A pivotal player in Southern Soul in the late 1960s, Spooner Oldham regularly played with the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section at FAME Studios, appearing on such seminal singles as Aretha Franklin's "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)," Percy Sledge's "When a Man Loves a Woman," Clarence Carter's "Slip Away," and Wilson Pickett's "Mustang Sally." During this period, Oldham also struck up a partnership with guitarist Dan Penn that generated the soul standards "Cry Like a Baby" and "I'm Your Puppet." Once the golden age of soul faded, Oldham attempted a solo career, then settled into a role as a session man, appearing on records by Linda Ronstadt and Bob Seger in the '70s before forging a lasting relationship with Neil Young. Over the decades, Oldham continued to play with his peers but also accepted gigs with such indie rockers as Cat Power and the Drive-By Truckers.