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Matt Ross-Spang

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Matt Ross-Spang
Background information
Born (1987-01-14) January 14, 1987 (age 37)
Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Occupations
WebsiteOfficial website

Matt Ross-Spang is an American Grammy award winning record producer, engineer, and mixer. His credits include such artists as Jason Isbell, Margo Price, Al Green, John Prine and Elvis Presley.

Life and career

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Matt Ross-Spang, born in Memphis, Tennessee, began working at the Sun Studio when he was just 16, working his way from an intern to the Chief Engineer. Wanting to capture what made Sun Studio great, Ross-Spang championed hard to find, install, and use the same period equipment that Sam Phillips engineered with from the 1950s.[1] His 11 years of dedication to Sun, and its signature sound, garnered national attention when it was featured by Lester Holt on NBC's Nightly News[2] and The Today Show, as well as NPR's All Things Considered.[3]

In 2015, Ross-Spang left Sun Studio to venture out on his own as an engineer and producer. His first project post-Sun was to engineer and mix Jason Isbell's Something More Than Free for record producer Dave Cobb.[4] This record earned him his first Grammy Award.[5] The record broke several records debuting at #1 on the Country, Rock, Folk, and Indie Charts. It also broke Americana Radio chart records, staying #1 for over 25 weeks. The record won Grammys for Best Americana Album and Best Americana Song ("24 Frames").

Ross-Spang continued engineering for Dave Cobb on records by Mary Chapin Carpenter, Chris Isaak, The Rival Sons, Corb Lund, Lori McKenna, Brett Dennen and the album Southern Family.

Other recent releases include the latest Sheepdogs record, Future Nostalgia,[6] and the debut album by Margo Price. Price's album, entitled Midwest Farmer's Daughter, was recorded in 2014 at Sun Studio[7] and released on Third Man Records. Engineered, mixed and co-produced by Ross-Spang,[8] the record debuted this year in the top 10 Billboard country charts to critical acclaim.

In 2016, Ross-Spang was hired by Sony Records to mix 18 previously unreleased songs by Elvis Presley from his historic 1976 sessions from the Jungle Room at Graceland.[9]

Later that year, Ross-Spang mixed and engineered the Lori McKenna album, The Bird and the Rifle, which later went on to be nominated for a Grammy Award for Best American Roots Album and Best American Roots Song by the Recording Academy.

2017 has seen the release of Sean Rowe's new album, Lore, which Ross-Spang produced and engineered. American Songwriter magazine gave the record 4 out of 5 stars.[10]

In September 2018, Ross-Spang participated in Amazon Music's first 'Produced By' series, which asks producers to develop music exclusively for Amazon customers. His contributions include tracks from Al Green, Margo Price, John Prine, Erin Rae, and William Bell.[11]

Ross-Spang has been a regular collaborator with The Mountain Goats, engineering their album In League With Dragons (2019), and producing both Getting Into Knives (2019)[12] and Dark in Here (2021).[13]

In 2020, Ross-Spang's mid century modern home was featured in Memphis Magazine, "From the tile floors to the original light fixtures, the 1957 home is remarkably preserved."[14]

In 2021, Ross-Spang opened Southern Grooves, his 3,000-square-foot recording studio. The building process started in August 2020, with acousticians Steven Durr and Matt Schlachter. The studio occupies space, on the second floor of Crosstown Concourse. The studio consists of a live room, control room, a long hallway (for reverb) echo chamber, a lounge, office, tech shop and an EMT plate room.[15] "The undulating ceiling and lack of 90-degree angles or parallel surfaces in the live room reportedly give the impression that the space is a lot bigger than it is".[15] Memphis Business Journal quoted, "One of the most distinctive features of Southern Grooves is the small, closet-sized echo chamber. The walls are designed at odd angles, and they're heavily plastered".[16] “I knew I didn’t want acoustic tile,” Ross-Spang says, opting instead for the burlap-and-wood design favored by such iconic Memphis facilities as Stax Records and Ardent Studios. “I also knew I wanted an angled ceiling, because Sam Phillips did that at Sun and Phillips Recording. I’ve always loved that look and sound.” [17]

Awards and recognition

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Matt Ross-Spang worked as the engineer on The Fluffy Jackets' debut album Fighting Demons featuring producer/ guitarist Manny Charlton (Nazareth) and bassist Neil Murray (Whitesnake). The album won the Best Studio Album of the Year Award for 2014, voted by listeners of The Blues Hour show in UK and France.

