From Aluminium to Art: Constellium Celebrates Muscle Shoals' Music Heritage

The Shoals area’s musical history runs deep. Once referred to as the Hit Recording Capital of the World, it’s home to Muscle Shoals Sound and Fame Recording Studios. The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Aretha Franklin (just to name a few!) recorded their top-selling hits alongside the Tennessee River. 

Last month, a new sculpture was unveiled, paying homage to the area rich’s musical history. William Christopher (W.C.) Handy was born in Florence, AL. Every year the Shoals area hosts the W.C. Handy Music Festival to celebrate the life and contributions the “Father of the Blues” made to the music industry. Now, there’s a sculpture on full display inspired by him & his legacy. 

While this is a tribute to the area’s musical heritage, it’s also a nod to the aluminium industry and its impact on the local economy. “There’s a lot of history in the area that ties to aluminium,” says Plant Director John Evans. The facility – originally Reynolds Aluminum – was built in 1941 to supply metal for World War II aircraft. For many Shoals natives, it’s where their parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents worked. 

Eric Nubbe is a metal fabricator, welder, & artist. He constructed the 18ft (~5 meter) tall sculpture using recycled aluminium from Constellium Muscle Shoals. From the proposal to the unveiling, this has been a project 7 years in the making. There were several obstacles along the way – including a global pandemic. While building this piece, Nubbe claims, “We had to install a crane on the ceiling and build on its side.” He later adds, “My first time seeing the sculpture standing up was during the installation process.” 

This piece is also proof of aluminium’s versatility. “We took a 3104 coil, rolled it to the thickness specified, and then cut it," Evans explains. 3104 is the alloy for can body stock – and the metal for this sculpture was derived from used beverage cans (UBCs). Nubbe adds, “[Aluminium] is my favorite metal to work with for outdoors because it’s weather resistant and not as expensive as other materials.” 

The sculpture of W.C. Handy is the third of its kind in the area. The Shoals consists of four quad cities: Muscle Shoals, Florence, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. In Sheffield’s Love Plaza stands a 1950s-era singer that resembles Elvis Presley – and on Avalon Avenue in Muscle Shoals sits music legend David Hood. All sculptures were made using aluminium from the Muscle Shoals facility.  

See behind-the-scenes footage of Eric crafting this masterpiece on Instagram & Facebook.

A special thank you to the operations team at Constellium Muscle Shoals for processing the material, the City of Florence / Singing River Sculptures for facilitating the project, & Eric Nubbe for bringing the sculpture to life. 

Contributed by Anna Wilson, Cost Analyst at the Muscle Shoals plant