American Sound Studio

Coordinates: 35°09′50″N 90°02′12″W / 35.163844°N 90.036715°W / 35.163844; -90.036715
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35°09′50″N 90°02′12″W / 35.163844°N 90.036715°W / 35.163844; -90.036715

American Sound Studio
Industryrecording studio
Founded1964
Defunct1972
SuccessorAmerican-Recording-studio.com
HeadquartersMemphis, Tennessee
Key people
Chips Moman Don Crews

The American Sound Studio was a recording studio located in Memphis, Tennessee which operated from 1964 to 1972. Founded by Chips Moman, the studio at 827 Thomas Street came to be known as American North, and the studio at 2272 Deadrick Street came to be known as American East or the Annex.

More than one hundred hit songs were recorded at these studios, with backing provided by the studio musicians "

Joe Simon, Merrilee Rush, Aretha Franklin, Oscar Toney Jr., Neil Diamond, Dusty Springfield, B. J. Thomas, Petula Clark, Roy Hamilton, and The Box Tops
.

History

American Sound Studio was started in 1964 at 827 Thomas Street in

North Memphis by producer Chips Moman[1] and Don Crews.[2] Between 1967 and 1971 approximately 120 hit songs were produced, and listed in the top 100 of Billboard, at the American Sound Studio.[3] During one week span, 25% of Billboard's top 100 not only came from the same studio, but featured the same band backing a variety of artists. It was further noted that the Memphis Boys recorded 122 Top 10 records using the same rhythm team, and were also known as the “827 Thomas Street Band” after the address of the studio.[4][5]
American Sound Studio folded in 1972 and the building was torn down in 1989. In its place is a Family Dollar store with a County historical marker.

American Recording Studio East

American Sound Studios and the Memphis Boys were in high demand, and had to use other studios in Memphis, such as Royal Studios (where "

Billboard
to announce the new studio acquisition and operation of both their "North" and "East" studios.

The

Steve Sholes of RCA Records commissioned its construction but died in April 1968. The studio's staff included Ronnie "Angel" Stoots from the Mar-Keys and George Klein.[citation needed] The first single cut there was "Mama”/“Merry Go Round" produced by Bobby Manuel. The studio, after its first year, became popular with Jerry Wexler and Tom Dowd of Atlantic Records, and Dot Records/Paramount Records
.

It was purchased by Chips Moman and Don Crews in December 1968, and renamed American Recording Studio East, AKA “The Annex”. The studio was custom-designed with stereo

Memphis Horns, including the trumpet part on Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline". The studio had easy access to the Memphis International Airport
, and next door was the Memphis landmark John Grisanti's restaurant.

American East helped complete many of the productions made at the North studio between 1968 and ‘72. Both studios were fitted with similar equipment which allowed the easy transfer of tapes, and were able to operate all day and night to handle the demand. So much more work could be done, as Moman quoted to Billboard magazine. Moman also liked to work in anonymity during these years and the East location served that purpose well.

In 1972 Moman and Crews made arrangements to dissolve their partnership. Moman moved to first to Atlanta, and then to Nashville, where he reopened American Sound Studios. The studio on Thomas St. was closed. Crews restored the Deadrick location back to "ONYX".

By 1975

the Bar-Kays, Isaac Hayes, Albert King, Kwik), and the studio home for the Bar-Kays. It was purchased by musicians/producers Doyle and Robby Turner
after Don Crews retired in 1978.

By 1990 the studio was leased to producers Doug Easley and Davis McCain. Between 1990 and 2005 the studio was known as Easley McCain Recording, under the direction of producers Easley, McCain and Stuart Sikes. The studio was used by acts including Alex Chilton, Tav Falco, Rufus Thomas, The White Stripes, Loretta Lynn, Wilco, and Jeff Buckley. In 2005 the studio suffered a major fire and Easley McCain relocated to a new premises in 2009.[7][8]

After the fire the studio was bought by an out-of-state developer. After negotiating with the developer to protect this Memphis landmark custodial power was given to Brad Dunn in 2006 to campaign to get the studio reopened. Brad was supported by his father, Robert, and his uncle, Donald "Duck" Dunn, and sought input from Chips Moman, Don and Erick Crews on preserving the historical site. A trust was set up by new owner David Gicking to preserve the studio's future. The first phase was complete in 2011 after a detailed restoration.

Brad Dunn (producer, engineer), Matt Martone and Will Gilbert (engineer) re-opened the studio in 2011 as American Recording Studio.[9]

American Recording Studio is the only physical location where any of the American Sound Studios legacy remains. ARS is owned by David Gicking and Brad Dunn .

Recording artists

In January 1969, Elvis Presley recorded his last number one hit "Suspicious Minds" with producer/engineer Chips Moman.[10] Around this time, American Sound Studio was at the top of its game, in the middle of a three-year span that would yield more than 100 hit records for artists that included B. J. Thomas,[11] Neil Diamond,[12] and Dusty Springfield.[13]

The Memphis Boys

The Memphis Boys, American Sound Studio's

Nashville, TN.[15]

Bobby Womack

Main article: Bobby Womack

Bobby Womack worked at producer

Sly & the Family Stone's 1971 album There's a Riot Goin' On, and Janis Joplin's Pearl, which features a song by Womack and Michael McClure entitled "Trust Me". In 1971, on an album with jazz guitarist Gábor Szabó, he recorded the instrumental "Breezin'", which later became a hit for George Benson
.

