Andy and engineer Nathan Smith at Mainframe Recording Studio, Nashville.
Andy has produced a wide range of music for over 40 years — music for album projects, for network T.V., for artist, publisher, and corporate demos and videos. He works in many genres: country, alt rock, singer/songwriter, bluegrass, Americana, folk, western, sacred, among others.
Thanks to producer Andy May for doing this up right-it should bring McPeake some of the credit he deserves as one of the top Scruggs-style banjo pickers for over 40 years now. —— Dave Freeman, “County Sales Newsletter;” Curtis McPeake, “The View from McPeake”: Produced by Andy May
Andy as Producer: Experience and attention to detail
He listens In the course of setting up a project, Andy works with the client to develop an understanding of the client’s vision for the project. He gets to know the artist’s strengths and style, and the flavor the client wants for this particular project. He helps select material, choosing songs that meet both the client’s needs and Andy’s own high standards. For clients who need a band for their project, Andy tailors the band he hires to be the best possible fit for the artist and the specific project. Every project Andy produces gets this same level of individual attention.
He knows the ropes: Two fundamental considerations in creating a studio project that is successful on all levels are quality control and cost control. Andy’s skill and experience in the studio both as a musician and as a producer give him the perspective and ability needed to balance these requirements, as well as manage the myriad details that must be considered in a successful recording project.
I learned how to produce recordings because I’m crazy about music! ~Andy
He guides: While Andy works to incorporate the client’s vision of the product into the planning, sometimes a client’s goals are not viable given the budget, the artist’s readiness, or any number of other factors. In these cases, he lets the client know what the limitations are, and he helps them work out the necessary compromises based on what’s practical.
He supports: If needed, he works with the artists in “pre-studio prep sessions” to make sure they are comfortable with the material and know what they will need to do during the recording sessions. Doing this prep work saves money in the long run, by allowing the most efficient use of important studio time.
He delivers: From the warm appreciation of his clients to recognition by his peers in the music industry, Andy’s music production abilities have been acknowledged and appreciated through the years. One highlight came in 2008, when Andy & his Swift River Music record label won the IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Recorded Event of the Year award for the album, Everett Lilly & Everybody and Their Brother. The project had come to Andy the year before with a compelling story behind it. Andy had admired Everett, a master mandolinist and bluegrass legend, for many years. Believing in the project, he dived in with post-production polishing, while Lauren took on the liner notes and artwork.
Andy produces selected projects. If you are interested in working with him, please contact him here.
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From the colorful images of “Life’s a Gig” to the feelings of desperation and triumph in “The Woman in the Wings” you can feel the salt of life in his songs.... Really, few active songwriters can grab a listener with small-town stories and sharply cut images like Andy May. Grab a listen to “Stone Soup from Hard Times (Featuring Maura O’Connell)” or “The Harvest” and “My Small Town”. The characters in his songs are everybody’s friends, neighbors and relatives. The production and engineering are exceptional as is the musicianship of everyone involved. Andy deftly employs just the right combination of words against the backing of solid Americana-folk to paint pictures of tricky relationships, the power of nostalgia, the experience of growing set in one’s ways, and lessons learned the hard way. --Rick Jamm, JamSphere, The Indie Music Magazine & Radio Network , on Room for Roots by Andy May...read full post
...read full postIt's been quite a while since we have heard from McPeake, the Nashville-based banjo player who was good enough to have filled in for Earl Scruggs on more than one occasion. It is a real pleasure to hear him here "playing it straight" and backed up by excellent Bluegrass musicians. Those include Aubrey Haynie on fiddle, Dave Harvey on mandolin & Charlie Cushman on guitar, and the 13 good tunes feature a fine mix of standards and several neat originals. Thanks to producer Andy May for doing this up right-it should bring McPeake some of the credit he deserves as one of the top Scruggs-style banjo pickers for over 40 years now. -- Dave Freeman, County Sales Newsletter (2000)
NATICK is a solid album, without even a single lacking track. If you enjoy traditional ballads and good acoustic discs, you'll want to add this one to your collection. —Joe DeRouen, Addison, TX on Natick by Rick Lee...read full post
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