Haley Woolbright's Hindsight
The Bootleg at Atomic Cowboy, Haley Woolbright, and myself are happy to announce a CD release show. In fact, it’s the release of Haley’s debut record, Hindsight, which I produced. The production process was so rewarding, that I am aiming to do it more.
I’ve been engineering for 15 years now, almost 5 of which have been at Sawhorse Studios. Engineering used to mean purely pulling off the technical aspects of the recording, but these days engineers typically have a significant amount of creative input. Production, on the other hand, is a managerial role that I want to explore more. I think I have a lot to contribute based on my experience.
Haley Woolbright came to me with 12 songs she had been performing alone as a singer and guitarist. She wanted to flesh out the songs with more instruments and was looking for input. We met a couple of times and worked on the arrangements, perfecting the feel of the songs and discussing where we saw each track heading.
We recorded and mixed the album at Sawhorse Studios, and I was able to bring in some heavy hitters to help serve the music. Rob Lee was the perfect drummer and I played bass (and provided some extra keys, percussion, and vocals). Rob really laid an amazing foundation that set the record in the right direction. Nick Schleuter played piano, Rhodes, and organ. He added so many parts that immediately became integral to the songs. Haley killed it on guitar and vocals. She also pulled in friends (and a brother) on cello, piano, and electric guitar to contribute on a couple of key tunes.
Through it all, Haley was professional and open to any suggestions I had. It was a real treat to get to work with someone who isn’t afraid to try something they aren’t used to with their music. In the end, I think we did right by the music, bringing each song to a new place that was still true to the intent of the original composition. I’m proud of Haley and hope it’s just the beginning for her. I also hope I can help more musicians produce their best material.
Haley Woolbright CD Release at The Bootleg in St. Louis.