Joe Tex

Main article: Joe Tex

Joe Tex recorded his major hit, "Skinny Legs and All"(1967), and "I Gotcha"(1972), at American Sound Studio. "I Gotcha" was originally intended to be recorded by King Floyd, but Floyd never recorded a version of it. Instead, Tex went ahead and recorded it himself in the late 1960s, but ended up not releasing it. He decided to re-record the song in late 1971 at American Sound Studio and released it as the B-side of "A Mother's Prayer," the first single off his 1972 album that was also titled I Gotcha. Radio DJs decided to flip the single over and started playing "I Gotcha." This would result in Tex having his first major hit in five years as "I Gotcha" eventually peaked at number one on the R&B chart and number two on the Pop chart and would sell around three million copies.[16]

Elvis Presley

Main article: Elvis Presley

In January and February 1969,

From Memphis to Vegas/From Vegas to Memphis, also the strings and horns were scored at American East Studio. Mike Leach and Glen Spreen did most of the arranging, “sweetening” the tracks at American East. The studio portion of From Memphis to Vegas/From Vegas to Memphis was later released separately as Back in Memphis in 1970.[18] Additional tracks recorded during the 1969 sessions would continue to appear haphazardly on assorted Elvis albums as late as 1972, including a cover version of The Beatles' "Hey Jude
".

B. J. Thomas

Main article: B. J. Thomas

adult contemporary chart.[19]

The song was recorded in seven takes, after Bacharach expressed dissatisfaction with the first six.

Dusty Springfield

Main article: Dusty Springfield

The sudden changes of pop music in the mid-1960s left female singers out of fashion. To boost her credibility as a soul artist,

Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2001. International readers and viewers polls list the record among the one hundred greatest albums of all time.[20] The LP's standout track "Son of a Preacher Man" was an international Top 10 hit in 1969.[21][22]

The Box Tops

Main article: The Box Tops

Grammy Awards nominations. Their single "Cry Like a Baby" was a major hit in 1968, peaking at number two on Billboard. Some of their recordings' instrumental tracks were performed by session musicians like Reggie Young, Tommy Cogbill, Gene Chrisman, and Bobby Womack at Moman's American Sound Studio, and by future Chilton producer Terry Manning at Ardent Studios, although the actual group members performed on a number of the recordings, including their first hit "The Letter", and on all live performances.[23]

Neil Diamond

Main article: Neil Diamond

"Sweet Caroline", recorded at American Sound Studio,[24] was Neil Diamond's first major hit after his slump.[25] Wayne Jackson of The Memphis Horns recorded his trumpet part at the Annex, American East.

See also

Further reading

  • Roben Jones - Memphis Boys: The Story of American Studios, 2011
  • Peter Guralnick - Sweet Soul Music, 1999

References

  1. ISBN 978-0-306-80640-7
    .
  2. ISBN 978-1-60473-401-0
    . Retrieved 7 October 2011. Partner...beginning in 1964.
  3. ISBN 978-0-89587-173-2
    .
  4. ^ The Nashville - Nashville’s Musicians Hall of Fame charters six groups - WALT TROTT - January–March 2008 – [1] Archived July 3, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ISBN 978-0-7434-1045-8
    .
  6. ^ ID // 1968 Billboard = Ad p. 249
  7. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-09-10. Retrieved 2020-01-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2019-12-26. Retrieved 2020-01-06.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ "History of American Recording Studio". American-recording-studio.com.
  10. ^ "Introducing Elvis – IT Chapter 1 page 21" (PDF). Media.wiley.com. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  11. ^ a b The Press of Atlantic City - THOMAS STILL HOOKED ON POP MUSIC FEELING - ROBERT DiGIACOMO -12-12-03
  12. ^ "MTV - Retrieved 08/17/09". Mtv.com. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  13. ^ FROM ELVIS IN MEMPHIS: LEGACY EDITION Celebrates 40th Anniversary of American Studios Sessions, 36 Tracks Across 2 CDs, Including 10 Original Mono Single Masters - SOURCE Legacy Recordings - July 1, 2009 (press release).
  14. ^ "THE REGGIE YOUNG STORY". Reggieyoung.org.
  15. ^ CMT : News : Unsung Heroes Honored at Musicians Hall of Fame Induction, Cmt.com, November 27, 2007.
  16. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 574.
  17. ^ Elvis faithful can't visit site of his last No. 1 USA Today. Associated Press. August 16, 2009.
  18. ^ "Go Certify - Copyright 1998-2009 Anventure - Apr 13, 1999 -". Archived from the original on 2012-07-10.
  19. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 6th Edition (Billboard Publications)
  20. ^ "Dusty in Memphis by Dusty Springfield". BestEverAlbums.com.
  21. ^ "Dusty Springfield". Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
  22. ^ "Dusty Springfield | Biography, Songs, & Facts". Britannica.com. 25 November 2023.
  23. ISBN 978-0-7434-1045-8
    .
  24. ^ The Guardian, - The soul of Memphis - Andria Lisle, Friday, 15 August 2008 - The soul of Memphis | Music | The Guardian
  25. ^ CBS "Sunday Morning" 5-11-2008
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