Tag Archives: Ardent Studios

The Afghan Whigs: Gentlemen

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On October 5, 1993, “Elektra” label released “Gentlemen”, the fourth Afghan Whigs (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1993, at “Ardent Studios” in Memphis, and was poroduced by Greg Dulli.

Personnel:

  • Greg Dulli – vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Rick McCollum – lead guitar
  • John Curley – bass, engineer
  • Steve Earle – drums
  • Harold Chichester – piano, mellotron
  • Barb Hunter – cello
  • Marcy Mays – vocals
  • Jody Stephens – backing vocals 
  • Jeff Powell, John Hampton – engineer
  • Jeffrey Reed – engineer assistant
  • Billy Phelps – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Greg Dulli, except where noted.

  1. If I Were Going
  2. Gentlemen
  3. Be Sweet – Greg Dulli, Rick McCollum
  4. Debonair
  5. When We Two Parted – Greg Dulli, Rick McCollum
  6. Fountain and Fairfax
  7. What Jail Is Like
  8. My Curse
  9. Now You Know
  10. I Keep Coming Back – Leo Austell, Leo Graham
  11. Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer

An LP version of the album included a bonus 12″ vinyl limited edition containing 4 tracks recorded for a radio session (Goodier Session, BBC Radio 1):

  1. Rot – Marcy Mays, Sue Harshe, Carolyn O’Leary
  2. Fountain and Fairfax
  3. Keep Coming Back – Leo Austell, Leo Graham
  4. Tonight

Big Star: #1 Record

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On April 24, 1972, “Ardent” label released “#1 Record”, the debut Big Star studio album.  It was recorded May 1971 – February 1972, at “Ardent Studios” in Memphis, and was produced by John Fry.

Personnel:

  • Chris Bell – vocals, guitar
  • Alex Chilton – vocals, guitar
  • Andy Hummel – vocals, bass guitar
  • Jody Stephens – drums

Track listing:

All tracks by Chris Bell and Alex Chilton, except where noted.

  1. Feel
  2. The Ballad of El Goodo
  3. In the Street
  4. Thirteen
  5. Don’t Lie to Me
  6. The India Song – Andy Hummel
  7. When My Baby’s Beside Me
  8. My Life Is Right – Chris Bell, Tom Eubanks
  9. Give Me Another Chance
  10. Try Again
  11. Watch the Sunrise
  12. ST 100/6

The Staple Singers: Be Attidude: Respect Yoirself

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On February 14, 1972, “Stax” label released “Be Altitude: Respect Yourself”, the 19th Staple Singers (The) album. It was recorded 1971 – 1972, at “Muscle Shoals Sound Studios” in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, “Ardent Studios” in Memphis, Tennessee, and was produced by Al Bell.

Personnel:

  • Mavis Staples – vocals
  • Pops Staples – vocals
  • Cleotha Staples – harmony and backing vocals
  • Yvonne Staples – harmony and backing vocals

Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section

  • Jimmy Johnson – guitar
  • David Hood – bass guitar
  • Barry Beckett – keyboards, Wurlitzer electric piano
  • Roger Hawkins – drums
  • Staple Sisters – harmony and backing vocals
  • Terry Manning – guitar, lead guitar, fuzz guitar, Mellotron, Moog synthesizer, vibraphones, marimba, harmonica
  • Eddie Hinton – guitar
  • Raymond Banks – guitar
  • The Memphis Horns (including Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love) – horns
  • Ben Cauley – horns
  • Al Bell – arrangements
  • Johnny Allen – arrangements
  • Terry Manning – engineer
  • Jerry Masters – engineer
  • Ralph Rhodes – engineer

Track listing:

  1. This World – William Friedman, Herb Schapiro
  2. Respect Yourself – Luther Ingram, Mack Rice
  3. Name the Missing Word – Horner Banks, Bettye Crutcher, Raymond Jackson
  4. I’ll Take You There – Alvertis Isbell
  5. This Old Town (People in This Town) – Don Convay, Wilson Pickett, William Stevenson
  6. We the People – Booker T. Jones, Carl Smith
  7. Are You Sure – Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson
  8. Who Do You Think You Are (Jesus Christ the Superstar)? – Pops Staples
  9. I’m Just Another Soldier – Homer Banks, Raymond Jackson
  10. Who – Jeff Barry, Bobby Bloom

16 Horsepower: Sackcloth ‘n’ Ashes

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On February 6, 1996, “A&M” label released “Sackcloth ‘n’ Ashes”, the debut 16 Horsepower studio album. It was recorded in 1995, at “Ardent Studios” in Memphis, Tennessee, and was produced by Warren Bruleigh.

