Ardent Studios Memphis

Outside Ardent Studios, Memphis 2003

I often think that the Ardent Studios in Memphis doesn't always get its due place in soul music history over other famous studios in Memphis such as Stax, Royal and American. However, the ever excellent Memphis Flyer has published a fascinating article on the 4oth anniversary of the studio's opening. The feaure has contributions form a variety of people associated with the studio.

One 0f the people interviewed was Larry Nix who has worked a the studio for nearly 30 years after being an engineer at Stax in the early 70's and who was responsible for mastering many of the classic sides from that period.

I met Larry in 2003 in Memphis and he gave me and a few other soul fans a guided tour of the studios including an opportunity to see some of the old Stax recording equipment which he had preserved. We were aslo shown records of the mastering he did for the company which included details of many mouth-watering unissued recordings which still reamain in the can such as a Lee Sain album for We Produce.

Larry Nix showing me original Stax Recording equipment