Earl Baumgardner of Warehouse 231 Studio and Performance Hall
Earl Baumgardner, a native of Alex City, Alabama, has journeyed through and worked in various aspects of the music and business industries. Starting with a tennis scholarship in college, he quickly found his passion for music, forming the band 4am and touring the country during the 90s. After recording several CDs, Baumgardner took a break to start a family and launch an Internet Service Provider in central Alabama. Following the sale of his company and a move to Florida, he returned to the Montgomery area in 2011, where his wife launched her business, Vivian O’Nay.
Earl reignited his love for music, dedicating the last decade to learning recording and mixing techniques, visiting and recording in renowned studios like Blackbird in Nashville, Sunset Sound in LA and Studio La Fabrique in France. He has also had the privilege of learning from industry legends and music engineers like Warren Huart who worked with Aerosmith, Andrew Scheps who worked with Smashing Pumpkins and Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Chris Lord-Alge who worked with Green Day and Bon Jovi.
What is Warehouse 231?
Warehouse231 Studio and Performance Hall is an all-in-one music production center. Everything from world-class recording, album mixing, live performance recording, live streaming and audience performances have been done. The venue is also available for rent for private events and shows.
What does your day-to-day at work look like?
It depends on the day. Some days I have recording sessions and others I spend mixing. Also if we have a show, most of that day consists of getting ready for the show.
How would you rate the River Region’s current environment for music or entertainment venues?
Montgomery has a lot of great musicians. I am fortunate to get to work with some of them. Just about every genre is covered in our area, and I would encourage people in the River Region to get out and support local musicians as there are many places they are playing each week.
What do you find the most fulfilling about your work?
When we finish a project and the artist gets the final product back in their hands and is happy with the results. Some of the songs we’ve recorded have been songs someone has had for 20 years and they finally life.
What type of music do you like to produce the most?
I do mostly rock and some country.
What are you looking for in new musicians to work with?
I simply look at how passionate a band or artist is about their project work. Sometimes people are not ready to record and you have to tell them, but I think I can offer advice to get them to the point of being ready to record. I am fortunate that most everyone I have worked with have been 100% professional and committed to the project we were working on.
Who are some of the talented artists you have worked with?
Some of my recent clients include TRUSTcompany, TRAPT, 13 Seconds of Silence, The Almas, OTI, Citizen Kane, Cameron Dubois, Clozure, Transient, Larry Mitchell, Doug Doppler, Clay Walker, Jupiter Road, Velcro Pygmies, Goin’ NoWhere, Rose Colored Glasses, Firetown, Forever Unchained, Karkaza, twenty-one 68, Larry Thomas Moore Jr, Bama Sound, Driver, Buckwild, Love Chyld, Adam Ezra, Lacy Lynn, Scream Dolls, Lisa and the Ellusions, Garrett Tucker, Swole and Live at 5.
Out of the musicians you have worked with, do you have any that stick out the most?
Every single one of them has an interesting story so it’s hard to pick one. I try to highlight the artists on my social media or my podcast on YouTube and share their stories there. The 13 Seconds of Silence guys are young but have tons of songs, and their sound is very 90’s alternative, so they are fun to work with. Larry Thomas Moore, Jr. has been recording with me for a few years and was able to do a tour over in the UK because of the songs we recorded.
What music shows or exciting events do you have coming up?
There’s always interesting stuff going on, so the best way to keep track is through the Warehouse 231 Facebook page and www.warehouse231.com.
Personal Q&A:
- Best Bit Of Biz Advice: Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Steady growth has always worked for me.
- Must-Have Recording Tool: Use your ears and just listen. As far as a physical recording tool, a sm57 mic. Entire records have been recorded with that mic.
- Outside Of The Studio: I enjoy hanging out with my family, my wife and my five boys. I also enjoy Alabama football in the fall.
- One Thing You Want People To Know: Warehouse 231 is about the music and the artists who play or create the music. Having been in a band that toured and recorded, I know what it’s like on the artist side. So, Warehouse 231 is about getting the best recording or show possible with each artist.
