The Grease Band: Shelter Records’ Unsung Rock Heroes

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 Stainton on bass but who later switched to keyboards, Henry McCullough on lead guitar, Alan Spenner on bass, Bruce Rowland on drums, Neil Hubbard on rhythm and slide guitar, and…

Read More

Steve Ripley – The Tractors Are a Powerful Engine Part 4

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 great at remembering people and keeping them around and often involved. This was before social media and cell phones. He stayed in touch with everyone. And if he wanted to…

Read More

The Fairchild 660 Audio Compressor at The Church Studio

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 included a vintage piece of analog audio gear, the Fairchild 660 Audio Compressor, known as the “holy grail” of outboard gear. Originally, a church built in 1915, The Church Studio…

Read More

The Top 10 Shelter Records Artists You Need to Know

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. Founded in 1969 by Leon Russell and Denny Cordell, Shelter Records quickly became known for its diverse roster of musicians and its commitment to nurturing artistic creativity. In this blog…

Read More

THE BILL DAVIS INTERVIEW

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 around tables near the vicinity of the dance floor. As they mingle about, a party-like atmosphere maintains them until that moment the band squeezes onto the tiny stage and starts…

Read More

Eric Clapton Gets Arrested!

The year was 1975. Eric Clapton had just flown into Tulsa, Oklahoma to perform.  News of Eric’s arrival was quickly known for he had gotten arrested! The Church Studio talked with John Southern, a photojournalist and local musician, that captured the infamous photo of Eric Clapton in Jail.  From a first-hand perspective, check out what…

Read More

TWENTIETH-CENTURY HONKY-TONK – Q&A with John Wooley

Music writer John Wooley is at it again! This time bringing us the incredible story of the historic Cain’s Ballroom‘s first 75 years with his new book, TWENTIETH-CENTURY HONKY-TONK.  The Church Studio had the opportunity to catch up with John last week and chat about the new book. Read our quick Q&A below!  CS: Why…

Read More