March 16-19 found me in Nashville, producing and playing acoustic guitar on three days of recording. Song demos with various songwriters using my trusty team of Nashville A-list musicians, including Chris Leuzinger (Garth Brooks and just about everyone else), Gary Prim (Zac Brown Band, Alan Jackson, John Fogerty, etc.), Wayne Killius (Blake Shelton, Kenny Rogers, Luke Bryan, etc.). And, continued …
Cathy Wilson: Celtic Folk in Cookeville TN
Out of the blue, while waiting for a plane at the Nashville airport, I got a call from Cathy. She had found the Mill Pond Music Studio website on line, had seen all the Celtic Tribute Series CDs I’d produced and had read about all the wonderful Celtic acts that have found their way to my workspace, but had just realized I …
Fall update
Lots happening this past summer into fall: new CDs by John Carew, Skip Gorman, Annie Eastman Young, Gus LaCasse, song demos by Abbi White, Greg Lull, Brandon Harris, Brin Banta, Portland Irish flutist Nicole Rabata‘s trio, a recent production trip to Nashville, and more- I’ll try to post some music and photos soon. Nashville’s Studio 19, one of my favorite places …
Nashville Travelogue- July ’14
Just back from two production trips to Nashville, lots of great music and a chance to visit some of my many cherished colleagues! Elizabeth Carrigan‘s story is dramatic and compelling (read more). We’ve started work on finishing a project she began four years ago. I took a few of her vocal tracks to Nashville, where I, Jeff Taylor, Chris Leuzinger, …
Abbi White’s new Nashville/Portsmouth CD
An ambitious, sparkling new 14-song CD from Boston’s Abbi White, tracked in Nashville with a stellar cast of acoustic A-teamers, including Aubrey Haynie, Jeff Taylor, Matt Combs, John Gardner, Byron House, Robert Bowlin and yours truly. We recorded basic tracks at CTM in Nashville this summer, then did final vocals, additional guitar overdubs, editing and mixing here at …
Nashville Travelogue, continued.
Had a great time producing, arranging and playing on 4 new songs by NY songwriter Dave Stewart this past weekend. Tracking was done at Studio 19 with Jesse Poe engineering. Chris Leuzinger on electric guitar, Glen Duncan on fiddle, Wayne Killius on drums, John Vogt on bass , myself on acoustic guitar and my dear friend and long-time Irish music …
The Nashville Years: singers and players
A lot of interesting artists and musicians recorded at my studio in Nashville during its twenty years of operation, giving me ample opportunities to make a lot of mistakes and to learn how to avoid them. Some of their names are well-known, others’ should be. Here are some of the names I remember off the top of my head. I …
Nashville Travelogue, continued.
Just back from two trips to Nashville in two weeks. First, a couple of days of producing (and playing acoustic guitar on) song demos for New Yorker Dave Stewart, a superlative song craftsman. Another opportunity to get together with my musician colleagues, Chris Leuzinger on electric guitar, Jamey Whiting on piano, Wayne Killius on drums, the amazing John Vogt on …
Some notes from my many Nashville clients:
“Thanks so much for your great work! I’m not so much talking about the finished product (terrific!), but the process- respectful, unhurried, caring, artistic- which infuses and is forever captured in the finished product.” Mary Beth Stone, regional coordinator Nashville Songwriters’ Assoc. Int’l. New York City “Thank you so very much…Besides your wonderful playing and arranging, I remember you as …
Nashville bids Jim ‘adieu!’…
On my departure, some words from colleagues: “…you’re such an impeccable player, so insightful and full of spirit; and keeping the big picture in mind. I’ve always been honored that you’ve chosen me to play your sessions on so many occasions. The choices in this town are overwhelming and to have a knowledgeable player/producer as yourself include me is a …
Country singers & songwriters: Record in Nashville!
Here are the questions: “I’m a country singer- do I have to have a Nashville band on my CD?” And, “I write songs that I think are good enough to be cut by a big name country artist- do my demos need Nashville musicians and singers? With few exceptions, the answer to both is an unqualified YES!, if the goal …
Nashville travelogue: Wanya, Petrojvic Blasting Co. and more!
Sometimes the producer’s job is really easy (don’t tell my client!). Producing a vocal session in Nashville last week with Wanya Morris of Boyz To Men was just such a moment. A consummate pro, Wanya’s been recording for a couple of decades now and basically self-produces. He knew what he wanted, knew when he had it and when he didn’t, …