I've had the privilege to record, mix, and produce great artists for over twenty-five years in great studios from LA to Abbey Road in London. While recording in such rooms is wonderful, these days most every album I mix has had some or even all of it recorded in a home studio, and I’ve learned a lot about what doesn’t work…and what does. My desire is to share this hard-earned knowledge with any who would want to learn how to make the most of what they have. I think the new path with independent artists making albums the way they want is the new frontier. I want to be a part of that, and be whatever resource I can be to help those projects become successful
Music has always been a main focus in my life. Growing up in Texas in a family of musicians, it was a given that band, orchestra and choir would be my sport of choice and music would be my major in college. But as a young adult I realized performing was not the direction I preferred. Rather, it was the behind the scenes artistry of producing and engineering that could release me to the unlimited musical options and focus I desired.
So I moved to LA with nothing but a car, a temporary place to stay and the adventure of discovering what could be possible.
Within a short time the door opened to work for Bill Schnee as his first assistant in his brand new recording studio. I found myself working and gleaning from some of the best producers and engineers in the business. Bill, Al Schmidt, Jack Joseph Puig, Greg Ladanyi were regulars and always on the cutting edge.
After a few years it was time to go out on my own to work with such artists as Maurice White, Dianna Ross, Ray Charles, Tori Amos, Ozzy Osborne, Leonard Cohen, LL Cool J, Fleetwood Mac, Toto, and others. It was a great time for studio work in LA. There were lots of studio recordings being made and I was fortunate to be working with the best players in the best studios in town.
Often during those years I was asked to come to Nashville to track and mix various projects. I began to feel Nashville's tug as a place I could still work with the best complimented by a small town feel to raise our young family. Doors once again opened and I've worked steadily and with diverse artists, Rascal Flatts, Amy Grant, Josh Turner, Vince Gill, Brad Paisley, Natalie Grant, RED and Young Buck.
The recording business has changed greatly since I began this love affair with music. It has always required more than just talent and creativity. Today a great deal of flexibility and ingenuity in business, social media savvy and technical know how is also a requirement. The paradigm of major labels being the gatekeepers of pop music has been turned on its head by the rise of independent artists. These incredibly talented independent artists, while some may no longer need a label, still need someone to consult with in order to make their recordings as good as they can be, not just from a recording sense but a vision for venue and reach. This is what prompted me to take the next step into what I see is the future of music production and help these dreams become reality.
