Tag Archives: House of Hits

SugarHill Goes Platinum in October

Syndicated from Heritage Properties presents The Houston Sound Spring Concert Series, on September 29, 2011

SUGARHILL RECORDING STUDIOS GOES PLATINUM IN OCTOBER

(HOUSTON, TX) SugarHill Recording Studios will celebrate its 70th year this October with a co-branded party sponsored by the Producers and Engineers’ Wing of The Recording Academy, Texas Chapter. The public is invited to a special event including tours, refreshments and limited edition gift bags. Thanks extended to our sponsors D’Addario, Good Dog Hot Dogs, Bran Bakes!, Neuro, Houston Press, New Image Networks, Zenfilm, BackstageOL.com, Via Colori and more. Event details: Saturday, October 8, 2011, 4-7pm at SugarHill Studios, 5626 Brock Street, Houston, Texas 77023. FREE. RSVP to 713.926.4431 or gina@sugarhillstudios.com

Established in 1941 by Bill Quinn, the studio (named Gold Star Studios) was used for recording radio commercials and birthday greetings. By 1945, Quinn ventured into audio engineering, establishing Gold Star Records and a pressing plant. Despite shellac shortages due to the war, he continued, becoming the first independent label in Texas devoted to regional roots music.

The legacy began in 1946 when fiddler Harry Choates recorded the Cajun classic “Jole Blon”. Quinn also worked with blues icon Lightnin’ Hopkins during these early years. In the 1950s, the studio hosted Pappy Dailey’s Starday & D labels, George Jones cut “Why Baby Why?” and immortalized the Big Bopper singing “Chantilly Lace”. Others included Willie Nelson, Bobby Bland and Arnett Cobb. The 1960s saw the debut of the Sir Douglas Quintet, Roy Head, and BJ Thomas. International Artists label recorded Texas psych legends The 13th Floor Elevators, The Red Krayola and Bubble Puppy.

Then, Crazy Cajun producer Huey P. Meaux bought the studios. Meaux, christening the studio with the name SugarHill, became famous for his work with Freddy Fender and Clifton Chenier. During this era, the studio also tracked notable artists such as Ricky Nelson, Asleep at the Wheel, Kinky Friedman, Todd Rundgren and Lucinda Williams.

Modern Music Ventures purchased SugarHill in the mid-1980s and the studios became the home base for some highly successful Tejano artists, among them Little Joe y la Familia, Emilio Navaira, La Fiebre, Xcelencia and Johnny Rodriquez. The owners established a label called Discos MM and scored hit records with Elsa Garcia and The Hometown Boys.

In 1996 current owners, RAD Audio, purchased SugarHill, introducing a new business model, embracing the studios history and diversity. Since then, clients have included Destiny’s Child, Solange Knowles, Joe Sample, Brian McKnight, Jermaine Dupri, Smashmouth, Clay Walker, Johnny Nash, Li’l Wayne, Kermit Ruffins, Johnny Bush and Beyoncé.

Looking towards the future of music, SugarHill partnered with Zenfilm in 2008 to launch Live From SugarHill, a free iTunes video podcast highlighting emerging artists. In 2010, the studio became the subject of a book entitled House of Hits: The Story of Houston’s Gold Star/SugarHill Recording Studios, coauthored by co-owner, Andy Bradley, along with acclaimed music historian Roger Wood. The book was published and distributed by the University of Texas Press, chronicling the studios’ unparalleled legacy.
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SugarHill Studios, A House of Hits

By Kirk Imamura, on October 4, 2010

House of Hits by Andy Bradley and Roger Wood from University of Texas Press is a exhaustively well researched history of what is believed to be the oldest recording facility in the United States (no other facility has been able … Continue reading →

SugarHill Book Signing/Celebration Concert 4.10/4.11.10

Syndicated from Heritage Properties presents The Houston Sound Spring Concert Series, on April 7, 2010

HOUSE OF HITS: THE STORY OF HOUSTON’S GOLD STAR/SUGARHILL STUDIOS
New book available from University of Texas Press, launch events scheduled April 2010 the book,chronicles the past 69 years of ‘music making histor… Continue reading →

