Sound Emporium Studios projects nominated for six Grammys
Kim Chaudoin | 615.966.6494 |
When nominations for the 60th Grammy Awards were announced in late November, the Sound Emporium Studios was well represented with ties to nominees in six categories.
Throughout the year, Sound Emporium’s studios are filled with a variety of artists recording their latest projects. Among those are the following artists who recorded their Grammy-nominated projects at the Sound Emporium and their categories are:
- Best Pop Vocal Album: Rainbow, Kesha
- Best Pop Solo Performance: Praying, Kesha
- Best American Roots Performance: I Never Cared for You, Alison Krauss
- Best Country Solo Performance: Losing You from the Windy City album. Alison Krauss
- Best Bluegrass Album: Universal Favorite, Noam Pikelny
- Best Contemporary Christian Album: Chain Breaker, Zach Williams
Mike Stankiewicz, Sound Emporium’s chief engineer, was lead engineer on several of the Kesha tracks.
“It’s a really big deal for us and for Mike because he can now say he’s on a Grammy-nominated project. We are so very proud,” said Juanita Copeland, vice president, chief operating officer and general manager of Sound Emporium Studios.
“In our world it is a big deal just to be nominated. Of course, I’m hoping there is a win or two out of there, but just to be nominated out of all of the thousands of records and studios, is pretty special.”
The 60th Grammy Awards will be broadcast on Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018 on CBS.
In addition to its recent Grammy nominated-projects, Sound Emporium Studios has played a key role in numerous successful recording projects. In recent weeks, country music icon Kenny Chesney’s latest project — Live from No Shoes Nation — entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1. The project was mixed and produced by audio engineer Tony Castle in one of the Sound Emporium’s studios this past fall.
This fall, the Sound Emporium had its first room assistant, a Lipscomb contemporary music major Ben Roberson, who is work shadowing on sessions in the studios.
“We are giving them a true ‘hands-on’ experience that they will be able to take with them into the work place after they graduate,” said Copeland. “This is part of the quality education and experience that Lipscomb offers students above what they would get at another university. We are very excited to be a part of preparing the next generation for this industry.”
In May, Sound Emporium Studios was gifted to Lipscomb University by George Shinn, former owner of the NBA’s Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets. Lipscomb University is committed to preserving the history of Sound Emporium Studios, which has been one of Nashville’s vibrant recording studios for nearly 50 years. Sound Emporium Studios provides valuable experiences and resources for students in Lipscomb’s George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts.
The Sound Emporium has been a vital part of Nashville’s international claim to fame as Music City, U.S.A., and has been the place that numerous music legends have entrusted with their recording projects for nearly 50 years. In 1969, “Cowboy Jack” Clement, who produced artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich and Johnny Cash at Memphis’ famed Sun Records, built Jack Clement Recording Studios in Nashville, the first of its kind in the city. In 1979, Clement sold the studio and the name changed to the Sound Emporium. Producer Garth Fundis purchased the studio in 1992, and in 2011 sold it to George Shinn, former owner of the NBA franchise Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets.
One of Nashville’s most iconic recording studios, numerous artists have produced music within the Sound Emporium’s walls, including Kesha, Pop Evil, Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash, John Denver, Keith Whitley, New Grass Revival, REM, Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Taylor Swift, Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, Cyndi Lauper, Keith Urban, Merle Haggard, Cole Swindell, Jimmy Buffett, St. Paul and the Broken Bones and numerous others. In addition, film soundtracks such as O’ Brother Where Art Thou, Cold Mountain and Walk the Line have been recorded at the Sound Emporium under the guidance of Grammy-winning producer T-Bone Burnett.
For more information about Sound Emporium Studios, visit www.soundemporiumstudios.com.
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— Photos by Kristi Jones