Today was a very exciting day for us. We got up really early, dressed and had breakfast. By eight o'clock we were ready, camera and Ipad in hand waiting for a day of adventure. Alisa welcomed us as we boarded the RedHead Express van with the traditional greeting, "Thank you for coming." Instruments were loaded into the back and several trips were made back to the house to get snacks, water and the this and that remembered too late to make it into the van the first time everyone piled in. The trip in to Nashville is about an hour from where we stayed at Walker HIll in Columbia.
While we drove along the girls put on their make-up, Joseph tried catching up on some sleep, Will read a book on his Ipad and Kathy watched the cars go by; Apryll was driving with Kendra as her co-pilot. They were GPSing.
We arrived at Music Row in Nashville and weaved our way through the streets.
Look, there is RCA's studio, near Owen Bradley Park. "Uncle" Owen, as Will calls him, was one of the chief architect of the Nashville sound of the 50s and 60s along with Chet Atkins and Bob Ferguson.
We arrived at Warner Music Studios where we would spend the day watching and listening to the process of music making.
Like good roadies we carried in instruments and "stuff". Right there in the entry hallway we met Paul Worley, former executive VP at Sony Nashville and head of A&R at Warners Nashville, and currently President of Paul Worley Productions. He is a six-time Grammy Award wining producer for his work with Dixie Chicks and Lady Antebellum and has produced the likes of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Martina McBride and The Band Perry. Paul was a well known studio guitarist before ascending at Sony. He is now the producer for RedHead Express.
Paul was very personable and friendly; he is the one in the middle. We immediately felt at home in the studio.
There was coffee, tea and water, a basket of fruit and snacks. We had time to relax, get warmed up and settle in to the "music zone."
Studio musicians were arriving too: Mike Rojas, keyboard; Stuart Duncan, fiddle; Jason Roller, electric guitar; Michael Rhodes, bass; Danny Rader; acoustic guitar; and, Chad Cromwell, drums. Each is an excellent musician who brings an unparalleled professional sound and expertise to the process of creating a first class CD.
Will reviews a list of songs for today. This is sooooo exciting!
Meghan made sure that plenty of chocolate was available. (Birthday leftovers)
Computers appeared for a while then, the atmosphere changed....
Kathy walked in to the studio control room. Oh, imagine the musicians that have stood in this room! She closed her eyes and could feel the excitement, the rhythm, the beat of times past and imagined how the day was going to go.
There was no fanfare or pep talk. Paul just gave a short welcome and... it begins.
Kendra sends a copy of today's songs to the printer.
Everyone gets a copy....Paul reviews his agenda.
LaRae pulled her copy out from last week to show us. But lets go back a minute. Months before last week's pre-production, the girls under Kendra's guidance as musical director for RedHead Express worked out precise arrangements for each of the songs to be recorded. They have spent hours, days, working up the songs note by note, practicing, performing...so that they are ready.
Paul had everyone come and listen to the song they had recorded last week. Each musician sat and followed along on his sheet, some took more notes. And they talked about certain parts of the song. Then, each one went to his own sound-proof room and began tuning the instruments. One of the musicians said, "it makes it so much easier when every one comes in prepared."
Danny Rader who plays "guitar, keys, accordian, bazouki, ganjo, and various other stringed noise makers" is currently on tour with Keith Urban when he is not backing RedHead Express. Check him out on Facebook
www.facebook.com/dannyradermusic
Chad Cromwell, best known for his work with Neil Young and Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) is one of the most sought after studio drummers in Nashville. Having having completed work on Lady Antebellum's album, Golden, he is now laying down the beat for RedHead Express. You can see a list of albums he credited on at
www.allmusic.com/artist/chad-cromwell-mn0000187242
Stuart Duncan is a Grammy and ACM award winning musician and one of the premier bluegrass fiddlers in the world. When he is not playing as a member of the Nashville Bluegrass Band or accompanying Diana Krall on her Glad Rag Doll Tour, he is in the studio with RedHead Express. You can find him at
www.stuart-duncan.com
From "The Best of Michael Martin Murphy" in 1982 to Lady Antebellum's "Golden" this year, Michael Rhodes, sell taught bassist has played with every big name in the music business including, recently, RedHead Express. Read more about him at
www.allmusic.com/artist/michael-rhodes-mn0000888257
Mike Rojas was the featured piano player on Travis Tritt's debut album "Country Club" in 1990. Since then he has been one of the most in-demand keyboardists in Nashville. Having finished this year's Alabama recording, "Alabama & Friends" he is in the studio with RedHead Express.
Go to www.allmusic.com/artist/mike-rojas-mn0000494496/credits
Jason Roller plays guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and ganjo and sometimes sings background vocals. He has been a touring musician for over 15 years and has played with many country acts including Dolly Parton, Joe Diffie, Mark Chesnutt...to name a few. He just finished work for Casting Crowns and Alice Cooper and he is now in the studio backing RedHead Express. He is on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/jroller2
LaRae Kathleen Smith is making her debut as a studio musician playing banjo and acustic guitar for the current RedHead Express project.
Kendra Walker lead vocalist for RedHead Express is laying down scratch vocals for todays studio session.
Oh my, can't wait for the music to start!!
