The Story Behind Leon Russell’s “Sweet Emily”
Nancy Ruth
Blog by Nancy Ruth August 12, 2026 “Sweet Emily” began in a recording studio, sparked by one of those playful, offhand moments that can only
Blog by Nancy Ruth August 12, 2026 “Sweet Emily” began in a recording studio, sparked by one of those playful, offhand moments that can only
Discover the artists featured in The Church Studio’s Tunes @ Noon concert series, Tulsa’s signature midday live music experience. Tunes @ Noon stands alone in
The Outback from Tulsa circa 1972 Front: Lee Thomas “LT” Wells (lead guitar), Reggie Cherry (bass guitar/vocals), Edward “Cha Cha” Cherry Jr. (B-3 organ) Middle:
Discover the artists featured in The Church Studio’s Tunes @ Noon concert series, Tulsa’s signature midday live music experience. Tunes @ Noon stands alone in
Discover the artists featured in The Church Studio’s Tunes @ Noon concert series, a popular midday music experience in Tulsa Tunes @ Noon is the
Discover the artists featured in The Church Studio’s Tunes @ Noon concert series, a popular midday music experience in Tulsa Tunes @ Noon is the
THESE TUNES @ NOON ARTISTS WILL BE PERFORMING AT CARNEY FEST 2026 MAY 2ND. Experience the magic of The Church Studio during the “Tunes @
THESE TUNES @ NOON ARTISTS WILL BE PERFORMING AT CARNEY FEST 2026 MAY 2ND. Experience the magic of The Church Studio during the “Tunes @
THESE TUNES @ NOON ARTISTS WILL BE PERFORMING AT CARNEY FEST 2026 MAY 2ND. Experience the magic of The Church Studio during the “Tunes @
Historic Church Studio Flooring Reborn as One-of-a-Kind Guitar by Seth Lee Jones
Custom instrument crafted from original studio flooring will support The Church Studio Music Foundation through limited-time raffle
THESE TUNES @ NOON ARTISTS WILL BE PERFORMING AT CARNEY FEST 2026 MAY 2ND. Experience the magic of The Church Studio during the “Tunes @
The Church Studio Presents CHRIS O’DELL: Abbey Road to Tulsa Time A New Podcast Chris O’Dell’s life seems like it belongs in a movie—and
Tunes @ Noon at The Church Studio: Spotlight on past performers: The Marriotts, Red Dirt Rangers, and The Lonelys Experience the magic of The Church
On The Day The Music Died February 3, 1959, Tommy Allsup who was with Buddy Holly on the Winter Dance Party Tour alongside Ritchie Valens,
“Steve Ripley was the greatest advocate for Tulsa and Oklahoma music there ever was.” – Taylor Hanson Steve Ripley was destined for a life
When superstar Leon Russell wrote “Hummingbird,” he wasn’t just crafting a song; he was writing a love letter and tribute to someone very special, Chris
Blog by Nancy Ruth, June 9, 2025 “This Masquerade” is one of Leon Russell’s most haunting and enduring compositions, a ballad steeped in melancholy, mystery,
Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything. – Plato We often view
For one hundred years, Shure has stood as an inspiration of quality, innovation, and excellence in audio technology. In celebrating the 100th anniversary of Shure
By the mid 2000s, Steve Ripley had taken the country music industry by storm with his band, The Tractors. Their self-titled debut album and the
Ripley had a special relationship with the Red Dirt Rangers. In fact, when he inducted them into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2017,
Shelter Record Artists: The Grease Band While the connection to Joe Cocker is nearly inseparable, The Grease Band was formed in the mid-1960s, with Chris
After a successful decade of The Tractors most of the original members took off in different directions (see Part 4). In 2001, Steve Ripley partnered
Hometown Heroes Concert at Aquafest, September 3, 1983 The inaugural Great Raft Race was organized and initiated by Ron Blue, the General Manager of KRMG,
The Church Studio is proud to present In Session, a breakthrough dynamic listening experience supported by Shure, the renowned audio technology leader. In Session is
The Church Studio is honored to collaborate with Tulsa’s BOK Center. The BOK Center finished a record-breaking year in 2023, the venue reported 56 shows,
Steve Ripley: The Tractors Are a Powerful Engine Ripley always kept a large Rolodex full of numerous friends and contacts. According to Charlene, “Steve was
Mike Prado is basically a native Tulsan – born at St. Francis in Tulsa, Oklahoma and reared in Owasso, Oklahoma. Mike had a typical high
The Story behind “A Song For You” by Leon Russell Leon Russell’s melancholy ballad, “Song for You,” is a well-known classic. This poignant composition, the first
Tommy Lokey was a jazz trumpeter from Tulsa, Oklahoma, co-founder of the Gap Band, and a frequent collaborator at The Church Studio. He bridged jazz,
Charlie Wilson to Receive a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Tulsa, Oklahoma native funk and R&B artist Charlie Wilson, a powerhouse vocalist and
Steve Ripley, at the time, the co-owner of The Church Studio, had a vision of a band he’d been creating in his mind and through
