This chick is such a badass. I mean, she is definitely in my book's "newbie" category, being as though she hasn't been in the audio world for over ten years, but she has been in the music business world, mainly as a guitar shredder. And she shreds.
I met Crystal very soon after moving to Nashville. She was the guitar player for a live gig for which my company was hired to record multi-track audio and video. I mention the video only because Crystal certainly caught my eye as I was handling the post production side of things for the DVD. While editing the video, it was clear that she is unlike most guitar players I meet. She plays "like a dude." She makes all these faces and gestures and looks super fierce. Certainly, she makes me glad that I didn't meet her in a dark alley - for a guitar play-off.
Later, Crystal was hired to play guitar for a studio session back at Sharkbait Studios' headquarters. She came in, and I still barely knew her. She walked right up to our setup and starting asking about equipment and commenting on it. Clearly she was "in the know." This occurrence almost never happens, and when it does, it is a guy - usually. So I started checking out her setup. Who was she? How did she know about consoles? My curiosity was piqued, even though I proceeded with caution due to the aforementioned badass nature of this gal.
Crystal, however, is a true professional. She will make her way through this industry, I have no doubt. She has the tenacity and knowledge to compete with anyone. In addition, she is as sweet as can be and commands respect. Currently she works with SAE-Nashville, and I have encountered her professionally in different capacities for years now. She is a mover and a shaker, and it was an honor to finally lure her into my lair for an interview on November 22, 2008 at noon.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Heather Sturm
I finally got an interview with the hard-to-catch Heather Sturm on July 30, 2008 at 5pm. She came over to my house after work so we could relax away from gear and clients.
Heather works at East Iris Studios in Nashville and has been there for over two years now. She is the Assistant Engineer for East Iris' Studio A, both during the day and night shifts - it is a tough job, no doubt, but she seems to really love music and love being a part of the creation of it.
To say Heather is a "good hang" would be an understatement. I think she is the best hang! She has many fascinating stories about sessions and the stars she has gotten to work with through East Iris. It is truly a waste on me, however, as I am celebrity-retarded for the most part. But I love hearing the stories nonetheless.
Heather is a great addition to this book project, not as a pioneer, but more as an up and coming talent. She is able to depict how it is to be starting out and working your way through a career at a larger commercial studio. Most females I know and have met along the way have started their own studio (coincidence?) for some reason. But Heather is one of the rare ones who are employed in the more traditional studio fashion.
I had the opportunity to tour the facilities at East Iris maybe a year ago, and it is truly a beautiful facility - amazing piano, the rooms are acoustically well-designed, top-of-the line equipment, candy all over the place, a larger kitchen than the one in my house - a spectacular building with a unique location.
Heather started as an intern and quickly was hired as a full time staff member. Above all, I get the sense that she is a true professional in the studio - one who likes to deliver a great service and product to her clients, and one who is perfectionistic in her work. Like most new engineers, she works long hours and isn't getting wealthy off of it, but she is committed to doing a great job every time.
One common theme amongst the chicks thus far - pride in their work. There is a certain pressure to not make mistakes - ever - for females in this business, and the by-product of that is a top-notch work ethic for any potential employer.
Heather was a blast to interview - she is sincere and funny - and gives great advice to the upcoming generation of chicklets that want to enter this business and work in a commercial recording studio facility.
Heather works at East Iris Studios in Nashville and has been there for over two years now. She is the Assistant Engineer for East Iris' Studio A, both during the day and night shifts - it is a tough job, no doubt, but she seems to really love music and love being a part of the creation of it.
To say Heather is a "good hang" would be an understatement. I think she is the best hang! She has many fascinating stories about sessions and the stars she has gotten to work with through East Iris. It is truly a waste on me, however, as I am celebrity-retarded for the most part. But I love hearing the stories nonetheless.
Heather is a great addition to this book project, not as a pioneer, but more as an up and coming talent. She is able to depict how it is to be starting out and working your way through a career at a larger commercial studio. Most females I know and have met along the way have started their own studio (coincidence?) for some reason. But Heather is one of the rare ones who are employed in the more traditional studio fashion.
I had the opportunity to tour the facilities at East Iris maybe a year ago, and it is truly a beautiful facility - amazing piano, the rooms are acoustically well-designed, top-of-the line equipment, candy all over the place, a larger kitchen than the one in my house - a spectacular building with a unique location.
