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505:. For a brief period in 1969 and 1970 the facility was known as International Artists Studios. IA purchased the studio from J. L. Patterson in a questionable transaction (as Patterson himself was only leasing the facility from Quinn). In 1969 IA filed for bankruptcy, and Gold Star Studios went into
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In 1950, Quinn moved the studio into the first floor of his family home at 5628 Brock Street, just a few blocks from the original studio, and changed the name to Gold Star
Studios. By early 1951 all recording for Gold Star Records had ceased, with Quinn selling or leasing his catalogue of Gold Star
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90.1 FM. The show was created as a platform to encourage local music and to highlight live independent music in the Gulf Coast region. The show has profiled indie artists including Marah (Yep Roc
Records), Bring Back The Guns, Ume (Pretty Activity), Jana Hunter (Gnomonsong), Spain Colored Orange
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ripped a large hole in the roof of SugarHill Studio B, which was water-damaged. While the roof repair was covered by insurance, damaged gear and other technical issues rendered it unusable. In 1984, with studio profits dwindling, Meaux put the studio complex up for sale.
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he was asked to repair, he purchased one and began to experiment with it. In 1941 he opened a shop at 3104 Telephone Road in
Houston, Texas, where he recorded personalized voice messages. Quinn renamed the business Quinn Recording Company and soon began recording
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In 1996, RAD Audio, a company formed by engineers Rodney Meyers, Andy
Bradley, and Dan Workman, bought the studio from MMV. Extensive renovations and upgrades to the building, its studios, and recording equipment were completed by February 2000.
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In
December 2008, the studio teamed up with Zenfilm and introduced a monthly video podcast, to give the audience a "behind the scenes" glimpse of recording sessions followed by interviews of the artists.
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and many others. A landmark in the
Houston music community, the studio is renowned for its collection of vintage recording equipment, reverb chamber rooms, EMT plates and a long history of music.
680:, La Fiebre, Excellencia, country star Johnny Rodriquez and Adalberto Gallegos. Discos MM, MMV's own Tejano label, released hit records by Elsa Garcia, Jerry Rodriguez and Mercedes (album
650:, an artist management company, and a music foundation, purchased SugarHill Recording Studios from Meaux. As part of the agreement, Meaux continued leasing an office in the building.
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MMV immediately invested in a complete remodel of SugarHill Studio B. Due to MMV's many business interests, the studios consequently became the home base for a number of successful
824:. That year Ryan Youngblood and two business partners bought SugarHill from RAD Audio. Other artists recording or mixing projects at SugarHill in the late 2010s included
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The 2000s ushered in many changes in the music production industry, not the least of which was a massive rise in home recording. In 2006, SugarHill partnered with the
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master recordings to other labels and utilizing Gold Star
Studios to record for other labels. The studio's success continued with numerous hit recordings for
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In late 1971, longtime Gold Star producer Huey Meaux bought the studios out of receivership and renamed the facility SugarHill
Recording Studios. In 1972,
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band Freda and the
Firedogs. The following year, Meaux acquired additional adjacent property to expand and refurbish the studios, and that October,
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185:. In 1972 under new ownership, the studio's name was changed to SugarHill Recording Studios. Artists who have recorded at SugarHill include
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In 1986, Modern Music
Ventures (MMV), a recently-formed umbrella corporation that eventually encompassed the Discos MM record label, three
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In the mid-1960s, J. L. Patterson leased the studio from Quinn, who was retiring. In January 1968, Houston independent record label
767:(Lucid Records), Todd Snider (Universal) and The Long Winters (Barsuk). Artists recording at the studio in the mid-2000s included
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345:" (recorded by Nelson himself), were recorded at Gold Star. Other artists recording at Gold Star Studios in the 1950s included
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This article is about the recording studio in Houston, Texas. For the recording studio in Englewood, New Jersey, see
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would return to SugarHill to re-record the Destiny's Child song, "Dangerously in Love", which became the
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246:. Venturing into music production in 1944, he founded the short-lived Gulf Record Company label.
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564:" (1976). Between 1975 and 1983, Meaux and Fender issued 28 charting singles from SugarHill.
