I did some recording in Nashville in the late ’70s and early ’80s, and wrote a tune that made it to the radio in 1978. That’s when I got the bug to be on the other side of the glass.
I was born with an eye condition called progressive degenerative retinitis. My retinas are falling apart — therefore, I am slowly losing my eyesight. When the condition took a radical turn for the worse in 2002, Missouri’s Rehabilitation Services for the Blind enrolled me in Berklee’s Master Certificate in Music Production and Technology program. I am almost finished with the program and have learned more than I ever thought I could retain.
In a few short years, I’ve moved from a two-room, 440-square-foot studio into a purpose-built 1,600-squre-foot Pro Tools HD3 studio here in St. Louis. Four people work with me now. We also started a publishing company and a record label. I’ve been able to create a business that I love and never want to leave — even if it means 60 to 80-hour weeks and some 36-straight-hour sessions. It makes me feel alive!
—Larry E. Cowsert, 12 Bar Productions