Heather started as an intern and quickly was hired as a full time staff member. Above all, I get the sense that she is a true professional in the studio - one who likes to deliver a great service and product to her clients, and one who is perfectionistic in her work. Like most new engineers, she works long hours and isn't getting wealthy off of it, but she is committed to doing a great job every time.
One common theme amongst the chicks thus far - pride in their work. There is a certain pressure to not make mistakes - ever - for females in this business, and the by-product of that is a top-notch work ethic for any potential employer.
Heather was a blast to interview - she is sincere and funny - and gives great advice to the upcoming generation of chicklets that want to enter this business and work in a commercial recording studio facility.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
KK Proffitt
I met up with KK Proffitt at her studio on Nashville's Music Row on July 16, 2008 at 3pm. Her company is called JamSync and it specializes in a whole variety of audio services, but a lot of it is post-production audio; something close to my heart. She has been in that location for 10 years.
KK has a unique viewpoint of the industry at large - both hilarious and jaded all at once. She has clearly had some tough times, much of it due to her gender, but she admits that her personality also sometimes has a tendency to rub people the wrong way. Sounds familiar.
KK's ideas on the music industry are certainly rooted in harsh reality - she has lived through a variety of experiences, but what strikes me most about her is her all-encompassing inner strength. A weaker woman would have quit the business altogether, but not KK. She has opinions and is unafraid to share them.
While this honesty may be seen as "unpopular" in the "nice" corners of Nashville, it is exactly what I love about her. While her story may not be the same as many others I have interviewed, I was looking for the good, the bad, the ugly, and she was willing to dish it out like mashed potatoes.
I truly admire her perseverance and tenacity within the business. Her dream was to have a studio on Music Row, and there she is! She had a lot to contribute to my topic of conversation, and I think everyone will enjoy her comments - it is peek inside the music industry at large, particularly as it relates to Nashville.
KK has a unique viewpoint of the industry at large - both hilarious and jaded all at once. She has clearly had some tough times, much of it due to her gender, but she admits that her personality also sometimes has a tendency to rub people the wrong way. Sounds familiar.
KK's ideas on the music industry are certainly rooted in harsh reality - she has lived through a variety of experiences, but what strikes me most about her is her all-encompassing inner strength. A weaker woman would have quit the business altogether, but not KK. She has opinions and is unafraid to share them.
While this honesty may be seen as "unpopular" in the "nice" corners of Nashville, it is exactly what I love about her. While her story may not be the same as many others I have interviewed, I was looking for the good, the bad, the ugly, and she was willing to dish it out like mashed potatoes.
I truly admire her perseverance and tenacity within the business. Her dream was to have a studio on Music Row, and there she is! She had a lot to contribute to my topic of conversation, and I think everyone will enjoy her comments - it is peek inside the music industry at large, particularly as it relates to Nashville.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Cookie Marenco
I met up with Cookie Marenco at her studio in Belmont, CA on June 25th, 2008 at 10:15am. Her studio overlooks a massive, gorgeous valley which would totally distract me from my work on a daily basis. She seems to be fine with it.
Cookie is another woman who has been in the industry for a long time. Her age is undisclosed, but her wisdom shines through. She is so kind and I immediately felt connected with her, as she told me her stories. She is one who has forged her own path through creating her own studio from the beginning. She was a musician in her own right (seems to be a common theme for the women I have met), and started recording early on in her life.
Cookie runs an analog studio, though she can use digital formats. She loves the sound of vintage analog gear and has clients who seek her out because of this. Her craft seems very organic to her, and through her stories I can tell that she was unafraid to ask the questions that needed to be asked to get the answers that she needed along the way.
She is perhaps as emotional as I am, tearing up a little on one question. It was truly beautiful, like she is, but it did make me feel a little bit like the audio industry's Barbara Walters. Perhaps I dig too deeply with these women, but I do want to figure out what makes them tick - what drove them to enter this business, and then what motivates them to stay.
Like most of the others, it is obvious to me that this chosen field wasn't easily won for Cookie, though she also has legendary status amongst her peers. She is a very positive, open, accepting soul who opens her studio to many different interns who wish to learn how to work in/operate a studio. Cookie also teaches them how to run a business, how to market, how to welcome and accommodate clients, how to navigate the business, and how to be a professional. These are skills that I would hope get taught to all interns who are trying to enter the field, but unfortunately it is truly rare.
