Alabama Shakes

Alabama Shakes emerged during the 2010s as a defining force in Americana by blending Southern soul and garage rock, sounds that were circulating widely when the band issued its first album, Boys & Girls, in 2012. The four-piece outfit carved out its own identity through this combination of influences, anchored by the commanding presence of frontwoman Brittany Howard. While guitarist Heath Fogg contributed to the group’s sonic contours and depth, Howard remained its gravitational core, delivering vocals with both force and conviction. Critical praise for Boys & Girls translated into a 2013 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, and the band reinforced its standing with the 2015 release Sound & Color, which secured Grammys in the categories of Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song, and Best Alternative Music Album. Rather than extending that momentum, the group paused activities in 2018, the same year Howard issued her first solo effort, Jaime.

Brittany Howard stands at the heart of Alabama Shakes. A guitarist and singer who first took up music during adolescence, she connected with bassist Zac Cockrell in high school, and together they started a project called the Shakes. The lineup expanded ahead of the band’s initial live appearance in May 2009 when drummer Steve Johnson joined, followed shortly by guitarist Heath Fogg. While sharpening their stage presence, the Shakes laid down original material at Nashville’s Bomb Shelter studio under Andrija Tokic. One track, “You Ain’t Alone,” surfaced on the Aquarium Drunkard music blog in July 2011, triggering widespread industry interest. Soon afterward the ensemble prefixed “Alabama” to its name and put out the self-titled Alabama Shakes EP independently in September 2011. ATO Records quickly signed the band, issuing the full-length Boys & Girls in April 2012.

Boys & Girls debuted at number 16 on the Billboard charts, launching a busy stretch for the quartet. Fronted by the single “Hold On,” the album achieved platinum status and earned 2013 Grammy nominations for Best Rock Performance and Best New Artist, along with a nod for Best Recording Package. Although Alabama Shakes collected no trophies that evening, its appearance at the 2013 ceremony drove renewed chart traction, lifting Boys & Girls to a peak position of number six. The group remained on tour throughout 2013 and picked up another nomination in 2014 for “Always Alright,” a contribution to the soundtrack of David O. Russell’s 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook.

Most of 2014 was devoted to crafting the follow-up, which surfaced as Sound & Color in April 2015. The lead single “Don't Wanna Fight” reached number 13 on the Billboard Rock Charts, and the album itself entered the Billboard Top 200 at number one. Alabama Shakes sustained that visibility through additional releases that year, sending the title track, “Gimme All Your Love,” and “Future People” to radio. At the 2016 Grammys the band received four nominations and claimed three awards—Best Alternative Music Album, Best Rock Song, and Best Rock Performance—all for “Don't Wanna Fight,” while falling short in the Album of the Year category.

A further Grammy arrived in 2018 when the band’s rendition of “Killer Diller Blues,” recorded for American Epic: The Sessions, won Best American Roots Performance. Shortly thereafter Alabama Shakes entered hiatus. Brittany Howard released the solo album Jaime in 2019, and Heath Fogg issued a record under the name Sun on Shade.