SugarHill Book Signing/Celebration Concert 4.10/4.11.10

Syndicated from Heritage Properties presents The Houston Sound Spring Concert Series, on



ONE FOR THE BOOKS – SUGARHILL STUDIOS CELEBRATES PUBLICATION



HOUSE OF HITS: THE STORY OF HOUSTON’S GOLD STAR/SUGARHILL STUDIOS

New book available from University of Texas Press, launch events scheduled April 2010

(HOUSTON, TX) 3.10.10 – The legacy of SugarHill Recording Studios is now documented for posterity with the release of the book, House of Hits: The Story of Houston’s Gold Star/SugarHill Recording Studios. House of Hits chronicles the past 69 years of ‘music making history’ at the legendary facility. The book was written by chief engineer Andy Bradley along with acclaimed music historian Roger Wood, and is already being sold in local stores including Sig’s Lagoon and Cactus Music.

Readers get a “behind the console” view, starting with the humble beginnings of founder, Bill Quinn in 1941 WWII Houston. Quinn–a recording engineer who pre-dated the home recording studio phenomenon by some 65 years–started a one-room operation that has survived to become the multi-studio facility that exists today. The book chronicles the growth and changes in the recording industry spanning seven decades of Texas music history.

Over the years the location has been known as Gold Star Studios and International Artists. In the 1970’s it purchased by hit producer Huey Meaux and renamed SugarHill Recording Studios. SugarHill became Meaux’s home base for his Crazy Cajun Music label where careers of Texas legends Freddy Fender, Doug Sahm and many more were launched.

SugarHill’s roster boasts luminary artists including Lightnin’ Hopkins, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Junior Parker, Clifton Chenier, Sir Douglas Quintet, 13th Floor Elevators, Freddy Fender, Kinky Friedman, Ray Benson, Guy Clark, Lucinda Williams, Beyoncé and Destiny’s Child.

Bradley, an employee since 1985 and current partner of SugarHill, took on the project as a labor of love and began his narrative at the urging of a friend, Sig’s Lagoon owner Thomas Escalante. Over the last decade, Bradley tracked down and recorded the personal accounts of over 100 recording artists, engineers, employees, label owners and music industry professionals to stitch together a comprehensive timeline of events at the famed studios.

In 2007, Roger Wood–the author of two award-winning books, Down In Houston: Bayou City Blues and Texas Zydeco–agreed to collaborate with Andy to transform the raw material into a book prospectus and eventually a complete manuscript. The duo contracted with Wood’s previous publisher, the University of Texas Press, to complete the project by the end of 2009. Wood notes, “Andy’s extensive research, combined with his firsthand knowledge of the recording business, laid the foundation for a narrative that I soon realized was epic in scope–covering seven decades, hundreds of musicians and studio insiders, and practically every imaginable genre of postwar American popular music.” Bradley added, “When I first heard they were going to publish the book I was exhilarated, but quickly realized that there was something more important than simply becoming a published author. He would have to become an historian as well: “I expect that House of Hits will serve to correct the many wrong perceptions of Houston and that people will begin to understand how important it is and has been to the livelihood of the Gulf Coast music scene. Moreover, the stories of so many wonderful artists who shared their talents have finally been told.”

A two day book-signing event and concert are planned in Houston on Saturday, April 10 & Sunday, April 11, 2010 at local record store, Sig’s Lagoon, 3710 Main Street, and The Continental Club, 3700 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002. The concert will feature live performances by John Evans, The El Orbits, Allen Oldies’ Band, Umbrella Man and will include special appearances by Roy Head, Kenny Cordray, Paul English, Tommie Lee Bradley and more. The concert is free and donations will be accepted to benefit the Musicians’ Benevolent Society.

WHAT: SugarHill Recording Studios book signing and benefit concert

WHEN: Saturday, April 10, 2010 at Sig’s Lagoon 2 – 5p.m., 3710 Main Street, and Sunday, April 11, 2010 at The Continental Club 3 – 7p.m., 3700 Main Street, Houston, TX 77002

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For more information please contact Gina Miller at 713.926.4431 ext. 1102 or gina@sugarhillstudios.com.




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