Great Records

Several years ago I was co-producing a worship project in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The bass player and engineer on the project is a fine singer, writer, player and producer. From time to time, when the hay gets low in the loft, he, like the rest of us hustlers, produces budget projects for "non-professionals". One such group had just finished a marathon, all-niter recording session with my friend reluctantly at the helm. As he was finishing up, writing the last few notes on the tape box with a Sharpie, a group member was scratching his head, looking bum-fuzzled, searching around the recording console as if he were trying to find his missing keys. My friend asked the guy what was the matter. The man, still looking quite puzzled, looked into my friend's tired, blood-shot eyes and asked with a slow, country drawl, "Where duz da recuds come out?" He thought, when the session was done, the 45's popped out of the side of the mixing board like candy from a vending machine .

Sadly, most people don't have a clue as to how "recuds" (records) are made. Since I and countless others make a living in Nashville, Music City, it is the obvious place to come, while on the eastern side of the US, to make a recording. Everything one needs to accomplish that goal is pretty much here- en masse. Though, just because one has the money, the dream, the time, the guts and a strong defense against rejection, it doesn't mean they will come away with a great record. Great records are few and far between and it doesn't take a genius to know one when he hears one.

In my office, on each wall to my left and right, are LP covers mounted in shadow boxes bearing the artwork and photos of the albums and artists I adored and listened to growing up. When folks come over many of them ask, "Did you play on those records?" First of all...I am not that old. And second, I WISH! To me, these 10 or so record covers represent the finest moments in my life when I would carefully place the vinyl on a turntable, then study the liner notes and pictures as the music coaxed me into another world. The scratching of the needle against the final grooves broke my trance and reminded me to turn the disc to the other side. My favorite moments on those albums all had the same thing in common and contained the ultimate triumvirate: 1) great songs; 2) great performances and 3) a supernatural, other-worldly, brilliant moment that is captured in a fine recording.

The "fine recording" doesn't always mean pristine. It just means that the full potential of the recorded material is all there-- hiss, crackles and all! When I listen to the Carter Family's 1927 recordings, they are masterpieces but sound ancient to our digitally-trained ears. A.P. Carter's song selection and harmony, Sara's lead vocal, and Maybelle's unique guitar picking and harmony all add up to a spectacular, albeit earthy record. Elvis produced great records at Sun in Memphis and in Nashville at RCA, Studio B. A modern recording that, to my taste, is one of the finest: I Can't Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt. (I have seen numerous lists where this recording is mentioned as an all time favorite). The song captures a longing and a sadness with which everyone can relate...what a vocal, what a song! A great record came out a few years ago and I was surprised to see it basically fall from the charts and go almost unnoticed. It was a 2002, Bob Rock produced CD from the group, Tonic, called Head on Straight. The songs were great, the playing was great, the recording, vibe...the total sum was "masterpiece". Sometimes great art goes unnoticed. It's intrinsic value isn't measured by economics but by it's ability to remain standing after the junk-food music eventually and deservingly fades into obscurity.

Great records are everywhere. George Jones, James Taylor, ZZ Top, The Beach Boys, John Coltrane...they all made a few in their careers. The cool thing is, they are more accessible today than ever through Amazon, Amazon MP3, iTunes, etc. I still love to browse through used record stores for the "great find". Where duz da recuds come out? Well, they come out of lessons learned, broken hearts, joyous highs and melancholy, blue gazes through rain-streamed windows. Great records break into our souls with a flashlight and expose the truth of what we feel as humans. Great records take us to other places and times. Great records just are!