One year later, Ross-Spang won a Grammy Award for Jason Isbell's "Something More Than Free in 2015.

The City of Memphis named him one of its "30 under 30" Memphians in 2015[18]

In 2016, Ross-Spang was awarded the Key to the City of Memphis.[19]

He was featured on the Working Class Audio podcast with Matt Boudreau.[20]

For their January/February 2017 issue, Tape Op magazine interviewed Ross-Spang about his past and the future of music production.[21]

At the 2017 Grammy Awards, Lori McKenna's The Bird & The Rifle (engineered and mixed by Ross-Spang) was nominated for Best American Roots Album, Best American Roots Performance, and Best American Roots Song.[22]

At the 2018 Grammy Awards, Ross-Spang received a Grammy for his work on Jason Isbell and the 400 unit's album, The Nashville Sound. The album received a Grammy Awards for Best Americana Album. Additionally, "If We Were Vampires" won the Grammy for Best American Roots Song.

At the 2018 UK Americana Awards, Emily Barker's album, Sweet Kind of Blue, was nominated for Best Album of the Year.[23]

At the 2019 Grammy Awards, John Prine's The Tree of Forgiveness (engineered by Ross-Spang) was nominated for Best Americana Album, Best American Roots Song,

At the 2020 Grammy Awards, Iron & Wine / Calexico received two nominations with their Ross-Spang produced album Years to Burn.[24] That same year, Don Bryant received a nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album forYou Make Me Feel, mixed by Ross-Spang.[25]

At the 2024 Grammy Awards, Ross-Spang had seven nominations, and earned two trophies during the ceremonies. He co-produced Blind Boys of Alabama's "Echoes of the South" which won in the Best Roots Gospel Album. Ross-Spang also co-engineered Jason Isbell’s “Weathervanes” LP, which won for Best Americana Album, while the track "Cast Iron Skillet" won for Best American Roots Song. [26]

