Maxwell D Russell is a native of NW Alabama. But living in the Muscle Shoals area didn't really shape his music as much as the blues did.

 

  A late bloomer in the business at the age of 26 he started writing his own songs and forming bands along the way.  He is just  as content with an acoustic guitar and a bar stool as he is  playing a festival or a sleazy bar  with his current band The Shakedown Kings 

 

  His songs range from gut bucket down n dirty delta blues to soaring country ballads.  Slide guitar is his passion when it comes to the blues and it shows with a style and mastery of the bottle neck  style of playing . Its also a strong point on songs he has written . Like the gospel chant  ....Lord These "Chains" Are Killing Me. A song reminiscent of  Death Letter  by blues icon Son House . Or his story telling and slide work on Way Down In The Delta. An original that could have been an early cut from an album by the Rolling Stones  !!!

  Robert Johnson, John Hammond Junior ,and an array of acoustic blues artist influenced his playing and writing . 

Johnny Winter, Muddy Waters, Stevie and Jimmie Vaughan, Tony Joe White  as well as John Fogerty , Bo Diddley ,Keith Richards ,Chuck Berry and all the other greats have left their mark on his writing and playing as well.  
  Maxwell has five self produced albums under his belt dating back to 1999. He is in the process of re releasing  all five.From raw gut bucket  acoustic blues, country flavored "Americana" to up tempo jump style Chicago , Texas  meets Muscle Shoals ,RnB ballads and a jazzy number or two . His work runs across an array of musical styles .

A current acoustic album  recorded at the Grammy winning studio The Nutthouse Studios  in Sheffield Alabama is due to be released summer of 2016.  It features traditional instruments ,upright  bass and  mandolin and tenor banjo and acoustic guitar.  This album  ventures down a path  into the blue grass side of American music. An album of stories about the area he grew up in . The gem and title cut is one called Coondog Cemetery.A macabre murdering song about love gone wrong!!! The album was engineered and produced by Maxwell and studio owner and Grammy winner Jimmy Nutt.

 Maxwell is a favorite at the yearly W C Handy Festival in its namesakes hometown of Florence Alabama and just represented the Shoals area in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis. His second time for the IBC. In 2006 he was sponsored by the Magic City Blues Society in Birmingham Al.  

 Maxwell has had his songs  recorded by a number of bands. Blues to heavy rock n roll. Currently his song  Lord These  "Chains" Are Killing Me is on an album by blues greats The Beat Daddy's .The album is in the top ten in Living Blues Magazines charts.

Local favorites The Fiddle Worms cut a song he co-wrote with their guitarist  Rob Malone, titled ...Looking For A Way Out.

 

 Maxwell has shared the stage with many notable  musicians like  ....Kelvin Holley" Little Richard band" ....Scott Holt " Buddy Guys guitarist" ..... Will McFarlane " Bonnie Raitt's guitarist  .......David Hood "Legendary Swamper"........ and Memphis to Muscle Shoals pioneering session player and  "Little Richard guitarist "and songwriter Travis Wammack , world renowned  sax man Harvey Thompson who was a founding member of The Muscle Shoals Horns. They were recentally inducted into the Alabama Music Hall  Of Fame. 

 

  He Has written songs with Grammy winning member of the blue grass band The Steel Drivers . He has recorded with Chad Gamble and Jimbo Hart.....Grammy winning members of  Jason Isbell's  band

the 400 Unit . 

 

Songwriting is a passion and for five years he has been sharing his music and featuring other up and coming songwriters with his very on songwriters event The Shoals Songwriters Showcase. With that he has helped launch a number of new songwriters and opened the doors for some with his event. He has also had many notable writers share his showcase stage ....such as  Mike McGuire of  Alabama and Fame studios country chart toppers Shenandoah .. Blues guitarist Chris Simmons a member of Leon Russell's band.Mark Naramore who wrote number one songs for the group Alabama,Donnie Lowery Fame studio writer.  The Memphis blues queen Sandy Carroll ,Scott Boyer of the 70's southern rock band Cowboy and Greg Allmans band. Russell Gulley, Dennis Gulley, Brit Meacham, Tommy Patterson of the 70s rock band Jackson Highway.Muscle Shoals songwriting legend musician and actor Donnie Fritz,Peanut Montgomery who wrote over 70 songs for George Jones. Just to name a few.

 

Theres no doubt Maxwell has and is still paying his dues in the music world. At the age of 59 he is stronger than ever in his songwriting and his guitar work will leave you wondering just what planet he is from.

When he plays the blues its the real deal .Acoustic or electric ,slide guitar or  down n dirty Chicago blues.....you will hear the passion and fire that will have you begging for more.

 

His songwriting puts you in the story,takes you down that dirt road and fills your senses with true life .

Maxwell says " not a day goes by that I don't feel the need to make music .Its my passion my desire its not in my blood...it is my blood !!!