Famous Quad Studios to reopen in 2015 as Round Hill

November 25, 2014

Quad Studios, which became a preferred Nashville recording spot for artists such as Neil Young, Dobie Gray and Joan Baez, will receive an upgrade before opening next year as the headquarters for Round Hill Music.

The studio, at 1802 Grand Ave., will be refreshed so it can house Round Hill’s publishing operation in addition to the studio, which will be available for rental, a company spokeswoman said.

“I love the history of the building, and I’m so excited that we’re able to do some much-needed improvements,” Frederiksen said. “I’m looking forward to many more years of creating music here. It’s a really special place.”

Producer and legendary bassist Norbert Putnam, who founded Quad along with keyboardist and producer David Briggs, said he was pleased to hear the studio would remain. Nashville has seen a rash of commercial studios close lately in the Music Row area.

Quad, originally Quadrafonic Sound Studios, was put on the map when Baez’s massively successful 1971 album, “Blessed Are…,” was recorded there. The sheer number of legendary artists who recorded at Quad, particularly from genres other than country music, makes it impossible to produce a simple list. The studio counts Taylor Swift, Old Crow Medicine Show and Keith Urban among its clients.

The mere fact that Young’s “Harvest,” Dan Fogelberg’s “Home Free” and Gray’s “Drift Away” were recorded there makes Quad a sacred place for many music fans.

Shortly after Putnam and Briggs purchased the building, a young carpenter who had renovated the studio for its 1970 opening told them that he was a songwriter and asked if he could share his music.

“And I was thinking, he can’t be a good songwriter because he was a pretty good carpenter and how could be good at both?” Putnam said.

The songwriter turned out to be Troy Seals, who is now in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and Putnam and Briggs signed him to a deal the same day as his audition. They even put him in charge of their publishing business.

But Putnam focused his career primarily on producing records. It was a truly legendary career that began as a session player in Muscle Shoals, Ala. Putnam played on 120 Elvis Presley records and then produced artists such as Buffett and Fogelberg.

Putnam and Briggs sold Quad in 1980 at its peak popularity, which Putnam said got so hot he sometimes had trouble booking time in his own studio. (Sienna Studios bought Quad in April from Louis Gonzalez and Gerald G. Patterson, according to property records.)

“It caught us off guard — its popularity,” Putnam said. “David and I were top session guys. We never thought it would become one of the most profitable studios in Nashville. It became the oasis for pop rock.”

Round Hill Music is a private equity firm that focuses on buying iconic song catalogs, though the company also has been signing songwriters. Upon its arrival in Nashville in January, Round Hill announced the signing of Mississippi YouTube sensation Lindsey Lee. When Round Hill bought the Big Tractor catalog, it also added songwriters Wade Kirby and Rachel Proctor.

In October Round Hill announced the acquisition of the Root 49 music catalog and the addition of songwriter Danny Myrick. Round Hill Vice President Mark Brown said more songwriters are expected to be added to its roster. Round Hill also announced the acquisition of the Big Loud Shirt catalog earlier this month.

Famous Quad Studios to reopen in 2015 as Round Hill

Quad Studios, which became a preferred Nashville recording spot for artists such as Neil Young, Dobie Gray and Joan Baez, will receive an upgrade before opening next year as the headquarters for Round Hill Music.

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