| Recording with Legends By Roy Vogt Bass Instructor, Belmont University |
Print This Lesson |
I was recently blessed with a call to do a new CD project with legendary singer BJ Thomas for a new label. We started the sessions at the end of April and will cut the final tracks in the middle of June. This project has reminded me of a lot of the ideas I've written about over the past 20 or so columns.
A lot of times when you hear of a player getting a Big Break it's common to wonder why that happened. In the case of this project, I've known and worked with the keyboardist/producer Michael Behymer since the early 80s when he was the Music Director at a Showroom just north of Nashville in Owensboro, Kentucky. Because there were so few reading bassists in Nashville back then, I got the call. We've established a friendship that goes back 25 years and through numerous recording projects (Michael produced the Cher sound-alike project I wrote about a few columns back as well).
 Left to Right: Tommy Wells, Kerry Marx (bottom) Steve Chandler, Tom Wild, Billy Joe Royal, Tony Joe White, BJ Thomas, Roy Vogt (top) |
The studio crew was Nashville stalwart Tommy Wells on drums (I hired him when I was producing my songwriter buddy a few columns back), Tom Wild from BJ's band and Kerry Marx from the Grand Old Opry staff band on guitars, and Michael on keyboards. The arrangements were everything from written out bass parts to Nashville Number charts. The engineer, Steven Chandler, I've worked with for over 25 years in studios from Mach One in Central City, Kentucky in the 80s to this current project at Hilltop in Nashville. I've known and worked with each of these players at least 20 years-what I've written about this being a business of relationships really holds true. I used my Modulus Quantum 6s (fretted and fretless) through an Eden Navigator preamp for my signal chain. Hilltop has a cue system where you can set your own mix (many studios these days have that luxury) so sometimes I would use the click and sometimes I would turn the click off and play off Tommy Wells (who has time like an atomic clock). I did cut one tune on Electric Upright Bass as well. We recut a lot of BJ's older hits, but also new tunes that ran the gamut from Standards to get down Rock and Roll. I think this was an "I've always wanted to do this song" sort of project. When the Artist is having fun, it's contagious. |
| On the second day of tracking, we cut Rainy Night in Georgia and the writer, Tony Joe White (Polk Salad Annie, yep, THAT guy!) came in and played guitar. Also Billy Joe Royal came in and we cut covers by the Temptations and the Righteous Brothers. These were all guys I listened to on KLIF AM in Dallas on my transistor radio when I was a kid, so this was a total thrill for me. At the same time, you can't approach anyone you're working with as a fan, you have to treat them as people that you're working for and with to create some great music. That way, everyone wins! BJ, by the way, is one of the nicest guys I've ever worked with (I'm not surprised since he's a fellow Texan <lol>). When a session project like this comes along it makes you glad you do what you do for a living. |  Tommy Wells, Steve Chandler, Tom Wild, Billy Joe Royal, Tony Joe White, BJ Thomas, Roy Vogt, Michael Behymer |
Peace and Low Notes,
Roy C. Vogt
Nashville Bassist
Bass Instructor, Belmont University, Nashville, TN
Print This Lesson | Return to Lesson Index
Roy's Bio | An Interview with Roy | Visit Belmont U. | Visit Roy's Website