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at SugarHill. Other artists recording at SugarHill in the late '70s and early '80s included
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utilized Gold Star's engineering services and studio for numerous tracks for release on his
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at the studio. Other artists recording at Gold Star Studios in the 1960s included
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In 1939 Bill Quinn settled in Houston and established the Quinn Radio Service, a
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in 1950, the studio was important in launching the careers of such artists as
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1237:"Legendary SugarHill studio opens doors for rare glimpse at music business"
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House of Hits: The Story of Houston's Gold Star/SugarHill Recording Studios
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1990), and The Hometown Boys. Members of influential Australian rock band,
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recorded their hit "Time" at Gold Star, helping launch the music career of
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to begin recording what would become their sophomore breakthrough album,
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In 1946, Quinn founded Gold Star Records, initially recording local
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984:. Austin, Texas, US: University of Texas Press. pp. 18–22.
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420:(known as the "Crazy Cajun") produced two hits at the studio: "
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924:"Houston's Legendary SugarHill Recording Studios Turns Eighty"
473:(IA) leased the studios, which became instrumental with Texas
1182:"R.I.P Former Sugar Hill Studios Chief Engineer Mickey Moody"
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717:. The group returned to SugarHill during the recording of
253:(or "hillbilly") artists before expanding to record local
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Beginning in 1974, Meaux produced a string of hits with
1016:"Legendary Houston Recording Studio Sugarhill Opens"
953:"Quinn, William Russel [Bill] (1904-1976)"
1154:Jasinski, Laurie; Cobb, Jennifer (June 1, 2015).
1329:
762:, a radio show on Pacifica' Houston affiliate
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157:. Originally founded by Bill Quinn in 1941 as
1262:"SugarHill Upgrades Desk with GenesysControl"
707:contacted the studio to book studio time for
234:repair shop. After being intrigued by a home
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980:Bradley, Andy; Wood, Roger (April 1, 2010).
365:, also had two hits recorded at Gold Star, "
16:Music recording studio in Houston, Texas, US
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1180:Smith, William Michael (January 4, 2010).
261:artists. In 1947, Gold Star had its first
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1102:Smith, William Michael (April 7, 2010).
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892:"Cool Spaces: Record music like Beyonce"
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652:Smith, William Michael (April 7, 2010).
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1071:Wood, Roger; Cano, Ray (May 27, 2015).
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821:The Lonely, the Lonesome & the Gone
638:In August 1983, a tornado generated by
444:' first commercially successful album,
1338:Recording studios in the United States
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695:Studio A - SugarHill Recording Studios
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922:Hardy, Michael (September 14, 2021).
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307:" (1955) and subsequent hit singles "
1235:Dansby, Andrew (February 27, 2015).
950:
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635:on some of her earliest recordings.
377:" (recorded by Richardson himself).
333:'s first two hits as a songwriter, "
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1040:Benzuly, Sarah (November 1, 2006).
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867:"SugarHill Studios, 75 Years Young"
865:Doster, Adam (September 19, 2016).
13:
1209:Benzuly, Sarah (January 1, 2007).
1014:Mellard, Jason (October 9, 2023).
957:Texas State Historical Association
567:SugarHill was the site of some of
521:recorded her first album with her
14:
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1129:"Huey Meaux Sees New Studio Soon"
554:Secret Love#Freddy Fender version
571:'s early recordings, as well as
153:located at 5628 Brock Street in
1160:Texas State History Association
1077:Texas State History Association
440:. He also recorded portions of
631:recorded at SugarHill, as did
546:Before The Next Teardrop Falls
1:
1073:"SugarHill Recording Studios"
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550:Wasted Days and Wasted Nights
416:label at Gold Star. In 1965,
408:made his first recordings of
1156:"Meaux, Huey P. (1929-2011)"
951:Gish, Erica (May 19, 2015).