Today was a very exciting day for us. We got up really early, dressed and had breakfast. By eight o'clock we were ready, camera and Ipad in hand waiting for a day of adventure. Alisa welcomed us as we boarded the RedHead Express van with the traditional greeting, "Thank you for coming." Instruments were loaded into the back and several trips were made back to the house to get snacks, water and the this and that remembered too late to make it into the van the first time everyone piled in. The trip in to Nashville is about an hour from where we stayed at Walker HIll in Columbia. 
While we drove along the girls put on their make-up, Joseph tried catching up on some sleep, Will read a book on his Ipad and Kathy watched the cars go by; Apryll was driving with Kendra as her co-pilot. They were GPSing.
We arrived at Music Row in Nashville and weaved our way through the streets.
Look, there is RCA's studio, near Owen Bradley Park. "Uncle" Owen, as Will calls him, was one of the chief architect of the Nashville sound of the 50s and 60s along with Chet Atkins and Bob Ferguson. 
We arrived at Warner Music Studios where we would spend the day watching and listening to the process of music making.
Like good roadies we carried in instruments and "stuff". Right there in the entry hallway we met Paul Worley, former executive VP at Sony Nashville and head of A&R at Warners Nashville, and currently President of Paul Worley Productions. He is a six-time Grammy Award wining producer for his work with Dixie Chicks and Lady Antebellum and has produced the likes of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Martina McBride and The Band Perry. Paul was a well known studio guitarist before ascending at Sony. He is now the producer for RedHead Express.
Paul was very personable and friendly; he is the one in the middle. We immediately felt at home in the studio.
There was coffee, tea and water, a basket of fruit and snacks. We had time to relax, get warmed up and settle in to the "music zone."
Studio musicians were arriving too: Mike Rojas, keyboard; Stuart Duncan, fiddle; Jason Roller, electric guitar; Michael Rhodes, bass; Danny Rader; acoustic guitar; and, Chad Cromwell, drums. Each is an excellent musician who brings an unparalleled professional sound and expertise to the process of creating a first class CD.
Will reviews a list of songs for today. This is sooooo exciting!
Meghan made sure that plenty of chocolate was available. (Birthday leftovers)
Computers appeared for a while then, the atmosphere changed....
Kathy walked in to the studio control room. Oh, imagine the musicians that have stood in this room! She closed her eyes and could feel the excitement, the rhythm, the beat of times past and imagined how the day was going to go. 
There was no fanfare or pep talk. Paul just gave a short welcome and... it begins.
Kendra sends a copy of today's songs to the printer.
Everyone gets a copy....Paul reviews his agenda.
LaRae pulled her copy out from last week to show us. But lets go back a minute. Months before last week's pre-production, the girls under Kendra's guidance as musical director for RedHead Express worked out precise arrangements for each of the songs to be recorded. They have spent hours, days, working up the songs note by note, practicing, performing...so that they are ready.
Paul had everyone come and listen to the song they had recorded last week. Each musician sat and followed along on his sheet, some took more notes. And they talked about certain parts of the song. Then, each one went to his own sound-proof room and began tuning the instruments. One of the musicians said, "it makes it so much easier when every one comes in prepared."
Danny Rader who plays "guitar, keys, accordian, bazouki, ganjo, and various other stringed noise makers" is currently on tour with Keith Urban when he is not backing RedHead Express. Check him out on Facebook www.facebook.com/dannyradermusic
Chad Cromwell, best known for his work with Neil Young and Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) is one of the most sought after studio drummers in Nashville. Having having completed work on Lady Antebellum's album, Golden, he is now laying down the beat for RedHead Express. You can see a list of albums he credited on at www.allmusic.com/artist/chad-cromwell-mn0000187242
Stuart Duncan is a Grammy and ACM award winning musician and one of the premier bluegrass fiddlers in the world. When he is not playing as a member of the Nashville Bluegrass Band or accompanying Diana Krall on her Glad Rag Doll Tour, he is in the studio with RedHead Express. You can find him at www.stuart-duncan.com
From "The Best of Michael Martin Murphy" in 1982 to Lady Antebellum's "Golden" this year, Michael Rhodes, sell taught bassist has played with every big name in the music business including, recently, RedHead Express. Read more about him at www.allmusic.com/artist/michael-rhodes-mn0000888257
Mike Rojas was the featured piano player on Travis Tritt's debut album "Country Club" in 1990. Since then he has been one of the most in-demand keyboardists in Nashville. Having finished this year's Alabama recording, "Alabama & Friends" he is in the studio with RedHead Express. Go to www.allmusic.com/artist/mike-rojas-mn0000494496/credits
Jason Roller plays guitar, fiddle, mandolin, and ganjo and sometimes sings background vocals. He has been a touring musician for over 15 years and has played with many country acts including Dolly Parton, Joe Diffie, Mark Chesnutt...to name a few. He just finished work for Casting Crowns and Alice Cooper and he is now in the studio backing RedHead Express. He is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jroller2
LaRae Kathleen Smith is making her debut as a studio musician playing banjo and acustic guitar for the current RedHead Express project.
Kendra Walker lead vocalist for RedHead Express is laying down scratch vocals for todays studio session.
Oh my, can't wait for the music to start!!
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