Personnel:

  • David Eugene Edwards – vocals, banjo, guitar, bandoneon, lap steel guitar
  • Keven Soll – upright bass, flattop acoustic bass, cello, backing vocals
  • Jean-Yves Tola – drums, backing vocals
  • Gordon Gano – fiddle

Track listing:

  1. I Seen What I Saw
  2. Black Soul Choir
  3. Scrawled in Sap
  4. Horse Head
  5. Ruthie Lingle
  6. Harm’s Way
  7. Black Bush
  8. Heel on the Shovel
  9. American Wheeze
  10. Red Neck Reel
  11. Prison Shoe Romp
  12. Neck on the New Blade
  13. Strong Man

The Tragically Hip: Up To Here

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On September 5, 1989, “MCA” label released “Up to Here”, the debut Tragically Hip (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1989, at “Ardent Studios” in Memphis, Tennessee, and was produced by Don Smith. The album was certified Diamond status in Canada.

Personnel:

  • Gord Downie – vocals
  • Rob Baker – guitar
  • Gord Sinclair – vocals, bass
  • Paul Langlois – vocals, guitars
  • Johnny Fay – drums
  • Bruce Barris – engineer, mixing
  • Don Smith – engineer, mixing
  • Andy Udoff – engineer assistant
  • Jeff DeMorris – engineer assistant
  • Paul Eberson – engineer assistant
  • Stephen Marcussen – mastering
  • Jeanne Bradshaw – design
  • Michael Going – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Gord Downie, Rob Baker, Gord Sinclair, Paul Langlois and Johnny Fay.

  1. Blow at High Dough
  2. I’ll Believe in You (Or I’ll Be Leaving You Tonight)
  3. New Orleans Is Sinking
  4. 38 Years Old
  5. She Didn’t Know
  6. Boots or Hearts
  7. Everytime You Go
  8. When the Weight Comes Down
  9. Trickle Down
  10. Another Midnight
  11. Opiated

Steve Earle: The Hard Way

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On July 1, 1990, “MCA” label released “The Hard Way”, the fourth Steve Earle studio album. It was recorded in 1990, at “Sound Emporium” in Nashville, “Ardent Studios” in Memphis, Tennessee, and was produced by Joe Hardy and Steve Earle.

Personnel:

  • Steve Earle – lead vocal, acoustic and electric guitars, mandolin, Mandoblaster, 6-string bass, guitar synthesizer, percussion programme, harmonies

The Dukes

  • Bucky Baxter – Mullins pedal steel guitar
  • Ken Moore – organ, synthesizer, string arrangements
  • Dwayne “Zip” Gibson – vocals, electric guitars
  • Kelly Looney – vocals, bass
  • Craig Wright – drums
  • John Jarvis – piano
  • Lester Snell – organ, chorus director
  • Patrick Earle – percussion
  • Stacey Earle Mims – harmony
  • The Christ Missionary Baptist Church Choir – chorus
  • Amy Dotson, Billy Baker, Billy Steele, Chip Phillips, Chuck Allen, Craig Wright, Denis Colby, Doug Baker, Ian Earle, Justin Townes Earle, Katryna Haddrick, Kelly Looney, Ken Moore, Patrick Earle, Peter Keppler, Robyn Gibson, Scot Bonner, Stacey Earle Mims, Tommy McRae, Zip Gibson – backing vocals
  • Patricia Snell, Susan Jerome, William C. Brown III – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Steve Earle, except where noted.

  1. The Other Kind
  2. Promise You Anything – Steve Earle, Maria McKee, Patrick Sugg
  3. Esmeralda’s Hollywood – Steve Earle, Maria McKee
  4. Hopeless Romantics
  5. This Highway’s Mine (Roadmaster)
  6. Billy Austin
  7. Justice in Ontario
  8. Have Mercy
  9. When the People Find Out
  10. Country Girl
  11. Regular Guy
  12. West Nashville Boogie
  13. Close Your Eyes

Steve Earle: Copperhead Road

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On October 17, 1988, “Uni” label released “Copperhead Road”, the third Steve Earle studio album. It was recorded December 1987 – July 1988, at “Ardent Studios” in Memphis, Tennessee, “Livingston Studios” in London, and was produced by Tony Brown and Steve Earle.  

Personnel:

  • Steve Earle – vocals, guitars, harmonica, 6-string bass, mandolin
  • Donny Roberts – guitars, 6-string bass
  • Bill Lloyd – acoustic guitar, 12-string electric guitar
  • Bucky Baxter – pedal steel, lap steel, dobro
  • Phil Chevron – guitar, vocals
  • Neil MacColl – mandolin
  • Shane MacGowan – banjo, bodhran
  • Jem Finer – banjo
  • Sam Bush – mandolin
  • Jerry Douglas – dobro
  • Ken Moore – synthesizer, organ
  • John Barlow Jarvis – piano
  • James Fearnley – accordion
  • Kelley Looney – bass
  • Darryl Hunt – bass
  • Andrew Ranken – drums
  • Kurt Custer – drums
  • Terry Woods – cittern
  • Mark O’Connor – violin
  • Edgar Meyer – bass violin
  • Spider Stacy – tin whistle, vocals
  • John Cowan, Maria McKee, Radney Foster – backing vocals
  • Chris Birkett – drum programming
  • Gary Tallent – arrangements
  • The Pogues 
  • Telluride 
  • Joe Hardy – recording, mixing
  • Chris Birkett – recording
  • Simon Levy – art direction
  • Jeff Morris – design
  • June Beard – patch design

Track listing:

All tracks by Steve Earle, except where noted.

