A modern music studio with a retro touch has opened its doors in Dolores.
Back Stage Recording, located at 313 Railroad Ave., is the inspiration of three music professionals: Dean Acheson, Leo Herrera and Jimmy McClain.
Acheson has had a life-long career as a sound engineer, recording for the likes of Willie Nelson, Brad Paisley, The Dixie Chicks and countless other bands. Herrera plays drums for RockSlide, and McClain is an accomplished guitar player in the band.
The trio sees an opportunity for a friendly, professional recording studio to serve the Four Corners region and beyond.
"We've always been impressed with local talent, and we wanted to give musicians a chance to record quality CD's and demos," Herrera said. "Nobody is offering a commercial level recording studio. The character of Dolores with the river flowing through has great energy for music and creativity."
Back Stage has a spacious room for bands to record. A bank of elaborate sound boards, recording equipment, and computers are set up in a separate control room with a window to the performance studio.
Acheson uses a mix of modern digital and classic analog technology to create a warm, full sound in a laid back atmosphere.
"We use digital control of analog sound, and the result is a rich recording musicians will appreciate," he said. "We're not ostentatious; we're set up with the best hi-tech and the best analog."
Back Stage offers experienced session musicians to provide back up for bands or solo performers. Keyboards, microphones, and drum sets are set up for bands to use, and any type of music is welcome.
"We can take a rough cut of a CD, mix it, fine tune it with background harmonies, layer in other instruments, and get a real professional, quality sound," Acheson said.
They can produce full CDs and demos, and they will travel to location to record live shows.
"We're excited about showing musicians our capabilities here," Herrera said. "For new bands trying to get gigs, a quality demo tape is essential. We specialize in putting together 15-second tracks of each song onto a CD with nice sound and mixing. Hand that over to a club owner and it is convenient for them to sample a band's talent."
In addition to full studio production services, Back Stage also has connections to a wide network of musicians, as well as graphic artists to assist with a band's needs and CD cover designs. They are also able to do commercials for radio, record choirs or produce an oral recording of family histories set to a soundtrack.
For the first few months, Back Stage Recording is offering a half-price rate of $45 per hour.
"We invite the community to give us a shot. We think they will be impressed with our experience, our professional studio and our friendly attitude," Herrera said. "We want bands coming through the area to know about us as well."
Their studio services are by appointment only. Give them a call at 882-3122.
jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com