Selected discography

[edit]
Year Album Artist Credits
2024 Psychopath Morgan Wade Mixing
2024 Dr. Dog Dr. Dog Mixing
2024 Soul Provider Elizabeth King Co-Write, Mixing, Guitar
2024 Peacemaker Vera Sola Mixing, Engineer
2024 The Hypos The Hypos Mixing
2024 Vanity Project Cyrena Wages Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2023 Echoes of the South Blind Boys of Alabama Co-Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2023 Jubilee Old Crow Medicine Show Co-Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2023 Who Can See Forever Iron & Wine Mixing
2023 Weathervanes Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit Co-Engineer
2023 Come Back to Me Peter One Co-Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2023 Angels in Science Fiction St. Paul and The Broken Bones Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2023 Lori Iron & Wine Engineer, Mixing
2023 Elvis on Tour Elvis Presley Mixing
2023 Twenty on High Drayton Farley Engineer, Mixing
2023 Should've Learned by Now Lucero Co-Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2022 Whatever You Need Johnny Ray Daniels Guitar
2022 Wellswood Thomas Dollbaum Mixing
2022 Welcome to Club XIII Drive-By Truckers Mixing
2022 The Devil Don't Like It Dedicated Men of Zion Guitar
2022 The Alien Coast St. Paul and The Broken Bones Producer, Mixing, Additional Engineering
2022 Made in Muscle Shoals, Vol. 2 The Revivalists Recording
2022 I Got a Love Elizabeth King Guitar
2022 Paint This Town Old Crow Medicine Show Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Recording
2022 Avondale Drive Nicki Bluhm Composer
2022 This Mess We're In Arlo McKinley Producer, Mixing, Engineer
2021 Never Too Late to Call Paul Thorn Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2021 When You Found Me Lucero Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2021 Living in the Last Days Elizabeth King Guitar, Mixing
2021 Headwaters Alexa Rose Mixing
2021 Dark in Here The Mountain Goats Producer, Engineer
2020 From Elvis in Nashville Elvis Presley Mixing
2020 You Make Me Feel Don Bryant Mixing
2020 Waiting Out the Storm Jeremy Ivey Mixing
2020 Tiny Little Movies Will Hoge Mixing
2020 Live at Alice Tully Hall (January 27, 1973 - 2nd Show) Lou Reed Mixing
2020 Die Midwestern Arlo McKinley Producer, Engineer, Guitar, Mixing
2020 The Unraveling Drive-By Truckers Engineer, Mixing
2020 The New Ok Drive-By Truckers Engineer, Mixing
2020 Nobody Lives Here Anymore Cut Worms Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2020 Made in Muscle Shoals The Revivalists Engineer
2020 Getting into Knives The Mountain Goats Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2020 The Unraveling Drive-By Truckers Mixing, Recording
2020 Bone Structure Ron Pope Mixing
2020 Josh Ritter & The Milk Carton Kids Josh Ritter, The Milk Carton Kids Mixing
2019 Down To The River The Allman Betts Band Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2019 99 Cent Dreams Eli "Paperboy" Reed Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2019 The International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada, August 23, 1969 Elvis Presley Mixing
2019 Call Me Lucky Dale Watson Mixing
2019 Front Porch Joy Williams Engineer
2019 The Flood In Color Joe Pug Engineer
2019 The Dream And The Dreamer Jeremy Ivey Mixing
2019 Years To Burn Calexico, Iron & Wine Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2019 In League with Dragons The Mountain Goats Engineer
2018 The Tree of Forgiveness John Prine Engineer
2018 Lonesome as a Shadow Charley Crockett Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2018 Don't Let The Devil Ride Paul Thorn Engineer, Mixing
2018 Ancient Noise Patrick Sweany Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2018 To Rise You Gotta Fall Nicki Bluhm Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2018 Elvis Presley: The Searcher (Original Soundtrack) Elvis Presley Mastering, Mixing
2018 Encore Anderson East Engineer
2018 Among The Ghosts Lucero Engineer, Co-Producer, Mixing
2018 To The Sunset Amanda Shires Engineer
2018 Once In A Blue Moon McKenna Bray Engineer, Mixing
2018 Elvis Was A Love Affair Dale Watson Mixing, Recording
2018 Produced By: Matt Ross-Spang Erin Rae, Margo Price, John Prine, Al Green, William Bell Producer
2017 The Nashville Sound Jason Isbell Engineer
2017 All American Made Margo Price Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2017 New Lore Sean Rowe Producer, Engineer
2017 Walk into a Storm The Lone Bellow Engineer
2017 Sweet Kind of Blue Emily Barker Producer, Mixing
2017 Love Light Orchestra Love Light Orchestra Producer
2017 639 Madison Susan Marshall Producer
2017 Weakness Margo Price Producer
2017 This Son Is A Stranger To You Rich Minus Producer, Tracking
2017 Paper Cowboy Margo Price Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2017 West Coast Town Chris Shiflett Mixing, Recording
2017 Eli Paper Boy Reed Meets High & Mighty Brass Band Eli Paper Boy Reed Producer, Engineer, Mixing
2016 The Bird and the Rifle Lori McKenna Engineer, Mixing
2016 American Band Drive By Truckers Engineer
2016 Hollow Bones Rival Sons Engineer
2016 Midwest Farmer's Daughter Margo Price Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Wah Wah Guitar
2016 Por Favor Brett Dennen Engineer, Mixing, Recording
2016 Southern Family Various Artists Engineer, Mixing, Recording, Stomping
2016 Way Down in the Jungle Room Elvis Presley Mixing
2016 Memphis Ukulele Band Memphis Ukulele Band Producer, Mixing, Ukulele [Baritone], Mellotron, Percussion
2016 My Piece Of Land Amanda Shires Engineer
2016 Ain't Who I Was Bonnie Bishop Engineer, Mixing
2016 Shine On Rainy Day Brent Cobb Mixing, Recording
2016 The Things That We Are Made Of Mary Chapin Carpenter Mixing, Recording
2015 Future Nostalgia The Sheepdogs Engineer
2015 Things That Can't Be Undone Corb Lund Engineer
2015 Something More Than Free Jason Isbell Engineer
2015 Decorations Of Red Susan Marshall Producer, Engineer
2015 Trinity My Dear Mark Edgar Stuart Engineer
2015 First Comes The Night Chris Isaak Engineer
2014 Fighting Demons (Sun Studio Session) The Fluffy Jackets Engineer
2014 Hillbillies and Holy Rollers Jason D. Williams Engineer, Mixing
2014 Scaredy Cat Grace Askew Engineer
2014 If You.... Dale Watson & Hillbilly Casino Engineer
2013 The Sun Studio Session The Howlin' Brothers Engineer
2013 Grey Goose: A Tribute To Leadbelly Daniel Eriksen, Sting Sjøstrøm Engineer
2013 Let It Rock: The Chuck Berry Tribute The Refreshments Engineer
2012 Live From The Legendary Sun Studio Grace Potter & The Nocturnals Engineer, Mixing
2012 Monsters Onward, Soldiers Mixing
2012 The Sun Session Grand Marquis Engineer
2012 Neptune City Nicole Atkins Engineer
2011 The Sun Sessions The Texas Two/Dale Watson Engineer
2011 Shiloh Sean Martin Engineer, mixing [27]
2011 Beyond The Sun Chris Isaak Assistant Engineer
2011 The Sun Session The Border Blasters Recording, Engineer [28]
2009 Glass Half Full David Brookings Producer
2007 Obsessed David Brookings Assistant Engineer
2007 EP The Splints Engineer
2005 Chorus Verses The Bridge David Brookings Engineer

