Radio Recorders
Encyclopedia
Radio Recorders, Inc. was a recording studio based in Los Angeles
, California
. Famous musicians to have been recorded in the studio include Charlie Parker
, Jimmie Rodgers
, Louis Armstrong
, Elvis Presley
, Jimi Hendrix
, Frank Zappa
, and The Carpenters
among others. In its prime, the studio was known as the best recording facility in Los Angeles. It was located at 7000 Santa Monica Boulevard.
During the forties and fifties, Radio Recorders was responsible for recording countless radio shows, both network and local, for delayed broadcast, not always for California, but for many western states. Telephone lines ran to all the important stations and the networks. Studio C was the nerve center with at least six recording lathes and turntables and an "on-the-air" playback turntable protected by a railing so that it would not be bumped while it was playing a program onto the air. The recording lathes were shock mounted in sand to prevent rumble from the street cars on Santa Monica Boulevard. For much of that era, the recordings were made and played back on lacquer coated aluminum discs, before tape recording was introduced. The room could handle several programs at once, 24 hours a day, and quite often a single engineer on duty would have his hands full!
Most of the major labels used Radio Recorders well into the 1960s. Columbia
, RCA Victor
, Capitol
, and Decca
ultimately had their own facilities, but Radio Recorders was still the choice of many independent labels and both popular and classical artists, from Stravinsky to Elvis. In addition, most of the jingles were recorded there. The main location at 7000 Santa Monica had two large studios and some smaller ones, as well as disc mastering facilities. In 1946, the company remodeled a warehouse at 1032 North Sycamore Avenue and built a large studio, capable of handling approximately fifty musicians. This studio was known as Radio Recorders Annex, or, within the industry, just "The Annex." (FWIW: I understand the warehouse belonged to RCA Victor and "the Annex" was a legendary studio that Victor had built in their warehouse.) In 1965, Radio Recorders' star engineer
, Thorne Nogar, purchased The Annex and started his own independent Annex Studios, which attracted a distinguished clientele as a full service studio, including mastering. For many years, Lawrence Welk
pre-recorded the music for his popular television show
, becoming the most important client; in addition, in the 1960s and 1970s Annex mastered for such labels as Uni Records
, Dot Records
and Ranwood Records
, as well as cutting early pressings of Barbra Streisand
's hit single "The Way We Were
."
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Famous musicians to have been recorded in the studio include Charlie Parker
Charlie Parker
Charles Parker, Jr. , famously called Bird or Yardbird, was an American jazz saxophonist and composer....
, Jimmie Rodgers
Jimmie Rodgers (pop singer)
James Frederick "Jimmie" Rodgers is an American singer. He is not related to the country singer of the same name.-Career:...
, Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong
Louis Armstrong , nicknamed Satchmo or Pops, was an American jazz trumpeter and singer from New Orleans, Louisiana....
, Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa
Frank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, singer-songwriter, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, orchestral and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed...
, and The Carpenters
The Carpenters
Carpenters were an American vocal and instrumental duo, consisting of sister Karen and brother Richard Carpenter. The Carpenters were the #1 selling American music act of the 1970s. Though often referred to by the public as "The Carpenters", the duo's official name on authorized recordings and...
among others. In its prime, the studio was known as the best recording facility in Los Angeles. It was located at 7000 Santa Monica Boulevard.
During the forties and fifties, Radio Recorders was responsible for recording countless radio shows, both network and local, for delayed broadcast, not always for California, but for many western states. Telephone lines ran to all the important stations and the networks. Studio C was the nerve center with at least six recording lathes and turntables and an "on-the-air" playback turntable protected by a railing so that it would not be bumped while it was playing a program onto the air. The recording lathes were shock mounted in sand to prevent rumble from the street cars on Santa Monica Boulevard. For much of that era, the recordings were made and played back on lacquer coated aluminum discs, before tape recording was introduced. The room could handle several programs at once, 24 hours a day, and quite often a single engineer on duty would have his hands full!
Most of the major labels used Radio Recorders well into the 1960s. Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, RCA Victor
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
, Capitol
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, and Decca
Decca Records
Decca Records began as a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934; however, owing to World War II, the link with the British company was broken for several decades....
ultimately had their own facilities, but Radio Recorders was still the choice of many independent labels and both popular and classical artists, from Stravinsky to Elvis. In addition, most of the jingles were recorded there. The main location at 7000 Santa Monica had two large studios and some smaller ones, as well as disc mastering facilities. In 1946, the company remodeled a warehouse at 1032 North Sycamore Avenue and built a large studio, capable of handling approximately fifty musicians. This studio was known as Radio Recorders Annex, or, within the industry, just "The Annex." (FWIW: I understand the warehouse belonged to RCA Victor and "the Annex" was a legendary studio that Victor had built in their warehouse.) In 1965, Radio Recorders' star engineer
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, Thorne Nogar, purchased The Annex and started his own independent Annex Studios, which attracted a distinguished clientele as a full service studio, including mastering. For many years, Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk
Lawrence Welk was an American musician, accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted The Lawrence Welk Show from 1955 to 1982...
pre-recorded the music for his popular television show
The Lawrence Welk Show
The Lawrence Welk Show is an American televised musical variety show hosted by big band leader Lawrence Welk. The series aired locally in Los Angeles for four years , then nationally for another 27 years via the ABC network and first-run syndication .In the years since first-run syndication...
, becoming the most important client; in addition, in the 1960s and 1970s Annex mastered for such labels as Uni Records
Uni Records
Uni Records was a record label owned by MCA Inc. The brand, which long featured a distinct UNi logo, was established in 1966 by MCA executive Ned Tanen and developed by music industry veteran Russ Regan...
, Dot Records
Dot Records
Dot Records was an American record label and company that was active between 1950 and 1977. It was founded by Randy Wood. In Gallatin, Tennessee, Wood had earlier started a mail order record shop, known for its radio ads on WLAC in Nashville and its R&B air personality Bill "Hoss" Allen...
and Ranwood Records
Ranwood Records
Ranwood Records was started in 1968 by Randy Wood together with Lawrence Welk. Ranwood acquired Welk's Coral Records and Dot Records catalog for reissue on Ranwood. Most of Welk's recorded musical output from that point on was released on the Ranwood label. Welk acquired Wood's interest in the...
, as well as cutting early pressings of Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand
Barbra Joan Streisand is an American singer, actress, film producer and director. She has won two Academy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, four Emmy Awards, a Special Tony Award, an American Film Institute award, a Peabody Award, and is one of the few entertainers who have won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy,...
's hit single "The Way We Were
The Way We Were (song)
"The Way We Were" is the title song to the 1973 movie The Way We Were, starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. The song was written by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, scored by Marvin Hamlisch and performed by Streisand...
."