MSM 90s Mixtape Week: Congratulations

8/24/26

By Monica Collier

How cool was it watching the Shoals transform into a 1990s Mixtape town thanks to our Muscle Shoals Meets family?

You know what? I absolutely love experiencing live music with y’all, dear MSM friends. I love that my hometown is a magical place where growing old means dancing more (not less). I love that living in the Shoals means on any given day, we have a choice of venues offering a variety of live music. I know it sounds like a dream, but y’all know I’m speaking the truth. We’re so very blessed.

Hey, speaking of blessed, I have a great idea: How about we take just a minute to pat ourselves on the back, MSM fam. According to Fiddleworms co-founder and Muscle Shoals Meets head guru, Russell Mefford, this 2026 edition of the annual charity music event was the ninth consecutive sellout. Of course it was, duh.

Listen, when we gather the way we do once (or sometimes twice) a year to do this Muscle Shoals Meets thing, there are many goals, friends. Yes, we love good music and yes, we love to have fun – those are MSM goals. Yes, we love celebrating the Shoals music scene and it’s good for working creatives to get paid for using their talents – those are MSM goals. Muscle Shoals Meets has so many worthwhile goals, friends, but there’s only one purpose: We build special needs playground. It’s what we do.

Sure, this 2026 (1990’s) version of MSM proved bigger than ever before but the song remained the same and our eyes stayed on the prize. Come September, not only will Muscle Shoals Meets build two special needs playgrounds, one at Brooks Elementary and one at L.E. Willson Elementary, $20,000 is also going to The Healing Place.

Goals met. Purpose fulfilled. Expectations exceeded.

Well done, good and faithful servants.

Stay tuned. More to come (Wednesday).

Dig Worms.