Pete Carr

Carr's contribution to American music continues to be heard daily around the globe. Songs featuring Carr's lead guitar such as Bob Seger's "Mainstreet" and Paul Simon's "Kodachrome" are standards. During the Falklands War of 1982, as British battle ships set sail to reclaim the Islands the BBC (The British Broadcasting Corporation) played the Rod Stewart song "Sailing" nationwide. "Sailing" featured Carr's acoustic and electric guitar playing.

Pete Carr had distinguished himself as the only studio musician in the Muscle Shoals area to succeed as studio musician, artist, composer, engineer and producer. Tom Dowd called Carr to Los Angeles to play on a Rod Stewart album which produced the big hit "Tonight's The Night". Carr's guitar playing was a prominent part of the hit. He layered rhythm and lead guitars throughout the song. In 1981 Carr was chosen to play for the Simon and Garfunkel Reunion World Tour and the legendary HBO Central Park Concert on September 19, 1981 where he played acoustic and electric guitars. Over half a million people were in attendance for the concert.

Carr continued as the premier session guitarist in the Muscle Shoals area playing on projects for artists recording at the main studios and also produced two guitar instrumental albums himself. This strengthened Carr's reputation as one of the South's best studio session guitarists, as well as an artist in his own right. Jerry Wexler, a world-renowned record executive and producer, helped Carr find a record label for his productions. Carr put together the group with Lenny LeBlanc, LeBlanc & Carr, and created the album "Midnight Light" as both artist and producer. The song "Falling" became a big hit for LeBlanc & Carr. "Falling" was mixed at FAME Studios which is where Carr did most of the mixing for his production projects. The group's first tour was supposed to be with Lynyrd Skynyrd on the "Street Survivors Tour" but that ended tragically with an airplane crash in Mississippi, October 20, 1977. After this tragedy, and other band problems, Carr decided to return to the studio.

Pete Carr is listed on the Dan Igor Glenn 1976 album This Train Is Bound For Glory as a session guitarist in Muscle Shoals. His excellent lead acoustic guitar can be heard on the song Wreck of the Old 97.

In addition, Carr has added depth to his understanding of the recording studio environment by engineering and producing numerous albums over the years which has led to several Grammy nominations. In 1974, Paul Simon's "There Goes Rhymin' Simon" album was nominated for two Grammy awards; and "Against the Wind" by Bob Seger earned two Grammy awards in 1981. In addition, Carr co-produced Bob Seger's "Stranger in Town" album which featured the iconic hit "Old Time Rock and Roll".

At the age of 15, Carr went to see the Allman Joys play at the Club Martinique in Daytona Beach. Carr, with guitar case in hand, introduced himself when the band took a break and asked Gregg Allman to show him some guitar lines. Gregg replied, "That's my brother, Duane's, department." At that point Carr introduced himself to Duane Allman. That meeting began a friendship which lasted until Allman's tragic death in a motorcycle crash October 29, 1971.

The 1970s were among the most productive of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section as the cream of rock, pop and soul found their way to 3614 Jackson Highway in Sheffield, AL. Carr played on almost all sessions recorded at the studio for the next 10 years. A good example of Carr's musical ability and taste is the standout guitar lines he played on the Bob Seger hit "Main Street". The Rhythm Section (including Carr) co-produced Paul Simon's "There Goes Rhymin' Simon" which earned them a Grammy nomination in 1974.

In 1968 Carr, Gregg Allman, Duane Allman, Paul Hornsby and Johnny Sandlin, in a group named Hour Glass, played together on the "Power of Love" album. Also in 1968, Hour Glass recorded songs in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, at Rick Hall's FAME Studios which was known for innovative productions and great sound. One song recording at FAME, "Sweet Little Angel", was later released in a Duane Allman Anthology set. This recording is now considered a classic piece of raw electric southern rock blues.

Jesse Willard "Pete" Carr (born April 22, 1950) is an American guitarist. Carr has contributed to hit recordings by Joan Baez, Luther Ingram, Bob Seger, Joe Cocker, Boz Scaggs, Paul Simon, The Staple Singers, Rod Stewart, Barbra Streisand, Wilson Pickett, Hank Williams, Jr., and many more over the past four decades. He has also recorded and produced four solo albums and was half of the duet LeBlanc and Carr. Carr has recorded extensively at FAME Recording Studio in Muscle Shoals, Alabama and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama. He was lead guitarist for the famed Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. Carr is known for versatility, using both electric and acoustic guitars to perform a vast array of musical styles including folk, rock, pop, country, blues and soul.