MSM 90s: Losing My Religion, Bay Simpson
9/5/26
By Monica Collier
Listen, friends, I don't know about you but I'm so proud of how Muscle Shoals Meets is a multi-generational endeavor on all fronts. From the stage and behind the scenes to the audience, one reason MSM works is because the tie that binds us has nothing to do with age.
Yes. The love of music connects us in a way that keeps us honest. Y'all, egos be damned, though. Muscle Shoals Meets is about the greater good. MSM is all about trusting the power of the music to do the good work. That's the secret to the MSM success. Just like you, I'm proud to be part of MSM's annual charitable contribution to our hometown. Proud, I say.
OK, so, speaking of pride ... I'm fully aware how strange this sounds but y'all, I'm so proud of Bay Simpson. I mean, I feel SO super proud of him. You feel it, too, right? That night at MSM 90s, I felt proud of Bay in a very memaw sort of way. Yep. I'm admitting this to all of you, my closest MSM friends: I'm claiming Bay as one of my honorary, adoptive Shoals music grandkids.
Listen, you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. Bay is the perfect example of this idiom. No matter who you are or where you come from, the music is the tell tale heart. Sure, natural talent is a real thing but friends, so is good old fashioned hard work. Bay has the natural talent and he is putting in the good work. From where I sit, Bay looks as if he's having the time of his life, too. Love me some Bay.
Bottom line is: Bay is representing the next generation of Shoals music well. Not only that but he did my idols justice, too. Friends, R.E.M. is my signature fandom band. I found R.E.M. asa kid and those guys have been with me pretty much my entire life. I knew Bay was the right voice for the job of doing my idols justice. Just like you, I've loved watching Bay grow and flourish but y'all, his rendition of R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" made me proud.
What a great performance. Ahh, those fabulous Shoals Strings were giving their "Losing My Religion" best, for sure. Carleigh Pickard, Cade Garcia, Christina Volz Stomachin, Kate Francis, Rachel Gregory, and Kate Tayler, who wrote the MSM 90s strings arrangements, added so much depth to this ninth performance of the MSM 90s main show. I'm thinking Eddie Martin and Malcolm Singleton were on backing vocals, too. So so good.
Not only did Bay (plus Fiddleworms and friends) make me proud, y'all, I was impressed.
Stay tuned. More to come.
Dig Worms.
Photo by Devona Hawkins