I could have talked to Cookie all day; she was so full of fascinating insight! But alas, she had a 2pm downbeat, as goes this way of life.
For more info on Cookie, see www.otrstudios.com or www.cookiemarenco.com, or read the book, baby!
Cookie is another woman who has been in the industry for a long time. Her age is undisclosed, but her wisdom shines through. She is so kind and I immediately felt connected with her, as she told me her stories. She is one who has forged her own path through creating her own studio from the beginning. She was a musician in her own right (seems to be a common theme for the women I have met), and started recording early on in her life.
Cookie runs an analog studio, though she can use digital formats. She loves the sound of vintage analog gear and has clients who seek her out because of this. Her craft seems very organic to her, and through her stories I can tell that she was unafraid to ask the questions that needed to be asked to get the answers that she needed along the way.
She is perhaps as emotional as I am, tearing up a little on one question. It was truly beautiful, like she is, but it did make me feel a little bit like the audio industry's Barbara Walters. Perhaps I dig too deeply with these women, but I do want to figure out what makes them tick - what drove them to enter this business, and then what motivates them to stay.
Like most of the others, it is obvious to me that this chosen field wasn't easily won for Cookie, though she also has legendary status amongst her peers. She is a very positive, open, accepting soul who opens her studio to many different interns who wish to learn how to work in/operate a studio. Cookie also teaches them how to run a business, how to market, how to welcome and accommodate clients, how to navigate the business, and how to be a professional. These are skills that I would hope get taught to all interns who are trying to enter the field, but unfortunately it is truly rare.
I could have talked to Cookie all day; she was so full of fascinating insight! But alas, she had a 2pm downbeat, as goes this way of life.
For more info on Cookie, see www.otrstudios.com or www.cookiemarenco.com, or read the book, baby!
Leslie Ann Jones
I met up with Leslie Ann Jones at her workplace, Skywalker Ranch, at 1pm on June 24, 2008. The drive to this Marin County location (right outside of San Francisco) was extremely picturesque. I tried to take a picture or two, but almost ran into a horse and a vineyard, so I put the camera away.
I purposely didn't fully research the women I was interviewing as I didn't want to be thinking of their fame and legendary status while interviewing them. To be sure, I had no idea what stars these women are, as I didn't want to run the risk of being all starstruck and geeky in their presence. Leslie Ann, however, had a reputation that preceeded her. I didn't look up her resume or credits, nor did I even know anything about the place where she works. I just wanted to meet her and ask her about her career as a female in the industry.
However, when I would mention her name (her name comes up a lot in the industry) or where I was going, the reactions I got from local colleagues were quite hilarious. Some pleaded for me to pack them in my suitcase, others had slack jaws and wide eyes. No matter. I didn't want to know any more.
To be honest, I would have met this woman in the grittiest bar in the most dangerous area of town. It doesn't matter to me where she works - to me she is the holy grail because she was one of the first women to succeed in this business. And I KNEW that she must have some stories to tell.
Leslie Ann was friendly and open about her life. It was obvious to me that she was used to being interviewed (a lot of these women are!), but she still had patience with little old me. She told me of her history of getting into the field, of how she didn't really know of any other females until she worked at Automatt. She also told me of how she was chosen to be on certain sessions BECAUSE she was female. She truly gave me a balanced look at all the difficulties and all the benefits a female encounters in this business.
Leslie Ann is looked to as a major role model for many women, young and old. In the course of my research, I have found that a lot of women find success by creating their own studio/business, much like I did. It is oftentimes a lot harder to go the route that Leslie Ann did - entering into a traditional commercial studio setting. But she somehow has forged a career where she works hard, commands respect through her gentle, humorous, professional demeanor, and then gets to have adequate free time too.
I really admire her, not for what she has done or where she works, but for who she is. She seems so grounded, so happy. Certainly she holds the secret to a well-balanced life, and I hope that we can all learn from her story.
I purposely didn't fully research the women I was interviewing as I didn't want to be thinking of their fame and legendary status while interviewing them. To be sure, I had no idea what stars these women are, as I didn't want to run the risk of being all starstruck and geeky in their presence. Leslie Ann, however, had a reputation that preceeded her. I didn't look up her resume or credits, nor did I even know anything about the place where she works. I just wanted to meet her and ask her about her career as a female in the industry.
