{{Short description|Music recording studio in Nashville, Tennessee, US}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Infobox company | name = Sound Emporium Studios | logo = | logo_caption = | image = | image_caption = | former_name = Jack Clement Recording Studios | former type = | type = | traded_as = | industry = Recording studio | genre = <!-- Only used with media and publishing companies --> | fate = | predecessor = | successor = | foundation = Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. ({{Start date|1969}}) | founder = Jack Clement | defunct = | location_city = Nashville, Tennessee | location_country = U.S. | locations = 1 | area_served = | key_people = | products = | brands = | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | aum = <!-- Only used with financial services companies --> | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = | parent = | divisions = | subsid = | homepage = {{URL|soundemporiumstudios.com}} | footnotes = | intl = | bodystyle = }}
'''Sound Emporium''' is a music recording studio located at 3100 Belmont Boulevard in Nashville, Tennessee. Originally founded by Jack Clement in 1969 as the Jack Clement Recording Studios, the studio changed ownership and was renamed Sound Emporium in 1979. The studios have been the site of numerous notable recordings by artists including Merle Haggard, Don Williams, Kenny Rogers, Keith Whitley, R.E.M., Trisha Yearwood, Alan Jackson, Taylor Swift, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Willie Nelson, Kacey Musgraves, Cole Swindell, Yo-Yo Ma, T Bone Burnett, Alabama Shakes, and others.
==History== ===Jack Clement Recording Studios (1969–1979)=== Producer and songwriter "Cowboy" Jack Clement built the studio in 1969 at 3102 Belmont Boulevard in Nashville with the help of engineer Charlie Tallent, who had been working at Owen Bradley's Bradley's Barn studio. The 16-track studio (later referred to as Studio A) touted a 35x45 foot live room with 22 foot ceiling. Shortly after building the studio, Clement acquired a house on an adjacent lot and repurposed it into an additional studio (Studio B).<ref name="WilliamsB">{{cite magazine|last=Williams|first=Bill|title=Clement Studios: A Success Story|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qkUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22jack+clement%22&pg=PA1065|magazine=Billboard|page=JC3|date=June 10, 1972|access-date=August 1, 2024}}</ref> One of the first projects recorded at the studio was the Todd Rundgren-produced self-titled album by the Ian & Sylvia group Great Speckled Bird. In February 1970, the studio gained notoriety when Ray Stevens recorded the hit Grammy Award-winning song "Everything Is Beautiful" there.<ref name="HurtE">{{cite web|last=Hurt|first=Edd|title=Looking Back on 50 Years of Recorded History at Sound Emporium Studios|url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/music/features/looking-back-on-50-years-of-recorded-history-at-sound-emporium-studios/article_52c1eca2-b394-5332-ba56-b4717979799e.html|website=Nashville Scene|date=November 27, 2019|access-date=August 1, 2024}}</ref> Other artists recording at the studio in its early years included Donna Fargo, Merle Haggard, and Don Williams.
In 1974, Clement sold the studios to producer Larry Butler and Al Mifflin.
===Sound Emporium (1979–present)=== In 1979, Butler took over ownership and changed the name of the studios to Sound Emporium in May 1980. That year, more than 11% of the Hot Country Singles and 18% of the Hot Country LPs were recorded at the studio.<ref name="BBJul1981">{{cite magazine|last=Clayton|first=Rose|title=Nashville's Sound Emporium: More Than Its Share Of Hits|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GCUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22sound+emporium%22&pg=PT29|magazine=Billboard|date=July 25, 1981|access-date=August 1, 2024}}</ref> The same year, Roy Clark bought into the studio to become a co-owner.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Roy Clark Buys Into Nashville's Sound Emporium|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZiQEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22sound+emporium%22&pg=PT72|magazine=Billboard|date=November 1, 1980|access-date=August 1, 2024}}</ref>
Butler utilized the studio to produce eight of Kenny Rogers' studio albums between 1977 and 1980, as well as Rogers' duets with Dottie West and West's successful solo albums of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
R.E.M. recorded their 1987 album, ''Document'' at the studio.<ref name="MixAug2014">{{cite web|last=Bullins|first=Strother|title=Studio Showcase: The Legacy of Sound Emporium|url=https://www.mixonline.com/recording/studio-showcase-the-legacy-of-sound-emporium|website=Mix|date=August 11, 2014|access-date=August 1, 2024}}</ref> Garth Fundis often worked at Sound Emporium in the 1980s, producing artists including Don Williams, Keith Whitley, and New Grass Revival.
By 1992, studio was fully owned by Clark, who sold it to Fundis that year.<ref name="LipscombFeb2019">{{cite web|last=Chaudoin|first=Kim|title=Sound Emporium plays role in Grammy-winning Kacey Musgraves album|url=https://www.lipscomb.edu/news/sound-emporium-plays-role-grammy-winning-kacey-musgraves-album|website=Lipscomb.edu|date=February 14, 2019|access-date=August 2, 2024}}</ref> Fundis joined the two buildings and added a lobby and offices.<ref name=HurtE/>
In the 1990s, Trisha Yearwood recorded her first six studio albums at Sound Emporium,<ref name=LipscombFeb2019/> and in 1996, Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Mark O'Connor recorded ''Appalachia Waltz'' at the studio.