[29][30]

References

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  1. ^ Boone, Joe. "Sun Studio Makes a Comeback". Memphis Flyer. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  2. ^ "See Where Elvis Presley Recorded His First Hit". NBC News. 6 July 2014. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  3. ^ Blank, Christopher (23 July 2014). "Sun Studio's Matt Ross-Spang Rediscovers a Vintage Sound". Wknofm.org. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  4. ^ "Something More Than Free - Jason Isbell - Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Memphians Mitchell, Ross-Spang enjoyed Grammy triumphs in different styles". Commercialappeal.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  6. ^ "The Sheepdogs". Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-10-06.
  7. ^ Hudgin, Derek (11 April 2016). "Album Review – Margo Price's 'Midwest Farmer's Daughter'". Country Perspective.
  8. ^ "Artist To Watch: Margo Price". Stereogum.com. 19 January 2016.
  9. ^ "Way Down in the Jungle Room - Elvis Presley - Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  10. ^ "Sean Rowe: New Lore « American Songwriter". Americansongwriter.com. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  11. ^ [1] [dead link]
  12. ^ "The Mountain Goats Take Aim at the Fame Game on New Song 'Get Famous'". Rolling Stone Australia. 2020-09-14. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  13. ^ "The Mountain Goats Announce New Album 'Dark In Here' & Share Single". JamBase. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  14. ^ McCoy, Chris. "Memphis Magazine". Memphis. Retrieved 8 April 2023.
  15. ^ a b "Matt Ross-Spang Opens Southern Grooves Studio". 14 June 2022.
  16. ^ "Acclaimed Memphis music producer Matt Ross-Spang's new recording studio opens soon in Crosstown Concourse". Bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2023-03-01.
  17. ^ "Matt Ross-Spang Finds His Groove, Part 1". Mix Online. 10 October 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  18. ^ Alley, Richard. "20 < 30". Memphis Flyer. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  19. ^ "Instagram photo by Matt Ross-Spang • Jul 6, 2016 at 5:16pm UTC". Instagram.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26.
  20. ^ "WCA #097 with Matt Ross-Spang » Working Class Audio". Workingclassaudio.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  21. ^ "Matt Ross-Spang: Eyeing the Future Through the Past". Tapeop.com.
  22. ^ "Lori McKenna". GRAMMY.com. 2021-04-22. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  23. ^ "The UK Americana Awards Nominees 2018". Archived from the original on 2018-02-28. Retrieved 2018-02-27.
  24. ^ Otero, Xavier Omar. "Calexico Receive Not One But Two Grammy Nods". Tucson Weekly. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  25. ^ Mehr, Bob. "Memphis soul veteran Don Bryant continues comeback with 'You Make Me Feel'". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 2021-11-28.
  26. ^ Mehr, Bob. "Memphis soul veteran Don Bryant continues comeback with 'You Make Me Feel'". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 2024-07-01.
  27. ^ "YouTube". Youtube.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  28. ^ "Bandcamp". bandcamp.com. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
  29. ^ "Matt Ross-Spang - Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  30. ^ "Matt Ross-Spang". Discogs.com. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
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