However, when I would mention her name (her name comes up a lot in the industry) or where I was going, the reactions I got from local colleagues were quite hilarious. Some pleaded for me to pack them in my suitcase, others had slack jaws and wide eyes. No matter. I didn't want to know any more.
To be honest, I would have met this woman in the grittiest bar in the most dangerous area of town. It doesn't matter to me where she works - to me she is the holy grail because she was one of the first women to succeed in this business. And I KNEW that she must have some stories to tell.
Leslie Ann was friendly and open about her life. It was obvious to me that she was used to being interviewed (a lot of these women are!), but she still had patience with little old me. She told me of her history of getting into the field, of how she didn't really know of any other females until she worked at Automatt. She also told me of how she was chosen to be on certain sessions BECAUSE she was female. She truly gave me a balanced look at all the difficulties and all the benefits a female encounters in this business.
Leslie Ann is looked to as a major role model for many women, young and old. In the course of my research, I have found that a lot of women find success by creating their own studio/business, much like I did. It is oftentimes a lot harder to go the route that Leslie Ann did - entering into a traditional commercial studio setting. But she somehow has forged a career where she works hard, commands respect through her gentle, humorous, professional demeanor, and then gets to have adequate free time too.
I really admire her, not for what she has done or where she works, but for who she is. She seems so grounded, so happy. Certainly she holds the secret to a well-balanced life, and I hope that we can all learn from her story.
Terri Winston
I met up with Terri Winston at the official headquarters of Women's Audio Mission in San Francisco on June 24, 2008 at 10:15am.
She didn't have a lot of time to spare - this woman is busier than any I have met! First, she is the Founder and Executive Director for Women's Audio Mission, a nonprofit that helps shepherd women into the field by paying special attention to their specific learning needs. For more info on WAM, visit the website: www.womensaudiomission.org - if you are a female in the industry, you will find a welcoming online community here. While I was there interviewing Terri, the space was under construction, as a full-blown studio space was in the process of install.
In addition to WAM, Terri also is a tenure-track full time instructor in the Broadcast Electronic Media Arts Department at City College of San Francisco. As an instructor, she has helped female enrollment at her school's department climb to over 50% at times! She also has noticed the difference between how female students and male students learn the subject. In her observation (and my own, as an audio instructor myself), men dive into audio with confidence and are eager to answer and ask questions. Females are rarely this way, oftentimes more timid in the classroom. Enter Women's Audio Mission, which aims to provide women with a safe and nonjudgemental place where they can ask questions and further master their craft.
Terri has had her hand in most areas of the music business and has a very positive and realistic outlook on life as a female in the industry. She has a wealth of knowledge about audio recording, as she comes from an Electrical Engineering background and merged this knowledge with her musical knowledge to forge her own path.
Talking to Terri, it was obvious that she is out to change the face of the audio industry, and if I can help in any way, I will! Her mission is pure; she is not a male-dogging feminist. She and most of the females I have encountered on this journey are quite the opposite - women who want to be there with men, not instead of men. Women who want to be equal in respect and responsibility, not as an exception, but as a norm.
Terri seems to have a life that is crafted to try to educate young girls and women about the audio field from a very technical viewpoint, in order to instill confidence in the event that said females want to pursue this career path. For more about Terri, you can join Women's Audio Mission, enroll at CCSF, or read the book.
She didn't have a lot of time to spare - this woman is busier than any I have met! First, she is the Founder and Executive Director for Women's Audio Mission, a nonprofit that helps shepherd women into the field by paying special attention to their specific learning needs. For more info on WAM, visit the website: www.womensaudiomission.org - if you are a female in the industry, you will find a welcoming online community here. While I was there interviewing Terri, the space was under construction, as a full-blown studio space was in the process of install.
In addition to WAM, Terri also is a tenure-track full time instructor in the Broadcast Electronic Media Arts Department at City College of San Francisco. As an instructor, she has helped female enrollment at her school's department climb to over 50% at times! She also has noticed the difference between how female students and male students learn the subject. In her observation (and my own, as an audio instructor myself), men dive into audio with confidence and are eager to answer and ask questions. Females are rarely this way, oftentimes more timid in the classroom. Enter Women's Audio Mission, which aims to provide women with a safe and nonjudgemental place where they can ask questions and further master their craft.
