Sound Stage Studio, Nashville
Chuck Ainlay recently engineered and produced the Pistol Annies album Annie Up (nominated for a Grammy for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical in 2014)…Ainlay and Donivan Cowart engineered Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell’s Old Yellow Moon (which won a Grammy for Best Americana Album in 2014), assisted by John Baldwin…James Cotton recorded Cotton Mouth Man (which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Blues Album in 2014), with Jim Cooley and Nick Autry engineering…George Strait worked on Love Is Everything, produced by Strait and Tony Brown, recorded and mixed by Ainlay…Miranda Lambert worked on her upcoming release Platinum, produced by Frank Liddell, Ainlay and Glenn Worf, recorded and mixed by Ainlay.
Brian Setzer
Photo: Russ Harrington
Grand Victor Sound Nashville (Formerly Ben’s Studio)
Guitarist/singer-songwriter Brian Setzer recently recorded new material to tape with all band members live on the floor, with Peter Collins producing and David Leonard engineering…Country band Asleep at the Wheel worked on new tracks, with Ray Benson producing and Sam Seifert engineering…Soul/blues/rock band Luella and the Sun was in the studio, with Joe McMahan producing and Leslie Richter engineering…Country singer-songwriter Hunter Hayes worked on new material, with Dann Huff producing and Steve Marcantonio and Tony Daigle engineering…Country singer Tayla Lynn worked on new tracks, with James House producing and Joe Costa engineering…Singer-songwriter/guitarist Jewel worked on new material (self-produced), with Jeff Balding engineering.
Producer Scott Hendricks (left) and Blake Shelton.
Ocean Way Studios, Nashville
Country artist/judge on The Voice Blake Shelton worked on new material, with Scott Hendricks producing and Justin Niebank engineering, and Allen Parker and Drew Bollman assisting…Singer-songwriter Shakira was in the studio, with Busbee producing, Jeff Balding engineering and Matt Coles assisting…Country artist Kenny Chesney worked on new tracks, with Buddy Cannon producing, Tony Castle engineering and Nick Spezia assisting…Pop country singer Luke Bryan was in the studio, with Jeff Stevens producing, Derek Bason engineering and Chris Small assisting…Dierks Bentley worked on upcoming material, with Ross Copperman producing, Reid Shippen engineering and Spezia assisting…Singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Beck worked on new material (self-produced), with Darrel Thorpe engineering and Joe Martino assisting.
Chris Isaak singing and playing acoustic guitar, Matt Ross-Spang playing electric guitar and Pete Pritchard on upright bass.
Sun Studio, Memphis
Rocker Chris Isaak cut “That’s All Right” and “Blue Moon of Kentucky” live to 1-inch, 8-track Studer A800 using vintage mics and pre’s, with Scotty Moore producing and Matt Ross-Spang engineering (Curry Webber served as second engineer)…Producer/DJ Mark Ronson worked on new material for a solo project, produced by Ronson and Jeff Bhasker, engineered by Ross-Spang…Country/soul/rock/blues musician Elle King worked on new tracks for an upcoming record for RCA, produced by Bhasker and engineered by Ross-Spang. Ronson played bass and electric guitar and Patrick Keeler of the Raconteurs played drums…Singer-songwriter/guitarist J.D. McPherson was in the studio, with McPherson and Ross-Spang producing and engineering…Indie-rock singer/songwriter Jake Bugg worked on songwriting/demo recording sessions, with Ross-Spang engineering, for recent Rick Rubin-produced record Shangri La…Country singer-songwriter/guitarist Dale Watson worked on his 45 rpm EP iF yoU, produced by Watson and engineered by Ross-Spang. Producer/engineer Jeff Powell cut to 7-inch 45 on the original STAX Neumann VSM 70 lathe.
Control Room A
Sound Emporium, Nashville
Sound Emporium recently added Studio Z, a mix/overdub room (with 4 input channels for personal outboard gear)…Rockers The Alabama Shakes were in Studio A recording to 2-inch tape on a Studer A827 with producer Blake Mills and engineer Shawn Everett…Country legend Willie Nelson was in Studio A and B with producer Buddy Cannon and engineers Tony Castle and Derek Parnell…Rock band Rival Sons were in Studio A with producer Dave Cobb (who also engineered) and engineer Mike Stankiewicz…Producer Joe Henry is working in Studio A on a multi-artist project for Sony Masterworks, re-creating Johnny Cash’s controversial 1964 album Bitter Tears. Ryan Freeland and Stankiewicz are engineering the project…Folk/Celtic rock band The Waterboys were in Studio A, with Mike Scott producing and Freeland, Chris Mara and Stankiewicz engineering.