Three years ago, as a brand-new intern, I was dunked head-first into easily the most exciting video project I have ever worked on. Teresa Knox,
The most important years during the Leon-era history of Tulsa’s Church Studio were 1972–1976. During that time, a wide variety of artists recorded there, some
Casii Stephan, a soul pop/rock artist originally from Minnesota and now based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is known for her emotive vocals and intricate melodies. Casii’s
The Church Studio, with its rich history and legendary recordings, has long attracted musicians seeking high-quality sound. To elevate this sacred space even further, we’ve
Neve is one of the most well-known names in sound engineering and music production. Neve consoles, famed for their craftsmanship and unequaled sound quality, have
Q&A with Gary Laney What was your first impression of The Church Studio? The studio was incredible sounding, the mic selection was great and of
Part 2: Steve Ripley – Music Producer at The Church Studio and Leader of The Tractors Steve Ripley left Oklahoma to pursue his musical dreams
Recording has evolved significantly since Leon Russell created the Church Studio in 1972. With the rise of home studios, many artists now have the opportunity
A Journey Through Time: The Enchanting History of Reverb by Nancy Ruth Reverb is one of the most intriguing and vital effects in the world
Shelter Records holds a significant place in music history, having launched the careers of numerous talented artists and contributing to the development of iconic sounds.
The Tulsa Sound: The Definitive Definition by Ann Bell I was privileged to be born in 1950, in the Great State of Oklahoma, and the
After shopping around for more than six months, Audie Ashworth and JJ Cale decided to sign with Leon Russell and Denny Cordell’s Shelter label, probably
Most of us know about Claude Russell Bridges playing the piano by ear at 4 years old and hitting the honky tonks around Tulsa at 14 – but not a lot is recorded about his formative childhood years. Who was young Claude Russell Bridges?
Shelter Records was started by Leon Russell and Denny Cordell. The label operated from 1969 to 1981. The company established offices in Los Angeles and
Volunteers rock at The Church Studio! We love and appreciate the valuable role they play in our operations. Sharon Johnson Caskey is one of our
Steve Ripley: 1950-2019 Oklahoma Music Legend, Owner of The Church Studio, member of The Tractors It’s comforting to know that after you’re gone, a part
Leon Russell was born Claude Russell Bridges on April 2, 1942 in Lawton, Oklahoma. Leon passed away on Nov. 13, 2016 in Nashville at the
The genesis of our project at The Church Studio was a bit different than most; four high school friends from Wichita (classes of ’73, ’74),
Less than a year after the devastating passing of Leon Russell, The Church Studio has earned a respected, unique and highly desired designation to
After shopping around for more than six months, Audie Ashworth and JJ Cale decided to sign with Leon Russell and Denny Cordell’s Shelter label, probably
Leon Russell’s Signature Style Leon Russell’s distinctive vocal and instrumental style made him one of the great singer-songwriters of all time. He was a unique
We met with Johnny Blues McDonnell; New Yorker, old-school LeonLifer, die hard Leon Russell fan, and The Church Studio supporter and promoter to talk about
There comes a time in life when one is moved to reflect upon major events in his or her life as old friends, relatives, family
Having grown tired of the fourteen-hour days in the recording studio playing on other people’s records, Leon Russell decided in 1965 to work for legendary
Leon Russell’s 1970 instant classic “A Song For You,” a mainstay on all reality singing competition shows, and a song that has been recorded by
There are several local sites of importance in Tulsa that are Leon-friendly. Step back for an hour or two and follow your heart walking (driving) in Leon’s footsteps.
I drove by The Church Studio on Third Street one morning in 2006 and found that its then-owner, musician Steve Ripley, had a hand-made
In 1974, Dwight Twilley was signed to Shelter Records and returned to his hometown of Tulsa Oklahoma. Once in Tulsa, Twilley and his bandmate, Phil
The Church Bulletin We’re getting so close, the wait is nearly over! Drywall is up, the greenspace to the west has a landscape plan, 22
By Steve Todoroff It’s a late September night at the Sunset Grill, a combination cafe/night club in Tulsa where eager fans begin to cram themselves
By: Ann Bell Nicholson Pam was born to parents, Eula Mae and Jeff Thompson. They were Tulsa residents. She was an only child. She was
It Happened at the Airport It was 1975. Eric Clapton had just flown into Tulsa, Oklahoma to perform. The excitement of Eric’s arrival was quickly
We absolutely love our Church Studio family and the fantastic stories they share with us. This article features a series of photographs by photographer, Ric