Terri has had her hand in most areas of the music business and has a very positive and realistic outlook on life as a female in the industry. She has a wealth of knowledge about audio recording, as she comes from an Electrical Engineering background and merged this knowledge with her musical knowledge to forge her own path.
Talking to Terri, it was obvious that she is out to change the face of the audio industry, and if I can help in any way, I will! Her mission is pure; she is not a male-dogging feminist. She and most of the females I have encountered on this journey are quite the opposite - women who want to be there with men, not instead of men. Women who want to be equal in respect and responsibility, not as an exception, but as a norm.
Terri seems to have a life that is crafted to try to educate young girls and women about the audio field from a very technical viewpoint, in order to instill confidence in the event that said females want to pursue this career path. For more about Terri, you can join Women's Audio Mission, enroll at CCSF, or read the book.
Lolly Lewis
I met up with Lolly Lewis on June 23, 2008 at 2:30pm in San Francisco. We met at The Dolphin Club at Aquatic Park, in the Fisherman's Wharf area. Lolly regularly swims in the bay, no matter the temperature. I passed on swimming in the bay that day myself, as the outside temperature was around 60 degrees and I was in heels. The water.....I don't even want to know. Plus, I had an interview to do. A very important one.
Lolly is so very warm and inviting and she has been in the business for a long time. She started recording when there were no other women in sight. She is in a very unique segment of the business, concentrating on live classical recordings. Now, I know from my own experience with live multitrack classical recording, this gig is stressful! There are no re-takes, and you get one shot to capture the concert well. I wouldn't wish this job on my worst enemy (as I do it myself and know what a nightmare it can be, what with barriers to sound such as babies and candy wrappers.....ugh, don't get me started!), but Lolly takes her job in stride.
She seems like a very peaceful and centered person. Perhaps it is the freezing water that she swims in every day? I never got her to tell me her secret to success, but one thing I found truly fascinating about her is that she never seemed to notice that her gender played a role, good or bad, in her career success. Yet, she does have the all-too-common stories of this person or that treating her in a disrespectful manner. But with a career as long as hers, to only have a few stories about being treated poorly is quite phenomenal.
My guess is that classical music and the environment surrounding it is more classy and supportive. I have experienced this myself. Never have I been called ma'am more than when recording classical music. I am surprised that more females haven't found their way into this field, stress aside. Lolly certainly seems to know her stuff. She is the go-to person for many different companys, and her story of how she got into it is quite natural.
To hear others in the industry speak of Lolly, it is obvious I was in the presence of greatness - a true pioneer and legend.
Lolly is so very warm and inviting and she has been in the business for a long time. She started recording when there were no other women in sight. She is in a very unique segment of the business, concentrating on live classical recordings. Now, I know from my own experience with live multitrack classical recording, this gig is stressful! There are no re-takes, and you get one shot to capture the concert well. I wouldn't wish this job on my worst enemy (as I do it myself and know what a nightmare it can be, what with barriers to sound such as babies and candy wrappers.....ugh, don't get me started!), but Lolly takes her job in stride.
She seems like a very peaceful and centered person. Perhaps it is the freezing water that she swims in every day? I never got her to tell me her secret to success, but one thing I found truly fascinating about her is that she never seemed to notice that her gender played a role, good or bad, in her career success. Yet, she does have the all-too-common stories of this person or that treating her in a disrespectful manner. But with a career as long as hers, to only have a few stories about being treated poorly is quite phenomenal.
My guess is that classical music and the environment surrounding it is more classy and supportive. I have experienced this myself. Never have I been called ma'am more than when recording classical music. I am surprised that more females haven't found their way into this field, stress aside. Lolly certainly seems to know her stuff. She is the go-to person for many different companys, and her story of how she got into it is quite natural.
To hear others in the industry speak of Lolly, it is obvious I was in the presence of greatness - a true pioneer and legend.
Dana Jae
I arrived in San Francisco to interview a hub of amazing women, and I interviewed Dana Jae on June 23, 2008 at 10am. Formerly known as Dana J. Labrecque, she has sinced changed her name formally to Dana Jae.
Dana picked me up in her white Jeep and we cruised over to a very hip little cafe/coffee shop in the Oakland/Berkeley area. I was staying in the Berkeley neighborhood and she lives in Oakland, so this little place was in the "East Bay" area. I didn't know what that meant until I asked my friend. She told me that I WAS in the East Bay. Oh.
