Crystal Armentrout

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.