Beginning in the late 1990s, T Bone Burnett produced three Grammy award-winning soundtrack albums at Sound Emporium: ''O Brother, Where Art Thou? (soundtrack)'' (1999), ''Cold Mountain (soundtrack)'' (2003), and ''Walk the Line (soundtrack)'' (2005).<ref name="Perking">{{cite magazine|last=Stark|first=Phyllis|title=Meet the Woman Keeping Nashville's Historic Sound Emporium Perking|url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/juanita-copeland-nashville-studio-sound-emporium/|magazine=Billboard|date=June 2, 2017|access-date=August 2, 2024}}</ref> Other artists recording at the studio in the 1990s included Alan Jackson.<ref name=LipscombFeb2019/>
Artists recording at the studio in the 2000s included Sugarland, Kenny Chesney, Sam Bush, and Elvis Costello,<ref name=LipscombFeb2019/> and portions of Taylor Swift's first four studio albums were recorded at Sound Emporium.<ref name=LipscombFeb2019/> In 2005, Juanita Copeland was appointed manager of the studios.<ref name=Perking/>In 2007, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss recorded portions of their award-winning collaborative album ''Raising Sand'' at Sound Emporium, and returned to the studio for its 2020 follow-up ''Raise the Roof''.<ref name=MixAug2014/>
In 2011, Fundis sold the studios to businessman and philanthropist George Shinn,<ref name=Perking/><ref name=LipscombFeb2019/> and in 2013, the studio requested and was granted a historical marker for Jack Clement Recording Studios from the Historical Commission of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jack Clement Recording Studios Historical Marker|url=https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=76355|website=HMdb.org|date=August 18, 2014|access-date=August 2, 2024}}</ref><ref name=Perking/>
Artists recording at Sound Emporium in the 2010s included Willie Nelson, Jamey Johnson, Don Henley, Cage the Elephant,<ref>{{cite web|last=Roberts|first=Christopher|title=Cage The Elephant and Beck Enter a Simulated World in the Video for "Night Running"|url=https://www.undertheradarmag.com/news/cage_the_elephant_and_beck_enter_a_simulated_world_in_the_video_for_night_r/|website=Under the Radar|date=May 3, 2019|access-date=August 2, 2024}}</ref> Josh Ritter,<ref>{{cite web|last=Sivewright|first=Dacey Orr|title=The Best Southern Albums of 2019|url=https://gardenandgun.com/slideshow/best-southern-albums-2019/14/|date=December 17, 2019|access-date=August 2, 2024}}</ref> Zac Brown Band, Cyndi Lauper,<ref name="MixJul2016">{{cite web|last=Flans|first=Robyn|title=Cyndi Lauper & Tony Brown|url=https://www.mixonline.com/recording/cyndi-lauper-tony-brown-427833|website=Mix|date=July 1, 2016|access-date=August 2, 2024}}</ref> Chris Isaak,<ref>{{cite web|last=Jackson|first=Blair|title=Chris Isaak Takes a Turn to Nashville|url=https://www.mixonline.com/recording/chris-isaak-takes-turn-nashville-426055|website=Mix|date=November 9, 2015|access-date=August 2, 2024}}</ref> Jason Isbell, Cole Swindell, Nefesh Mountain, Jimmy Buffett, St. Paul and The Broken Bones, Pop Evil, Little Big Town, Kaleo, Lake Street Dive,<ref>{{cite web|last=Hardisty|first=Brad|title=Lake Street Dive Opens Up About New LP Side Pony|url=https://performermag.com/new-music-and-video/interviews-and-features/lake-street-dive-opens-up-about-new-lp-side-pony/|website=Performer|date=February 5, 2016|access-date=August 2, 2024}}</ref> Kesha,<ref name="LipscombDec2017">{{cite web|last=Chaudoin|first=Kim|title=Sound Emporium Studios projects nominated for six Grammys|url=https://www.lipscomb.edu/news/sound-emporium-studios-projects-nominated-six-grammys|website=Lipscomb.edu|date=December 19, 2017|access-date=August 2, 2024}}</ref> and Cage the Elephant.<ref name=LipscombFeb2019/> Alabama Shakes' multiple Grammy award-winning album ''Sound & Color'' (2015) was recorded in Sound Emporium's Studio A.<ref>{{cite web|last=Tingen|first=Paul|title=Inside Track: Alabama Shakes' Sound & Color|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/inside-track-alabama-shakes-sound-color|date=July 2015|access-date=August 2, 2024}}</ref>
In 2017, George Shinn gifted the studio to Lipscomb University, which committed to preserving the history of the studio and allowing it to remain business as usual.<ref name=Perking/> The university also established The George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts.<ref>{{cite web|title=Shinn gift-fueled LU center to see fall groundbreaking|url=https://www.nashvillepost.com/shinn-gift-fueled-lu-center-to-see-fall-groundbreaking/article_05aad088-73fb-572b-a236-81f251bd0c87.html|website=NashvillePost|date=June 23, 2017|access-date=August 2, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Daley|first=Dan|title=Off The Record: Music & Recording Industry News|url=https://www.soundonsound.com/music-business/off-the-record-0817|website=Sound On Sound|date=August 2017|access-date=August 1, 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
Category:Recording studios in Tennessee Category:Buildings and structures in Nashville, Tennessee Category:Music of Nashville, Tennessee