So before meeting Dana I knew that we were going to have a blast, as she seemed to be energetic (as am I, normally) and we both attribute our source of energy to a coffee addiction. Fabulous. So we got our fix at this cafe, and it didn't take me long to realize that Dana was a celebrity at this place. She got her entire coffee drink AND a slice of broccoli quiche for free. That is rockstar power! Apparently she is known there, as she has run sound for them for a while.
Dana has taken the road less traveled for females, forging her way in the live sound category of the audio world. She records too, does sound for film, etc., but her main thing is getting a sweet live mix in whichever venue she finds herself. It was obvious through talking with her that she is no ordinary soundwoman. She takes her craft seriously and doesn't go on autopilot during a gig. She revels in adjusting for each space she finds herself in, each song that comes her way. Certainly she is a true professional who takes pride in her work.
In addition, Dana teaches at City College of San Francisco and encourages her students to come watch her while she is on the job, mentoring them while she works. She seems to really encourage the next generation to find jobs within the live sound field, and loves encouraging females into the industry. The live sound field seems to be the most scarce for female presence, at least through my own observation.
One of Dana's shortcomings (no pun) in the field is her height. At a height of 5'1'', she sometimes cannot reach the boards that she encounters regularly. She has found ways to compensate, and she gets asked to come back to places again and again. I have no doubt that she is one of the best in the business!
For more info on my interview with Dana, you know what to do......
Dana picked me up in her white Jeep and we cruised over to a very hip little cafe/coffee shop in the Oakland/Berkeley area. I was staying in the Berkeley neighborhood and she lives in Oakland, so this little place was in the "East Bay" area. I didn't know what that meant until I asked my friend. She told me that I WAS in the East Bay. Oh.
So before meeting Dana I knew that we were going to have a blast, as she seemed to be energetic (as am I, normally) and we both attribute our source of energy to a coffee addiction. Fabulous. So we got our fix at this cafe, and it didn't take me long to realize that Dana was a celebrity at this place. She got her entire coffee drink AND a slice of broccoli quiche for free. That is rockstar power! Apparently she is known there, as she has run sound for them for a while.
Dana has taken the road less traveled for females, forging her way in the live sound category of the audio world. She records too, does sound for film, etc., but her main thing is getting a sweet live mix in whichever venue she finds herself. It was obvious through talking with her that she is no ordinary soundwoman. She takes her craft seriously and doesn't go on autopilot during a gig. She revels in adjusting for each space she finds herself in, each song that comes her way. Certainly she is a true professional who takes pride in her work.
In addition, Dana teaches at City College of San Francisco and encourages her students to come watch her while she is on the job, mentoring them while she works. She seems to really encourage the next generation to find jobs within the live sound field, and loves encouraging females into the industry. The live sound field seems to be the most scarce for female presence, at least through my own observation.
One of Dana's shortcomings (no pun) in the field is her height. At a height of 5'1'', she sometimes cannot reach the boards that she encounters regularly. She has found ways to compensate, and she gets asked to come back to places again and again. I have no doubt that she is one of the best in the business!
For more info on my interview with Dana, you know what to do......
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Dusty Street
I flew into Cleveland, OH on June 18th, just for a little day trip to meet Dusty Street. What a trip it was!
Airport drama aside (nearly missing my plane trying to get home from Chicago to Nashville, nearly giving me a heart attack), the trip to meet Dusty was soooooo worth it. She is personality-plus and has such a bright, energetic quality to her voice (as a voice teacher I do appreciate such things....).
Dusty was an audio engineer back in the 60s in CA. She also has been a DJ for K-Rock in CA (a while ago) and various other stations along the way. Dusty can currently be heard as a DJ on Sirius Satellite Radio's Classic Vinyl station - live from The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Wednesdays-Sundays 10am-1pm. She also has a radio show on the internet called "The Fly Low Radio Show" found here: http://www.live365.com/stations/qskynetwork - which is classic through modern rock.
This woman is certainly one of a kind. I feel that the two of us were kindred spirits, mainly because she swears like a truck driver and I desperately try not to, but also because we are both completely obsessed with our cats.
