Ardent Studios
FounderJohn Fry
Headquarters
Memphis, Tennessee, United States
DivisionsArdent Records/Ardent Music

Ardent Studios is an American recording studio located in Memphis, Tennessee, United States.

History

'60s recorder:
Scully 280 4tr
Later recorder:
Studer 827 24tr

Ardent Studios was founded by John Fry and was initially a studio in his family's garage, where he recorded his first 45s for the Ardent Records label. Equipment in the studio included an Altec tube mixing console, Ampex 2-track tape recorder, Pultec equalizer, and Neumann microphones. In 1966 the studios moved to a commercial location at 1457 National Street, which was shared with a bookshop. 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 mixing board. When the studio upgraded to a Scully 4-track tape recorder, Ardent became the first 4-track studio in Memphis.[1] It was also the first studio in the area to use EMT plate reverbs.

Ardent became home to young producers and engineers such as Jim Dickinson, Terry Manning, Joe Hardy, John Hampton, Paul Ebersold, and later Skidd Mills, Jeff Powell, Brad Blackwood, Pete Mathews, and Jason Latshaw. In 1971, Ardent Studios moved to its present location on Madison Avenue, upgrading its equipment with 24-track tape recorders, larger mixing consoles, and more gear.

Ardent came to have three studios equipped, all with large format Neve and SSL desks alongside Pro Tools rigs. It is managed by Jody Stephens (also the drummer for Big Star, an early Ardent group whose first two albums appeared on the Ardent Records label in the early 1970s). All three Big Star albums were named in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and “In The Street,” from their first album, became the theme for “That 70s Show.”

In its early years, Ardent Studio recorded Sam & Dave, Led Zeppelin, Isaac Hayes, Leon Russell, and the Staples Singers, and in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s recorded James Taylor, ZZ Top, R.E.M., George Thorogood, The Allman Brothers, Bob Dylan, Joe Walsh, and Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan. In the 2000s younger artists such as The White Stripes, 3 Doors Down, Cat Power, North Mississippi Allstars, The Raconteurs, Low Cut Connie, and Guy Sebastian recorded at Ardent, and the soundtracks for Hustle and Flow and Black Snake Moan were produced at Ardent as well.

Notable artists

Notable albums

References

  1. ↑ Rubel, Mark (April 2007). "Motown & Memphis - Terry Manning: From Stax to recording Bjork in the Ocean". Tape Op. Tape Op. Retrieved 12 September 2022.
  2. ↑ "Guy Sebastian's music". Gsinfo-soulfan.blogspot.com. Retrieved 13 February 2019.

35°8′15″N 89°59′40″W / 35.13750°N 89.99444°W / 35.13750; -89.99444

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