'If These Walls Could Sing': A Look Back at Capitol Studios On Its 60th Anniversary

Have any artists not been welcomed back?

I have a tendency to make friends and make do, so even for the ones [who] didn't leave a good taste in our mouth, it's forgiveness and COD.

When did the studio open up to non-Capitol artists?

Probably in the early '70s. That's when [Grammy Award-winning engineer] Al Schmitt came to work on independent projects. He has been here since 1972.

What was the most challenging session?

We had the orchestra for the Oscars here. They couldn't fit under the stage at the Dolby Theatre, so we ran an AT&T fiber-optic line to Capitol from a mile-and-a-half away. The producers put a production booth in Studio C with their own videos, and they brought in their own power so we'd have a generator in case anything happened. We did the orchestra live here [from 2013 to 2015] while all the singers were there. All the walk-on/walk-off music was live too.

So many professional studios have shuttered through the years. How do you keep Capitol competitive?

We stay on top of technology by [keeping up] with the highest resolution of Pro Tools; we're constantly upgrading Studio C. Vintage is a hot item too -- we maintained a lot of stuff over the years. We still have the Neumann brand U47 and U67 mics [from the early sessions] and the original podiums and mic stands that they used.

You have worked here a long time. Do any ghosts roam the studios?

The ghosts had enough of a career. They're resting now. It's all there in the walls. I [don't] say, "If our walls could talk," I say, "If our walls could sing."

This article was originally published in the May 28 issue of Billboard.