Though Dusty left audio recording (she does do some on the side and showed me her vocal booth setup for radio, voiceovers and the like), she experienced her time within the field in a very unique way - how she got into it is unlike any other story I have heard thus far. She ran all her own technical audio broadcasting equipment in a time where no other woman was doing so. She broke some glass ceilings along the way, though she never intended to - she just didn't seem to notice they were there.
She can be found on www.dustystreet.net - or read the book for more info on Dusty's experiences in the audio field back in the day.
Airport drama aside (nearly missing my plane trying to get home from Chicago to Nashville, nearly giving me a heart attack), the trip to meet Dusty was soooooo worth it. She is personality-plus and has such a bright, energetic quality to her voice (as a voice teacher I do appreciate such things....).
Dusty was an audio engineer back in the 60s in CA. She also has been a DJ for K-Rock in CA (a while ago) and various other stations along the way. Dusty can currently be heard as a DJ on Sirius Satellite Radio's Classic Vinyl station - live from The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Wednesdays-Sundays 10am-1pm. She also has a radio show on the internet called "The Fly Low Radio Show" found here: http://www.live365.com/stations/qskynetwork - which is classic through modern rock.
This woman is certainly one of a kind. I feel that the two of us were kindred spirits, mainly because she swears like a truck driver and I desperately try not to, but also because we are both completely obsessed with our cats.
Though Dusty left audio recording (she does do some on the side and showed me her vocal booth setup for radio, voiceovers and the like), she experienced her time within the field in a very unique way - how she got into it is unlike any other story I have heard thus far. She ran all her own technical audio broadcasting equipment in a time where no other woman was doing so. She broke some glass ceilings along the way, though she never intended to - she just didn't seem to notice they were there.
She can be found on www.dustystreet.net - or read the book for more info on Dusty's experiences in the audio field back in the day.
Cosette Collier
I interviewed Cosette Collier on 5/30/08 at 1pm down at MTSU's Mass Communications building. Upon arrival, I realized I had left my recording device somewhere (how ironic is THAT!) and was without a device. Well, quick like a bunny, Cosette and I realized that we WERE at a college....in the audio department.....with equipment.... so we recorded it courtesy of MTSU's chic equipment stash.
Cosette was a bit of a mystery to me before meeting her on this day. She has been working at MTSU with my husband for the last 2.5 years (well, she has been there longer, but that is when MTSU came into my and my husband's vision), and they taught for the same department (Recording Industry Major - RIM). I had met her once before, but admittedly had had too much beer at that particular AES event (any of you remember it - it was the one across from Yazoo Brewery..... several kegs of free beer.....what can I say), and even met her husband and she seemed so fun - totally a gal I would hang out with if given the choice, and then never really saw her again.
So my reason for meeting up for an interview was partially that I thought she was mysterious and cool already, and part that she has fascinated me as a gal who got into mastering within the field of audio recording. I admittedly do not know how to master a record - really professionally master it with the big old equipment and all - not to save my life. I can fake it really well with software, but it just......isn't........the.......same.
Cosette was fun to interview - she is mainly employed through MTSU (full time, tenured professor that she is) but does side recordings as well. She was honest about her strengths and weaknesses within the industry (we all have 'em!) and has made such great strides (and even shattered a glass ceiling or two along the way) in her career.
She also can be found at nashvillemusicpros.com - or at MTSU if you enroll in their audio program.
For more info on Cosette's interview, read the book.
Cosette was a bit of a mystery to me before meeting her on this day. She has been working at MTSU with my husband for the last 2.5 years (well, she has been there longer, but that is when MTSU came into my and my husband's vision), and they taught for the same department (Recording Industry Major - RIM). I had met her once before, but admittedly had had too much beer at that particular AES event (any of you remember it - it was the one across from Yazoo Brewery..... several kegs of free beer.....what can I say), and even met her husband and she seemed so fun - totally a gal I would hang out with if given the choice, and then never really saw her again.
So my reason for meeting up for an interview was partially that I thought she was mysterious and cool already, and part that she has fascinated me as a gal who got into mastering within the field of audio recording. I admittedly do not know how to master a record - really professionally master it with the big old equipment and all - not to save my life. I can fake it really well with software, but it just......isn't........the.......same.
Cosette was fun to interview - she is mainly employed through MTSU (full time, tenured professor that she is) but does side recordings as well. She was honest about her strengths and weaknesses within the industry (we all have 'em!) and has made such great strides (and even shattered a glass ceiling or two along the way) in her career.
