Ryan Freeland is an American record producer, songwriter, engineer, and mixer based in Los Angeles. Freeland is a five-time Grammy Award winner[1] and is best known for his work with Bonnie Raitt, Ray LaMontagne, Aimee Mann, Joe Henry, Grant-Lee Phillips, Hugh Laurie, Ingrid Michaelson, Loudon Wainwright III, Rodney Crowell, Alana Davis, and Jonatha Brooke.[2][3] He is represented exclusively by Global Positioning Services Management in Santa Monica.[4][5]

Ryan Freeland
Birth nameRyan Freeland
Genres
Occupations
  • Record producer
  • songwriter
  • mixer
  • engineer
InstrumentPiano
Websiteryanfreeland.com

Life and career

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Personal life

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Freeland began playing the piano at age 6 from the encouragement of his mother, and continued studying classical and jazz piano at Interlochen Arts Academy. He later attended California State University, Chico where he completed a bachelor's degree in music with a minor in English.[6]

Work with Bob Clearmountain

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After working for six months at Kiva Recording Studio in Memphis, Freeland heard that the esteemed producer, engineer and mixer Bob Clearmountain was looking for an assistant engineer at his new private studio in Pacific Palisades. He decided to cold call Clearmountain and landed up getting the position. Freeland describes it as “a life-changing event” and from 1994 to 1998 he was Clearmountain's second engineer.[7][6][5]

He then moved on to become an independent engineer, and some of his first projects included Aimee Mann and Jonathan Brooke, whom he had met by working with Bob Clearmountain. He has since worked for 20 years as an independent producer, engineer and mixer.[8][6]

Stampede Origin Studios

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Freeland works from his custom-built two story studio “Stampede Origin Studio” in Culver City, CA. The facility features a large live room, two isolation booths and amplifier closets, while the second floor hosts the main control room, listening area, a kitchenette and a third isolation booth often used for vocals. Five full-racks house most of his outboard gear, and the studio is home to a large collection of new and vintage microphones and instruments.[9][10]

Grammy Awards

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Freeland is a five-time Grammy award winner and has won awards for the following albums:[11][4][12][13]

  • 2009: Ramblin' Jack Elliott - “A Stranger Here”, Best Traditional Blues Album (Engineer, Mixer)
  • 2010: The Carolina Chocolate Drops - “Genuine Negro Jig”, Best Traditional Folk Album (Engineer, Mixer)
  • 2010: Ray LaMontagne - “God Willin' and the Creek Don't Rise”, Best Contemporary Folk Album (Engineer, Mixer)
  • 2012: Bonnie Raitt - “Slipstream”, Best Americana Album (Engineer, Mixer)
  • 2018: Aimee Mann - "Mental Illness", Best Folk Album (Engineer, Mixer)

Selected discography

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Artist Year Album Engineer Mixer
Noam Weinstein 2020 42 1/2  Y  Y
Morrissey 2019 California Son  Y  Y
Joan Baez 2018 Whistle Down the Wind  Y  Y
Aimee Mann Mental Illness  Y  Y
The Milk Carton Kids All The Things That I Did...  Y  Y
Lizz Wright 2017 Grace  Y  Y
Chely Wright 2016 I Am the Rain  Y  Y
Billy Bragg & Joe Henry Shine a Light: Field Recordings from the Great American Railroad  Y  Y
Bonnie Raitt Dig In Deep  Y  Y
Hayes Carll Lovers and Leavers  Y  Y
Allen Toussaint American Tunes  Y  Y
Birds of Chicago Real Midnight  Y  Y
Wynonna Judd Wynonna & the Big Noise  Y  Y
Justin Townes Earle 2015 Absent Fathers  Y
Bettye LaVette Worthy  Y  Y
The Barr Brothers 2014 Sleeping Operator  Y  Y
Hugh Laurie 2013 Didn't It Rain  Y  Y
The Milk Carton Kids The Ash and Clay  Y  Y
Ray LaMontagne & the Pariah Dogs 2010 God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise  Y  Y
Carolina Chocolate Drops 2009 Genuine Negro Jig  Y  Y
Joe Henry Blood from Stars  Y  Y
Ramblin' Jack Elliot A Stranger Here  Y  Y
Aimee Mann 2005 The Forgotten Arm  Y  Y

References

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  1. ^ "Ryan Freeland". Grammy.com. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  2. ^ "Ryan Freeland". Tapeop.com. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  3. ^ "In the Studio: Ryan Freeland and the Barr Brothers | Emusician". Archived from the original on 2017-09-15. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
  4. ^ a b "GPS News: Freeland Joins GPS for Management". Globalpositioningservices.net. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Ryan Freeland -". Archived from the original on 2017-09-15. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
  6. ^ a b c "20 Years in the Industry: Ryan Freeland on His Studio, Career, and the Impact of Sound - SonicScoop". Archived from the original on 2017-09-15. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
  7. ^ "Project Studio: Stampede Origin". Mixonline.com. 1 October 2008. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  8. ^ "Ryan Freeland - 4-Time Grammy-Winning Engineer". Ryanfreeland.com. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  9. ^ "Stampede Origin Studio - Los Angeles, CA". Ryanfreeland.com. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Ryan Freeland's Stampede Origin Studio Feature". Globalpositioningservices.net. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Ryan Freeland - Discography". Ryanfreeland.com. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  12. ^ "Ryan Freeland | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  13. ^ Chow, Andrew R. (28 January 2018). "Grammy 2018 Winners: Full List (Published 2018)". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 January 2021.