Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: USA For Africa’s “We Are the World”
Recording engineer Humberto Gatica shares why "We Are The World" was the most significant, precious and satisfying job in his storied career.
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Paul Davis’ “I Go Crazy”
When Paul Davis played engineer Ed Seay his new song, neither could have known the track would eventually run 40 weeks in the Billboard...
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Soft Cell’s “Tainted Love”
When Mike Thorne first heard Soft Cell’s version of the song “Tainted Love” on a demo, it was missing the crucial "bink bink."
Music Production
Composer Greg Rahn on His “Side Hustle”
The noted Bay Area composer Greg Rahn takes time to play with friends and turns it into his ‘Side Hustle.’
Music Production
Recording The ‘Cosmicpolitan’ Nia Cephas
Oakland singer-songwriter Nia Cephas found her voice while recording a powerful, genre-blending debut.
Music Production
Recording Lucinda Williams’ Lament on ‘World’s Gone Wrong’
On World’s Gone Wrong, Lucinda Williams teams up with engineer Ray Kennedy, taking a simple approach to counter turbulent times.
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)”
Whitney Houston’s First Platinum Single, Produced by Narada Michael Walden
Post and Broadcast
Scoring Apple TV+’s ‘The Studio’
'The Studio' on Apple TV+ was the talk of the town last summer, garnering a slew of Emmy nominations, including for Antonio Sanchez's percussive...
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like The Wolf”
Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes and legendary producer David Kershenbaum share how they hot-rodded "Hungry Like The Wolf"—and half the 'Rio' album—to appeal to American...
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Martina McBride’s “Independence Day”
How Martina McBride recorded her passionate, powerful, CMA-winning anthem.
Music Production
Steve Porcaro Discusses ‘The Very Day’
The legendary songwriter/musician behind Toto and Michael Jackson discusses finding focus on his second solo record.
Music Production
The Poet and the Percussionist
Two of the world’s most well-known deaf artists come together in the making of ‘Aloud.'
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Radiohead’s “Creep”
The unplanned Radiohead hit that went down in one take, full stop, launching one of the Nineties' most enduring bands.
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Boz Scaggs’ “Lowdown”
Boz Scaggs' "Lowdown" was the unexpected breakout hit that changed the game for both the singer and engineer in 1976.
Music Production
Bringing Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” to Vinyl
Tracy Chapman and producer David Kershenbaum have long had discussions about celebrating the 35th anniversary of Chapman’s debut self-titled album.
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time”
Recording "If I Could Turn Back Time" was going great. There was just one problem: "Cher said, ‘I’m leaving. I hate this song.’”
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Christopher Cross’s “Ride Like the Wind”
Michael Omartian first encountered Cross’s music at a Wednesday morning A&R meeting, where all the Warner Bros. producers sat around a table, listened and...
Music Production
Kicking Back with Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’, Part 2
Eight years after the Grammy-winning TajMo, two blues masters reunite to let the world know that there is always Room on the Porch.
Music Production
Kicking Back with Taj Mahal and Keb’ Mo’, Part 1
Eight years after the Grammy-winning TajMo, two blues masters reunite to let the world know that there is always Room on the Porch.
Music, Etc
The Songs of Coleman Mellett
Late jazz guitarist sends a posthumous love letter to his wife—and vice versa.
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Jennifer Warnes’ “Right Time Of The Night”
“Right Time of the Night,” released in 1976, was all about firsts—and it was no easy gig for producer Jim Ed Norman.
Music Production
Ex-Heartbreaker Returns to the Trenches with The Speaker Wars
The Speaker Wars was born while Stan Lynch, former drummer for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, was producing a solo record for Jon Christopher...
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Suzanne Vega’s “Luka”
There was life before "Luka" and there was life after "Luka," engineer/producer Steve Addabbo says of the impact that the 1987 Suzanne Vega hit...
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Steve Perry’s “Oh Sherrie”
Steve Perry was on top of the world with Journey when he quietly started recording what would become his first solo hit.
Facilities
Capturing American Patchwork Quartet, Part 2
Roots Americana, Traditional Jazz and East Indian stylings come together at Echo Mountain Studios for a jaw-dropping, genre-bending debut album.
Facilities
Capturing American Patchwork Quartet, Part 1
Roots Americana, Traditional Jazz and East Indian stylings come together at Echo Mountain Studios for a jaw-dropping, genre-bending debut album.
Music Production
Ken Caillat Under Marshmellow Skies
The famed Fleetwood Mac producer dives into Dolby Atmos—with a push from Joni Mitchell.
Music Production
The ‘Big Ideas’ of Remi Wolf
It’s safe to say that the making of Big Ideas was a dream come true for emerging singer, songwriter and self-described “funky-soul-popster” Remi Wolf.
Recording
‘Another Sunday Morning’ at Parchman Prison
Grammy-winning producer and field recordist Ian Brennan gives voice to those who are rarely heard.
Music Production
Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs Capture ‘Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits’ – Part Two
The former Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist hits his stride with the new third album by Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs.
Facilities
Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs Capture ‘Vagabonds, Virgins & Misfits’ – Part One
The former Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers guitarist hits his stride with the new third album by Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs.
Music Production
SIDEBAR: Mike Campbell on Stepping Out from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Mike Campbell reflects on coming into his own as a bandleader with the Dirty Knobs—and Tom Petty's first reaction to the project.
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Maroon 5’s “This Love”
The band’s breakout hit in the summer of 2002, produced by Matt Wallace, nearly had a very different sound.
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way”
“Walk This Way” likely would not have come to be if Aerosmith hadn’t gotten itchy in the studio and decided to go to the...
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Peter Frampton’s “Do You Feel Like We Do”
The epic live single is a 1970s touchstone—which presented challenges for Peter Frampton and Chuck Ainlay when they brought it into the modern-day Dolby...
Music Production
Tom Petty: Creating The Atmos Mixes
Engineer Ryan Ulyate dives Into “Free Fallin’” and other Classic Tracks, bringing Tom Petty's best-known tracks into the Dolby Atmos immersive music realm.
Music Production
Capturing John Kruth and Folklorkestra
How Folklorkestra conjured a genre-bending mashup of song, story and instrumentation in the studio
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Joni Mitchell’s “Free Man in Paris”
1974 found Joni Mitchell in complete control of her music and sound
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart”
Was Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” really an example of 1980s audio excess? Here's how the #1 hit was built.
Music Production
The Rising Voices at Future Youth Records
Jason Wall’s global, socially conscious, nonprofit label connects emerging artists with Julian Lennon, Billy Bob Thornton and a host of amazing musicians.
Classic-Tracks
Classic Tracks: Bush’s “Glycerine”
Frontman Gavin Rossdale and the production team of Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley weigh in on the creation of a grunge-era classic.
Music Production
‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’: A Classic Soundtrack Restored
After 50 years, the classic jazz soundtrack to ‘A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving’ has been restored, remixed and released.