Arthur Alexander was born on May 10, 1940, in Florence, Alabama, and raised in Sheffield, Alabama. He emerged as a pioneering figure in the genre of country-soul, a fusion of Southern Black R&B and country music, often performed by White musicians. Alexander's music played a crucial role in the development of the Muscle Shoals Sound, with his song "You Better Move On" being the first hit to come out of Rick Hall's FAME Recording Studio. This song, along with others like "Anna (Go to Him)," was covered by major artists including the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan, showcasing his influence on rock music.

Despite his significant contributions, Alexander struggled with commercial success and eventually left the music industry in 1979. He worked as a bus driver in Cleveland, Ohio, before being encouraged to return to music in the early 1990s. This comeback led to the release of his final album, "Lonely Just Like Me," in 1993. Unfortunately, his return was cut short by his death from heart failure on June 9, 1993, in Nashville, Tennessee. Alexander's legacy endures through the timeless quality of his songs and the impact he had on his contemporaries and the music industry.