Jack Clement Recording Studios (1969–1979) Producer and songwriter "Cowboy"
Jack Clement built the studio in 1969 at 3102 Belmont Boulevard in Nashville with the help of
engineer Charlie Tallent, who had been working at
Owen Bradley's
Bradley's Barn studio. The 16-track studio (later referred to as Studio A) touted a 35x45 foot live room with 22 foot ceiling. Shortly after building the studio, Clement acquired a house on an adjacent lot and repurposed it into an additional studio (Studio B). One of the first projects recorded at the studio was the
Todd Rundgren-produced
self-titled album by the
Ian & Sylvia group
Great Speckled Bird. In February 1970, the studio gained notoriety when
Ray Stevens recorded the hit Grammy Award-winning song "
Everything Is Beautiful" there. Other artists recording at the studio in its early years included
Donna Fargo,
Merle Haggard, and
Don Williams. In 1974, Clement sold the studios to producer
Larry Butler and Al Mifflin.
Sound Emporium (1979–present) In 1979, Butler took over ownership and changed the name of the studios to Sound Emporium in May 1980. That year, more than 11% of the Hot Country Singles and 18% of the Hot Country LPs were recorded at the studio. The same year,
Roy Clark bought into the studio to become a co-owner. Butler utilized the studio to produce eight of
Kenny Rogers' studio albums between 1977 and 1980, as well as Rogers' duets with
Dottie West and West's successful solo albums of the late 1970s and early 1980s.
R.E.M. recorded their 1987 album,
Document at the studio.
Garth Fundis often worked at Sound Emporium in the 1980s, producing artists including
Don Williams,
Keith Whitley, and
New Grass Revival. By 1992, studio was fully owned by Clark, who sold it to Fundis that year. Fundis joined the two buildings and added a lobby and offices. Other artists recording at the studio in the 1990s included
Alan Jackson.
Josh Ritter,
Zac Brown Band,
Cyndi Lauper,
Chris Isaak,
Jason Isbell,
Cole Swindell,
Nefesh Mountain,
Jimmy Buffett,
St. Paul and The Broken Bones,
Pop Evil,
Little Big Town,
Kaleo,
Lake Street Dive,
Kesha, and
Cage the Elephant. In 2017, George Shinn gifted the studio to
Lipscomb University, which committed to preserving the history of the studio and allowing it to remain business as usual. ==References==