Music recording studio in Nashville, Tennessee, US
RCA Studio A
is a music
recording studio
in
Nashville, Tennessee
built and founded in 1964 by
Chet Atkins
,
Owen Bradley
and
Harold Bradley
. Originally known simply by the name "RCA Victor Nashville Sound Studios" (or "RCA Studios" for short), along with the adjacent
RCA Studio B
, it became known in the 1960s for becoming an essential factor and location to the development of the musical
production
style and
sound engineering
technique known as the
Nashville Sound
.
[1]
[2]
In 2015, it was added to the
National Register of Historic Places
. Since 2016, it has housed
Low Country Sound
, a record label imprint run by
Dave Cobb
.
[3]
History
[
edit
]
Studio A was built in 1965 at its original address of 806 17th Avenue South. The studio was based on the ideas of
Chet Atkins
,
Owen Bradley
and
Harold Bradley
, and was operated by
RCA Records
until 1977.
[4]
[5]
Despite its name, Studio A is actually newer than the adjacent
RCA Studio B
which was built in 1956. Studios A and B were collectively referred to as
RCA Victor Nashville Sound Studios
.
[4]
The building was continuously used by RCA until January 1977, when they closed their Nashville offices and sold their properties located on
Music Row
.
[6]
[1]
Studio A was sold to Owen Bradley, who remodeled it and operated the studio as Music City Music Hall.
[7]
In 2002, the building was leased by
Ben Folds
for his Grand Victor Sound company and became also known as Ben's Place. He leased the building for twelve years.
[8]
Folds rented out parts of the building to other artists, such as
Jamey Johnson
.
[9]
Demolition controversy
[
edit
]
The studio grounds passed through multiple owners until in 2014 when the building’s existence was threatened with demolition by a local developer to make way for condominiums.
[5]
[10]
At this time, Ben Folds gathered regional and professional support, enabling
Curb Records
founder,
Mike Curb
, and local
philanthropists
Chuck Elcan and Aubrey Preston to collectively purchase the building, which became paramount to preserving its historic significance.
[2]
[11]
The efforts to save RCA Studio A led to a more consolidated, dedicated and collaborative effort to preserve the musical history and promote creativity within
Music Row
and the Nashville area. It also led to the establishment of grassroots preservationist organizations such as the
Music Industry Coalition
.
[12]
Historic landmark
[
edit
]
In 2015, Studio A joined Studio B in the
National Register of Historic Places
.
[13]
While Studio B became a tourist attraction and learning facility, Studio A continues to be in use by recording artists to this day.
[4]
In early 2016,
country music
record producer
Dave Cobb
took over the building from Folds for his
Low Country Sound
record label imprint.
[3]
Production style
[
edit
]
Quonset Hut Studio
, RCA Studio B, and RCA Studio A were essential locations to the development of the "
Nashville Sound
." Owen Bradley, Chet Atkins,
Bob Ferguson
, and
Bill Porter
produced studio recordings in the Nashville Sound style, a sophisticated style characterized by background vocals and strings. The Nashville Sound both revived the popularity of
country
music and helped establish Nashville's reputation as an international recording center, with these three studios at the center of what would become known as
Music Row
.
Designed and built later than Quonset Hut Studio and RCA Studio B, Studio A's gym-sized room, large enough to house choirs, orchestras, string sections and a live band, was specifically designed by
John E. Volkmann
to more easily facilitate recording the large ensembles needed to create the Nashville Sound.
[4]
Today, it is the last remaining of only three Volkmann-designed rooms of this size.
[3]
List of notable artists recorded
[
edit
]
Notable artists who recorded songs at Studio A include:
References
[
edit
]
- ^
a
b
Garrison, John (2017-10-21).
"Iconic signs at Nashville's historic Studio A return after nearly 50 years"
.
The Tennessean
. Retrieved
2018-04-05
.
- ^
a
b
"Historic Nashville Studio Saved From Demolition"
.
Rolling Stone
. 2014-12-23
. Retrieved
2018-04-05
.
- ^
a
b
c
Gold, Adam (2018-02-18).
"Three Years After Being Saved, Studio A Still Makes an Impact"
.
Nashville Scene
. Retrieved
2018-04-05
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
Fausset, Richard (2014-09-27).
"As Music Row Shifts to Condo Row, Nashville Cries in Its Beer"
.
The New York Times
.
ISSN
0362-4331
. Retrieved
2018-04-05
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
Rau, Nate (2014-09-17).
"Demolition papers filed for Studio A building"
.
The Tennessean
. Retrieved
2018-04-05
.
- ^
"RCA Folds Nashville, L.A. Studios: N.Y. Next?"
.
Billboard
. 15 January 1977
. Retrieved
15 May
2024
.
- ^
Kirby, Kip (6 February 1982).
"Nashville Studio Broadens Its Non-Country Horizons"
.
Billboard
. Retrieved
7 May
2024
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
Douglas, Mason (2016-01-04).
Now You Know Nashville ? 2nd Edition
. BookBaby.
ISBN
9781483560113
.
- ^
a
b
Rau, Nate (2014-06-24).
"Ben Folds makes passionate pitch to save RCA Studio A"
.
The Tennessean
. Retrieved
2018-04-05
.
- ^
Gold, Adam (2014-07-28).
"Brentwood Developer Buys RCA Studio A"
.
Nashville Scene
. Retrieved
2018-04-05
.
- ^
Gonzalez, Tony; Rau, Nate.
"Revolution and rebirth at Studio A"
.
The Tennessean
. Retrieved
2018-04-05
.
- ^
Gonzalez, Tony; Rau, Nate.
"Studio A Nashville 50th"
.
The Tennessean
. Retrieved
2018-04-05
.
- ^
Sisson, Patrick (2015-08-03).
"Nashville's Studio A Added to Nat'l Register of Historic Places"
.
Curbed
. Retrieved
2018-04-05
.
- ^
"Paramore Drop Single, 'Hard Times,' Announce New Album, 'After Laughter'
"
.
Billboard
.