She also can be found at nashvillemusicpros.com - or at MTSU if you enroll in their audio program.
For more info on Cosette's interview, read the book.
Jonell Polansky
I interviewed Jonell Polansky on May 28th, 2008 at noon. I drove out to see her studio (DaCapo Music) in Nashville - her setup is unconventional, vast and highly functional - very cool lady.
Jonell came from an electrical engineering background, so to say she has the technical side of audio recording down would be an understatement. She is clearly intelligent which was made evident the minute I was lead inside. In fact, speaking with her about the technical side of engineering made me feel like I needed more schooling! It was hard to keep up with this firecracker of a woman - she has so much energy and is so cerebral, I wondered if I had left my brain at the door. : P
She also plays guitar and is a pioneer in the field - entering it from the technical side and merging it with her musical side. She moonlights as an inventor and has so many fascinating ideas (some applicable to audio functions) - none of which she fully shared (patent pending), which I understood entirely. Plus, that wasn't the reason for the visit.
No, really, she knows her stuff and is a very fascinating woman who is also on nashvillemusicpros.com - she is kind and inviting and seems to really know how to navigate the men in the business - in her own way. For more info, you are gonna hafta read the book. And no, I won't use "gonna" or "hafta" in the book, I promise.
Jonell came from an electrical engineering background, so to say she has the technical side of audio recording down would be an understatement. She is clearly intelligent which was made evident the minute I was lead inside. In fact, speaking with her about the technical side of engineering made me feel like I needed more schooling! It was hard to keep up with this firecracker of a woman - she has so much energy and is so cerebral, I wondered if I had left my brain at the door. : P
She also plays guitar and is a pioneer in the field - entering it from the technical side and merging it with her musical side. She moonlights as an inventor and has so many fascinating ideas (some applicable to audio functions) - none of which she fully shared (patent pending), which I understood entirely. Plus, that wasn't the reason for the visit.
No, really, she knows her stuff and is a very fascinating woman who is also on nashvillemusicpros.com - she is kind and inviting and seems to really know how to navigate the men in the business - in her own way. For more info, you are gonna hafta read the book. And no, I won't use "gonna" or "hafta" in the book, I promise.
Angel Pontier: The First Interview
My first interview was conducted on 5/19/08 at 6pm. I could have been there all night long, as she was so fascinating and easy to speak with.
Angel is a local artist/recording engineer (local meaning Nashville.....though she is even MORE local to me, being in East Nashville). I got to meet her husband and see her awesome personal studio. No, her husband is not in the business - he does something entirely unrelated. Her company is called Eastside Sound.
Angel is a classical guitar player too. She was so very fun to get to know, and I left with a hug from her, feeling like we had been friends for a long time. Will this happen with all the interviewees?
Angel was warm and forthcoming with her experiences as a female recording engineer. She is indeed a "pioneer" as I am fond of calling women who have been in the business for a while. She has forged her way on her own, built a studio out on her own, to her specs, and operates her studio when and how she wants. She comes from a classical background and records a lot of classical-based music/acoustic music, so she has very little hearing loss, which is remarkable in this business.
Angel also has a side job (like me!)- how DOES she fit it all in?
To read more about Angel, you will have to read the book.
She is also available to be connected with via nashvillemusicpros.com - but this site is only for local Nashvillians - you westies and easties can't sneak in on this one! : P
Angel is a local artist/recording engineer (local meaning Nashville.....though she is even MORE local to me, being in East Nashville). I got to meet her husband and see her awesome personal studio. No, her husband is not in the business - he does something entirely unrelated. Her company is called Eastside Sound.
Angel is a classical guitar player too. She was so very fun to get to know, and I left with a hug from her, feeling like we had been friends for a long time. Will this happen with all the interviewees?
Angel was warm and forthcoming with her experiences as a female recording engineer. She is indeed a "pioneer" as I am fond of calling women who have been in the business for a while. She has forged her way on her own, built a studio out on her own, to her specs, and operates her studio when and how she wants. She comes from a classical background and records a lot of classical-based music/acoustic music, so she has very little hearing loss, which is remarkable in this business.
Angel also has a side job (like me!)- how DOES she fit it all in?
To read more about Angel, you will have to read the book.
She is also available to be connected with via nashvillemusicpros.com - but this site is only for local Nashvillians - you westies and easties can't sneak in on this one! : P
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