R.I.P. producer/engineer Al Schmitt

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Charlie O.
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R.I.P. producer/engineer Al Schmitt

Postby Charlie O. » 29 Apr 2021, 00:35

Probably best known to this crowd as the producer of several Jefferson Airplane albums (starting with Baxter's), he also engineered Henry Mancini's "Moon River" and Ray Charles & Betty Carter's duet album (a personal favorite of mine, and of his), and worked with/for Duke Ellington (Schmitt's first session!), Frank Sinatra, Neil Young, Paul McCartney, Steely Dan, Bob Dylan, and too many others to list properly.

Age 91, cause of death not announced.
Last edited by Charlie O. on 29 Apr 2021, 01:11, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: R.I.P. producr/engineer Al Schmitt

Postby mudshark » 29 Apr 2021, 00:40

Old age, comes to mind...
Must have had a good life. Good for him.
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Re: R.I.P. producer/engineer Al Schmitt

Postby never/ever » 29 Apr 2021, 09:37

It feels like I should know the name but I have to admit I had to look up his CV.....and outside of On The Beach I haven't got anything else he worked on.
Still, read a lot of tributes from fellow music engineers and recording artists about the legacy he left behind. Certainly someone who has been able to style many artists in a tasteful way.
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Re: R.I.P. producer/engineer Al Schmitt

Postby Muskrat » 29 Apr 2021, 20:49

The first engineer to mic a kick drum. Imagine!

First session was for the Clovers. He hated the Airplane for dosing him. And he did the Dylan "standards" albums.
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Re: R.I.P. producer/engineer Al Schmitt

Postby Tactful Cactus » 29 Apr 2021, 21:29

Muskrat wrote:The first engineer to mic a kick drum. Imagine


He must have mic'd it from fifty feet away, you can barely hear the kick drum on Imagine.

His work was immense, just look at the discography on his website. Pretty much working solidly for forty years. RIP to him.

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Re: R.I.P. producer/engineer Al Schmitt

Postby Charlie O. » 29 Apr 2021, 21:59

I never noticed before now that Neil Young gave him a co-production credit for Side 2 of On The Beach. Apparently Neil loved Al's rough mixes so much that he wouldn't let him remix them!
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Re: R.I.P. producer/engineer Al Schmitt

Postby Six String » 30 Apr 2021, 03:02

Muskrat wrote:And he did the Dylan "standards" albums.


I won’t hold it against him. We all make mistakes. :P
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Re: R.I.P. producer/engineer Al Schmitt

Postby Charlie O. » 30 Apr 2021, 18:25

Tactful Cactus wrote:Pretty much working solidly for forty years.

Closer to seventy!

And he was still winning Grammys into his eighties.
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