Brandon Chase
The Record Shop, Nashville
Country/pop artist Brandon Chase worked on his debut single “One,” with Sean Giovanni producing and engineering…Country duo Big & Rich worked on the ESPN College Gameday Theme Song (the duo also produced), with Giovanni engineering. Big & Rich also worked on “Lovin’ Lately” featuring Tim McGraw, with Big & Rich producing and Giovanni and Nick Brophy engineering…DJ Sinister is working on the Country Fried Mix Radio Show, with Charlie Pennachio producing and Giovanni engineering…EDM dance/pop band Electro Shyne, featuring Damien Horne, worked on “The Great Unknown,” with Big Kenny and Chebacca producing and Giovanni engineering…Giovanni produced the daily online music show Balcony TV Nashville, with John Constable and Giovanni engineering…Country trio The Farm worked on new material with Pennachio, DJ Sinister, and Giovanni producing. Giovanni also engineered the material…Singer-songwriter/guitarist Tyrone Carreker (Nashville Independent Blues artist of the year) worked on “James Brown,” with Giovanni producing and engineering.
Martina McBride and producer Don Was
Blackbird Studios
Country singer-songwriter Martina McBride worked on tracking/overdubbing/mixing in Studio A with producer Don Was, engineer John McBride and assistant engineer Allen Ditto…Country singer-songwriter Hunter Hayes, producer Dan Huff, engineer Justin Niebank and assistant engineer Drew Bollman worked on mixing/overdubs in Studio F and E…Singer-songwriter Conor Oberst did tracking/overdubbing in Studio A with producer Jonathan Wilson, engineer Bryce Gonzales and assistant engineer Ernesto Olvera…Rock band JEFF The Brotherhood did tracking/overdubbing in Studio A, H and B with producer Joe Chiccarelli (who also engineered) and assistant engineer Olvera…Singer-songwriter James Bay was tracking in Studio D with producer Jacquire King, engineer Lowell Reynolds and assistant engineer Sean Badum…Blues-rock singer-songwriter Boz Scaggs was tracking in Studio D with producer Steve Jordan, engineer Niko Bolas and assistant engineer Badum.
Sam Phillips Recording, Memphis
Indie rock-pop band The Local Saints recorded its forthcoming album, with executive producer Halley Phillips and engineer Adam Hill, and Richard Roseborough serving as second engineer. The album was cut to a 2-inch 24-track Studer using numerous vintage Neumann U 87 mics, one Telefunken U47 and two Neumann U48 mics. Lead vocal overdub was recorded on the floor in front of an Altec A7 Voice of the Theater speaker for monitor with one side out of phase, drums were recorded in the booth and on the floor, and some guitar overdubs were recorded inside the control room.
The RZA of Wu-Tang Clan and engineer Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell
Royal Studios, Memphis
Rapper/songwriter Drake shot his video “Worst Behavior” at Royal Studios (directed by Drake and Director X)…Boz Scaggs worked on his album Memphis with producer Steve Jordan and engineers Niko Bolas and Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell…Chicago blues man Ronnie Baker Brooks worked on new tracks with producer Jordan and engineers Bolas and Mitchell…Wu-Tang Clan recorded tracks for their latest album with RZA, with RZA producing and Mitchell engineering…Paul Rodgers worked on The Royal Sessions, with producer Perry Margouleff, engineer Bill Whitman and assistant engineers Daniel Bean and Wes Hovaneck…Sir Elton John, along with Motown Tambourine guru Jack Ashford, did overdubs, with producer T Bone Burnett and engineer Matt Andrews, assisted by Mitchell… Robert Plant and the North Mississippi All-stars recorded and mixed two songs for the album World Boogie Is Coming, with The Dickinson Brothers producing and Mitchell engineering.
Craig Campbell session
Photo: Greg Pine
Castle Recording
The studio recently installed 25 1080p Samsung Digital Video Cameras inside and outside the building, which will be used to produce high-end music videos, document sessions (behind the scenes) and record live event webcasts in real time…Country singer Craig Campbell worked on new material, with Matt Rovey producing and engineering, and Lance Van Dyke assisting…Country-rock singer-songwriter Brantley Gilbert was in the studio with Dan Huff producing, Steve Marcantonio engineering and Jordan Reed assisting…Country singer Scotty McCreery was in the studio with Frank Rogers producing, Richard Barrows engineering and Van Dyke assisting…Country band The Railers were in the studio with Justin Niebank producing and engineering, Drew Bollman engineering and Van Dyke assisting…Country singer Wade Bowen worked on new material with Niebank producing and engineering, Bollman engineering and Van Dyke assisting.
