sense of social responsibility season your music and your life. It's a recipe for joy. Right, Fiddleworms?
Stay tuned. More to come.
Dig Worms.
Photo by Devona Hawkins