  1. Copperhead Road
  2. Snake Oil
  3. Back to the Wall
  4. The Devil’s Right Hand – arranged by Garry W. Tallent
  5. Johnny Come Lately
  6. Even When I’m Blue
  7. You Belong to Me
  8. Waiting on You – Steve Earle, Richard Bennett
  9. Once You Love – Steve Earle, Larry Crane
  10. Nothing but a Child

The Fabulous Thunderbirds: Hot Number

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On July 21, 1987, “CBS Associated” label released “Hot Number”, the sixth Fabulous Thunderbirds (The) album. It was recorded in 1987, at “Ardent Studios” in Memphis, Tennessee, and was produced by Dave Edmunds.

Personnel:

  • Kim Wilson – vocals, harmonica
  • Jimmie Vaughan – vocals, guitar, bass
  • Preston Hubbard – electric and acoustic bass
  • Fran Christina – vocals, drums
  • Dave Edmunds – vocals, guitar
  • Chuck Leavell – keyboards
  • Memphis Horns – horns

Track listing:

All tracks by Kim Wilson, except where noted.

  1. Stand Back
  2. Hot Number
  3. Wasted Tears
  4. It Comes to Me Naturally – Al Anderson
  5. Love in Common
  6. How Do You Spell Love? – Bobby Patterson, Jerry Strickland, Marshall Boxley
  7. Streets of Gold
  8. Sofa Circuit
  9. Don’t Bother Trying to Steal Her Love
  10. It Takes a Big Man to Cry

The Hooters: Out of Body

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On May 11, 1993, “MCA” label released “Out of Body”, the fifth Hooters (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1993, at “Ardent Studios” in Memphis, and was produced by Joe Hardy, Eric Bazilian and Rob Hyman.

Personnel:

  • Rob Hyman – lead vocals, piano, organ, synthesizer, Mellotron, accordion, percussion, hooter
  • Eric Bazilian – lead vocals, guitars, mandolin, bass guitar, sitar, hooter, saxophone, recorder, synthesizer, percussion
  • John Lilley – vocals, guitar
  • Fran Smith Jr. – vocals, bass guitar, tambourine
  • David Uosikkinen – drums, percussion
  • Mindy Jostyn – vocals, violin, guitar, harmonica, string arrangements
  • Cyndi Lauper: vocals
  • The Memphis Horns: Andrew Love – tenor saxophone, Wayne Jackson trumpet, trombone
  • Max Huls: violin
  • Linda Minke: cello

Track listing:

  1. Twenty-Five Hours a Day – Rob Hyman, Eric Bazilian, Jerry Lynn Williams
  2. Boys Will Be Boys – Rob Hyman, Eric Bazilian, Cyndi Lauper
  3. Shadow of Jesus – Eric Bazilian, Glenn Goss
  4. Great Big American Car – Rob Hyman, Eric Bazilian, Wendy Waldman
  5. Private Emotion – Rob Hyman, Eric Bazilian
  6. Driftin’ Away – Rob Hyman, Eric Bazilian
  7. Dancing on the Edge – Rob Hyman, Eric Bazilian, John Bettis
  8. All Around the Place – Rob Hyman, Eric Bazilian
  9. One Too Many Nights – Rob Hyman, Eric Bazilian
  10. Nobody But You – Rob Hyman, Eric Bazilian, Jerry Lynn Williams

ZZ Top: Tres Hombres

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ZZ_Top_-_Tres_Hombres

On July 26, 1973, “London” label released “Tres Hombres”, the third ZZ Top album. It was recorded in 1973, at “Brian Studios” and “Ardent Studios” in Memphis, Tennessee, and was produced by Bill Ham. In 2012, “Rolling Stone” magazine ranked the album at number 490 on its  list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Personnel:

  • Billy Gibbons – vocals, guitar
  • Dusty Hill- co-lead and backibg vocals, bass guitar
  • Frank Beard- drums, percussion
  • Robin Brian – engineer
  • Terry Manning- engineer
  • Bill Narum- design
  • Galen Scott – photography

Track listing:

  1. Waitin’ for the Bus – Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill
  2. Jesus Just Left Chicago – Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard
  3. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers – Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard
  4. Master of Sparks – Billy Gibbons
  5. Hot, Blue and Righteous – Billy Gibbons
  6. Move Me on Down the Line – Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill
  7. Precious and Grace – Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard
  8. La Grange – Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard
  9. Shiek – Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill
  10. Have You Heard? – Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill