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| The following is an article reprinted from the March 24, 2004 edition of "The Smoky Mountain News": |
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| Down on the river | |
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Recording studio brings family
atmosphere to music business By Sarah Kucharski On the outskirts of Bryson City, past residential neighborhoods filled with yard dogs and blooming daffodils and down a rambling dirt road, sits Lands Creek Studios. The land here has been carved open and dotted with log cabins, which perch along the banks of the studio’s aquatorial namesake. It is peaceful. The only sounds coming not from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, but rather the rushing waters, chirping birds and the rhythmic squeak of rocking chairs on wooden porches. In the studio, sound paneling blocks even that out, egg crate foam gently catching the echoes of clapping hands and vibrating guitar strings. A handful of musicians’ wives and studio techs sit in the mixing room making idle chit chat while the house band rehearses for an upcoming gig. This is owner Robin Fronrath’s dream. Having been involved with music in one form or another for most of his life — even while working as a car salesman in Florida — Fronrath’s studio is the culmination of a man from humble beginnings turned entrepreneur. But Fronrath’s musical business venture was anything but planned. Fronrath and his wife, Sue, a wildlife artist, moved to North Carolina four years ago. A parcel of almost 60 acres of land butted up next to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park gave way to an idea for a log cabin vacation retreat. “We did not come here to build a studio,” Fronrath said. With a little help from his friends Fronrath hand built 12 log cabins with names like The Fox Den, Raccoon Retreat and The Bobcat. Sue collected interesting pieces of wood, painting critters to match the cabins’ motif, stenciling mirrors, framing wall hangings and finding an appropriate stuffed animal to add to the personality. Amenities — gas fireplaces, cable TV, dishwashers and handicap access — were included as well, melding the rustic frontier with modern conveniences. It wasn’t until the cabins were completed that Fronrath’s musical roots took hold and the idea for a recording studio began to grow. The concept to build a studio that fostered the creative spirit, while providing a family atmosphere slowly developed. Recording artists would not have to travel to the city and remain holed up in a big, black box. Rather they could bring their families, stay on the premises and work on their album while the family rafted, hiked or visited local attractions. |
The location put the Nantahala Gorge, Dillsboro, Cherokee, even Asheville, within an hour’s drive. “Sometimes I feel like Walt Disney,” Fronrath said. “Sometimes I think I’m crazy.” Crazy or not, Fronrath has strong backing from studio partner, John Floor. Lands Creek’s studio manager and engineer, Floor and moved to Bryson City specifically to take on the position as vice-president of studio operations. A singer/songwriter and bass player in the house band, Floor has more than 35 years in the music business. His wife, Karen, has found her home at Lands Creek as well, also working with the house band as a blues singer. But Lands Creek isn’t just a home to traditional music and bluegrass as the setting might lead one to believe. Although the studio has hosted bluegrass artists such as Bryson City locals the Sawmill Creek Porch Band, Christian rockers The Trinity Band and the Scottish-Celtic influenced Lilting Banshees, it has also opened its doors to the group Punk 101 and rapper Shore Shot. “We have really done some wide-ranging stuff from bluegrass to punk with a few stops along the way,” Fronrath said. Rapper Shore Shot originally came from south Jersey to Western Carolina University to play basketball. The way he tells it, a few too many menthol cigarettes caught up with him, the basketball went out the window, and the musical career began. Now an electronic media major studying the same tools used in Lands Creek Studios, Shore Shot hopes to get into the production end of the music business. His own work, influenced by artists ranging from Motown to Eminem, uses beats spliced together from other rapper’s albums, which he then raps over. The rhymes center on life in Jersey, replete with lots of vodka, pasta and “lobsta.” Jersey life, it seems, is a bit different for white kids who went to prep school. But knocking the background (perhaps not all rappers need to come from underprivileged families in Queens) isn’t a knock on Shore Shot’s artistic talent — talent that he’s hoping to capitalize on with his first professional demo, recorded at Lands Creek Studios. “It sounds real good, Johnny & John did some great stuff
in the final mix,” Fronrath said, speaking of his like named,
in house editing/mastering and mixing duo. |
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Copyright ©2002-2004 Greenleaf Graphics - Revised November 9, 2004 |