Ardent Studios, founded by John Fry, is celebrating 40 years as a center of unforgettable music emanating from the heart of Memphis, Tennessee

Story by David Goggin

Photos by Steve Roberts

The studio began its rich history with early classics by Sam & Dave, Led Zeppelin, Isaac Hayes, Leon Russell and The Staples Singers, then scored hits in the 70s, 80s and 90s with such artists as James Taylor, ZZ Top, REM, George Thorogood, The Allman Brothers, Bob Dylan, and Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan. The legacy continues in the new millenium with hits recorded by The White Stripes, 3 Doors Down, Cat Power, North Mississippi Allstars, The Raconteurs, and award-winning music for such films as Hustle and Flow. To date, Ardent has amassed over 70 Gold and Platinum albums and singles.

The Ardent story began when the teenage John Fry built a studio in his family's garage, where he recorded his first Ardent Records 45s. "In 1966, I was done with school and my family sold our house," he recalled. "I felt it was time to make a career commitment to recording music." He found a new store building on Memphis' National Street, which he shared with a bookshop. The original equipment came from the garage operation: Altec tube console, Ampex 2-track, Pultec EQ and Neumann mics--some of which are still in use today. The legendary Tom Dowd was consulting with Auditronics on an early multitrack console for nearby Stax Records, and Fry ordered the same input modules for his second board. Next came a Scully 4-track, the first EMT plate reverbs in the area, and the beginnings of a world-class collection of gear.

From left: Engineer Jay Healy, Bill Berry, Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Producer Scott Litt, Assistant Engineer Tom Luane (kneeling).

R.E.M., who recorded their first platinum album Green here at Ardent, were chosen for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this month, alongside Van Halen, Patti Smith, The Ronettes, and Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. The five inductees were chosen from nine finalists by a group of 600 industry experts. They will be honored on March 12 of this year at New York's Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Our congratulations go out to Michael Stipe, Mike Mills, Peter Buck and Bill Berry.

Studio Manager Jody Stephens with William Bell and Wayne Jackson at the Stax 50th Anniversary press conference.

Studio Manager Jody Stephens (far left) gathers with the Stax community at the Stax 50th Anniversary press conference. Gathered here are: (back row) Floyd Newman, Bettye Crutcher, Doris Fredrick, William Bell, John Gary Williams (Mad Lad), Isaac Hayes, Al Bell, David Porter, Steve Cropper, Wayne Jackson, Eddie Floyd, (front row) Jody Stephens, Norman West of The Soul Children, Curtis Johnson of The Astors, Sam Jones of The Astors, Sir Mack Rice, Mabel John, Larry Dodson, Queen Ann Hines, Marvell Thomas, Boo Mitchell.

Stax Music had an eventful week with a fundraiser, performance (featuring Stax players Mack Rice, Eddie Floyd and William Bell) and press conference, all in recognition of it's 50th anniversary. Aside from the all-star cast gathered in the picture above, journalists from all over Europe were in attendance at the press conference as well. Our congratulations go out to all members of the Stax Community.

This is a video of Rabbi Micah Greenstein talking about his shofars (among other things) in Studio A of Ardent Studios.

Alec Palao has produced what is likely to become the definitive portrait of the '60s Bay Area rock scene. Chronicle photo by Paul Chinn

via SFGate.com

In many ways, Alec Palao is the least likely character to wind up the chronicler of the San Francisco rock scene that he has become.

He was 4 years old during the Summer of Love. He grew up in North London and was a first-generation punk rocker. He says he has never taken any drugs, not so much as smoked a joint. And he was never, ever a hippie.

On the other hand, Palao thinks he might be even more qualified than someone who lived through the era in San Francisco.

"I wasn't there," he says from his El Cerrito home, "so I don't have any nostalgia or personal connection. I don't care that Janis was queen and Frumious Bandersnatch was fifth on the bill."

In any case, Palao has produced what is likely to become the definitive portrait of the '60s Bay Area rock scene: a four-CD boxed set, "Love Is the Song We Sing: San Francisco Nuggets 1965-1970," accompanying a 120-page coffee-table book filled with previously unseen photographs and memorabilia, most drawn from Palao's collection. Palao also wrote the extensive text, essentially his version of the history of San Francisco music. The set will be released Sept. 18 on Rhino ($64.98).

Grammy-winning graphic designers Hugh Brown and Steve Vance made the package more book than record album, with the CDs tucked in the rear flap almost incidentally. The volume is a triumph of scholarship, a culmination of the work Palao began when he moved to the Bay Area in 1988 to become a part of the San Francisco music scene.

THE MEMPHIS COMMERCIAL APPEAL
September 17, 1967

"On The Record"
by James Cortese

SINGLE DISK ADDS UP TO HOURS

"People would be surprised at the hours that go into a two-and-a-half minute record."

The studio was "torn up" most of the past week, but before the work began Sam the Sham came in to cut a single from New York using Memphis musicians.

This article was taken from this forum

Users noted how much $14,000 was in those days:

Via Freep:

At 65, music icon Isaac Hayes has done it all and then some. In the '60s, he was one of the chief architects of the Memphis soul sound, writing and playing on countless tracks for the Stax-Volt label. His own solo career includes such best-selling albums as "Hot Buttered Soul," "Black Moses" and the 1971 Oscar-winning score for the film "Shaft." Hayes' multihyphenated career also includes much work as a humanitarian, actor, literacy advocate and Scientologist. Then, of course, there's his unforgettable stint as the voice of Chef McElroy on Comedy Central's "South Park." He quit "South Park" in '06 because he didn't like the cartoon show's completely irreverent attitude toward religion, including his own. The upcoming film "Soul Men" will feature Hayes back on the big screen. He'll play himself in a music comedy that will also star Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac.

As part of Shangri-La's Memphis Pops music festival, the Memphis Music Foundation is hosting an interview of Terry Manning, a legendary producer who has engineered albums for such artists as Joe Cocker, WattStax, Alex Chilton, James Taylor, Led Zeppelin, ZZ Top, George Thorogood and The Destroyers, Joe Walsh, Johnny Winter, Lenny Kravitz, Crash Test Dummies, Bryan Adams, and Widespread Panic. Mr. Manning currently lives in the Bahamas and operates the famous Compass Point Studios. The interview is open to the public, and Mr. Manning will be taking questions from the audience. Come for a rare chance to meet an influential member of Memphis music history!