Learn how it all started

Bigtone Records started purely, from the love of music and how it made me feel. Music many times in my life has been there to save me in so many ways. It helped me find joy and grow and mature. I started playing music at age 13 (guitar) from being heavily moved by jazz and blues records/cds my father had. I come from a long line of musicians who came from VA, NC and down in the panhandle of FL. My father growing up took me to New Orleans all the time for music. I was lucky very young to get into great blues like Big Bill Broonzy and up to Jazz like Miles Davis, Coltrane and others. Out of all the music I heard the blues hit me the most for how real human it is. Not much pop production, just pure raw human feeling. As I grew older I played music with all sorts of people anywhere I lived. I hung out with Ben Moore (James & Bobby Purify/Blind Boys of AL), and Clarence Davis in Pensacola week after week at age 18. And was constantly shown great music by the elders throughout my life. What I found I loved about the older recordings was that the sound of the record went hand in hand with the music, it truly allowed the feeling to be captured. I started getting into recording right away but it wasn’t until I eventually got to CA many years later that I began to hone in and go deep into analog live tape recording. I started recording lots of blues, jump blues, west coast swing in CA and built my setup up and knowledge along with friend Danny Michel for my duration in CA where we recorded lots of notable modern blues records for guys like Kim Wilson, Alabama Mike, Willie Buck, James Harman, Kid Ramos, Tomcat Kourtney etc. After 5 years there we relocated to Bristol Virginia where my Grandmother grew up to be closer to her. We had a wonderful 5 years there were we recorded countless oldtime, bluegrass, honky tonk, country, from all over where I honed in on pure analog acoustic recording which was a huge step up in the understanding of the gear and how to refine using it. At the same time that I was recording lots of acoustic bands in TN/VA I was taking trips constantly to NY, CA, CO, IL recording traditional and modern jazz groups, blues, theater style bands, live festivals, house parties, camps. After years of traveling and making music we decided New Orleans was for us so we moved down with encouragement from lots of locals and here we are. We have spent the last year recording lots of traditional jazz groups, singer song writers, local rock & roll, brass bands, and other world music.

Bigtone Records has built its name and reputation on being the most affordable and unique recording experience in the analog world. We truly integrate traditional recording with modern capabilities for a mix of both worlds and a sound and relaxed experience that few offer.

Click on “GEAR” to read about our integrated setup and capabilities for your next recording project