676:recording artists including
456:Archie Bell & the Drells
7:
544:at the studios, including “
513:SugarHill Recording Studios
147:SugarHill Recording Studios
29:SugarHill Recording Studios
10:
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846:North Mississippi Allstars
380:Beginning in 1963, blues,
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64:Houston, Texas, U.S. (1941
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714:The Writing's on the Wall
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1211:"Diamonds for SugarHill"
1042:"Doyle Jones, 1928-2006"
623:, and Houston punk band
558:You'll Lose a Good Thing
489:, The Continental Five,
452:Sunny & the Sunglows
23:Sugar Hill Records (rap)
1314:29.707989°N 95.324941°W
629:Little Joe y la Familia
589:recorded her first all-
438:Roy Head and The Traits
760:The SugarHill Sessions
756:Pacifica Radio Network
696:
1319:29.707989; -95.324941
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471:International Artists
373:), and the huge hit "
648:publishing companies
531:live radio broadcast
479:13th Floor Elevators
447:Tomorrow Never Comes
325:Don't Stop the Music
313:You Gotta Be My Baby
1310: /
1135:. September 8, 1973
871:Houstonian Magazine
569:Asleep At The Wheel
523:progressive country
426:Sir Douglas Quintet
422:She's About a Mover
179:Sir Douglas Quintet
136:sugarhillstudios713
100:Number of locations
30:
1104:"Hitsville, Texas"
781:Southern Backtones
697:
654:"Hitsville, Texas"
582:Lasso from El Paso
361:, better known as
299:labels, including
276:Billboard Top Five
28:
1241:Houston Chronicle
991:978-0-292-71919-4
826:Chance the Rapper
596:Happy Woman Blues
477:bands including:
460:Pozo-Seco Singers
428:and its frontman
394:Back Beat Records
281:Lightnin' Hopkins
226:Gold Star Studios
167:Lightnin' Hopkins
163:Gold Star Studios
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587:Lucinda Williams
503:Moving Sidewalks
475:psychedelic rock
414:Arhoolie Records
406:Chris Strachwitz
191:Lucinda Williams
151:recording studio
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43:Gold Star Studio
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737:Solange Knowles
709:Destiny's Child
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483:the Red Crayola
434:Treat Her Right
410:Clifton Chenier
402:Peacock Records
369:" (recorded by
359:J.P. Richardson
337:" (recorded by
309:What Am I Worth
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199:Destiny's Child
159:Quinn Recording
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120:Harvey P. Meaux
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40:Quinn Recording
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705:Mathew Knowles
678:Emilio Navaira
669:</ref>
627:. Tejano band
577:Kinky Friedman
562:Living It Down
560:" (1976) and "
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375:Chantilly Lace
371:Johnny Preston
363:The Big Bopper
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317:Just One More
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303:' first hit "
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797:Calvin Owens
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661:. Retrieved
657:
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605:James Burton
601:Ricky Nelson
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539:
535:KPFT 90.1 FM
516:
507:receivership
501:predecessor
495:Zakary Thaks
487:Bubble Puppy
468:
464:Don Williams
445:
442:B. J. Thomas
398:Duke Records
379:
367:Running Bear
347:Benny Barnes
335:Family Bible
329:
327:" (1957).
305:Why Baby Why
301:George Jones
285:
274:
248:
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175:George Jones
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146:
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85:Headquarters
18:
1317: /
834:Kevin Gates
805:Shei Atkins
777:Johnny Nash
773:Johnny Bush
769:Frank Black
749:Clay Walker
729:title track
613:Amboy Dukes
585:. In 1980,
579:'s 1976 LP
552:” (1975), “
548:” (1975), “
527:Little Feat
519:Marcia Ball
351:Eddie Noack
339:Claude Gray
323:" (1957), "
319:" (1956), "
315:" (1956), "
311:" (1955), "
289:Pappy Daily
279:. In 1948,
149:is a music
117:Dan Workman
1305:95°19′30″W
1302:29°42′29″N
1272:August 26,
1246:August 23,
1220:August 21,
1191:August 21,
1165:August 21,
1139:August 21,
1113:August 21,
1082:August 21,
1051:August 21,
1025:August 19,
962:August 16,
933:August 22,
902:August 19,
876:August 19,
852:References
842:Maxo Kream
663:August 21,
625:Really Red
617:Ted Nugent
575:candidate
556:” (1975),
343:Night Life
263:hit record
123:Bill Quinn
110:Key people
80:Bill Quinn
1133:Billboard
838:21 Savage
703:In 1998,
591:originals
430:Doug Sahm
424:" by the
390:Don Robey
267:Jole Blon
211:Lil Wayne
1332:Category
1020:KUTX.org
814:In 2017
720:Survivor
412:for the
321:Yearning
183:Roy Head
51:Industry
34:Formerly
731:of her
725:Beyoncé
682:Rebelde
593:album,
432:, and "
386:R&B
341:) and "
293:Starday
251:country
244:jingles
221:History
215:J. Cole
203:Beyoncé
131:Website
89:Houston
77:Founder
66: (
61:Founded
988:
898:. 2024
896:AVC 13
803:, and
785:Jandek
747:, and
745:Twista
674:Tejano
633:Selena
621:Jandek
611:, the
499:ZZ Top
497:, and
458:. The
388:mogul
384:, and
382:gospel
195:Selena
181:, and
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