Before Muscle Shoals became a global capital of soul, there was a single voice that proved what was possible in a small Alabama studio. Jimmy Hughes, the pioneering R&B singer whose 1964 hit 'Steal Away' anchored the FAME Studios sound, died on May 20, 2026, at the age of 88. In the mid-1960s, the gravitational center of his life was a stark juxtaposition between the industrial heat of the Robbins Tire & Rubber Company and the creative fire of FAME Studios. By night, he worked the factory floor in Muscle Shoals, composing his signature hit, 'Steal Away,' line by line over the course of two weeks. By day, he brought that labor to the microphone. Producer Rick Hall, who founded FAME, recalled that Hughes was the first artist he ever recorded, noting that nobody could hit those high notes or milk the soul from a lyric quite like him (University of North Alabama). The resulting record was a masterpiece of economy and emotion, captured in a single take with the FAME rhythm section. It became the first hit produced at the studio's legendary Avalon Avenue location, reaching number 2 on the R&B charts and serving as the prototype for the Muscle Shoals sound.

Hughes had been raised in Leighton, Alabama, where he attended the Leighton Training School and found his voice in a gospel quartet called The Singing Clouds. This foundation in sacred music gave him a vocal depth that peer Dan Penn described as a bright sound that deeply affected those in the room (Bear Family Records). As a cousin to the legendary Percy Sledge, Hughes was part of a musical lineage that defined the region, yet he carved his own path through the mid-1960s. He toured with the likes of Sam Cooke and Jackie Wilson, proving himself a formidable presence on the national stage with hits like 'Neighbor, Neighbor' and 'Why Not Tonight.' His career saw him move through various labels, eventually landing at the Stax subsidiary Volt, where he released the 1969 album 'Something Special.'

The transition from the spotlight to the quietude of a private life was a deliberate choice. Frustrated by the rigors of the road and a lack of promotion, Hughes famously remarked that he felt like the low man on the totem pole at the label. In 1970, he walked away from the music industry entirely. This was not a retreat, but a return to his roots and a search for stability. He secured a position with the Tennessee Valley Authority, where he spent fifty-five years manufacturing parts for nuclear power plants. His voice, once a staple of the airwaves, became a gift shared primarily with the congregation of his local church in Leighton. Even as he lived a quiet life, his impact remained undeniable, eventually leading to his featured appearance in the 2013 documentary 'Muscle Shoals' (SoulTracks).

Jimmy Hughes will be remembered as the architect of a feeling. He was the man who proved that the soul of Alabama could be captured on tape and shared with the world, setting the stage for every legend that followed him into the studio. While he eventually chose the steady rhythm of the Tennessee River over the volatility of fame, the bright, soaring tenor of his youth remains the cornerstone of a musical empire. He is survived by his wife, Vicki Hughes.