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RSR518 - Trina Shoemaker - From Maid to Grammy as 1st Woman to Win Album of the Year

Recording Studio Rockstars

Release Date: 08/08/2025

RSR524 - Mitch Rose - DIY Microphones, Analog Gear, and Home Studio Hacks from Newcastle show art RSR524 - Mitch Rose - DIY Microphones, Analog Gear, and Home Studio Hacks from Newcastle

Recording Studio Rockstars

Can you really build your own recording studio gear and make it sound amazing? Mitch Rose from Audio Boys says yes—and shows you how. From hand-built microphones to creating reverb chambers in your home, we dive into the heart of DIY recording and why it’s the most creative path to finding your signature sound.   Get access to FREE mixing mini-course:  My guest today is Mitch Rose, a recording and mixing engineer from Newcastle, Australia. Mitch is passionate about all things DIY—building his own mics, preamps, EQs, compressors, and even studio furniture...

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RSR523 - Chris Andrews - From Basement to Atmos Mixing, SSL Sigma, and Building a Studio with Purpose show art RSR523 - Chris Andrews - From Basement to Atmos Mixing, SSL Sigma, and Building a Studio with Purpose

Recording Studio Rockstars

"Music’s too fun not to have fun making music." In this episode, I talk with Chris Andrews, a seasoned producer, mix, and mastering engineer who has worked with artists across the globe. From his Dolby-approved Atmos studio, Monument Sound, nestled at 7,400 feet in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Chris delivers stunning immersive mixes that compete at the highest level of the music industry. His story begins in a basement studio in Virginia and evolves through years of military service, technical refinement, and relentless creativity. We talk about Chris’s current studio setup,...

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RSR522 - Brendan Duffey - Mixing and Mastering in Atmos for Kendrick Lamar, Bruce Dickinson, and Sheryl Crow show art RSR522 - Brendan Duffey - Mixing and Mastering in Atmos for Kendrick Lamar, Bruce Dickinson, and Sheryl Crow

Recording Studio Rockstars

“Surround yourself with people you admire.” In this episode of Recording Studio Rockstars, I had the pleasure of talking with Brendan Duffey, a multi-Grammy-nominated mix and mastering engineer with nearly 30 years of experience. Brendan has worked with legends like Kendrick Lamar, Sheryl Crow, Milton Nascimento, and Bruce Dickinson—best known as the iconic lead singer of Iron Maiden and a legendary solo artist in his own right. Brendan brings a deep understanding of both the technical and emotional sides of music production. We talked about everything from his early days...

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RSR521 - Felipe De Mari Scalone - Producing In Brazil and Studying with Shawn Everrett show art RSR521 - Felipe De Mari Scalone - Producing In Brazil and Studying with Shawn Everrett

Recording Studio Rockstars

"I always had music around." In this episode, Lij Shaw interviews Felipe de Mari Scalone, a Brazilian producer and musician, about his journey from growing up in a musical family to establishing Junk Mahal Studio in Brazil. Felipe shares insights from his time in London and Amsterdam, his transition from performing in bands to music production, and his experiences attending Mix with the Masters with Shawn Everett. He discusses his sound experimentation, mixing techniques, and the impact of Brazilian and international music on his work. Felipe also shares his unique approaches to...

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RSR520 - Abbie Griffin - The Next Generation of Songwriting and Recording show art RSR520 - Abbie Griffin - The Next Generation of Songwriting and Recording

Recording Studio Rockstars

Tune in for an episode of Recording Studio Rockstars with host Lij Shaw, featuring the talented musician and recording arts student, Abbie Griffin. Abbie shares her personal journey—from falling in love with music inspired by artists like Joni Mitchell and Taylor Swift, to navigating the challenges of the industry. She opens up about her songwriting process, the influence of her family and life experiences, and how technology is transforming the way we create music. Most importantly, Abbie emphasizes the importance of staying true to yourself and embracing your individuality....

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RSR519 - Gabe Dagrezio - Songwriting, Producing, and Mixing From Italy to San Diego show art RSR519 - Gabe Dagrezio - Songwriting, Producing, and Mixing From Italy to San Diego

Recording Studio Rockstars

Lij Shaw of Recording Studio Rockstars recently sat down with Gabe Dagrezio to dive into his journey from frontman of The New Story to a highly regarded producer, engineer, and studio owner. With years of experience in the music industry, Gabe has worked with a wide range of artists, helping them craft their sound through both performance and technical mastery. He emphasizes the importance of authentic recordings combined with solid technical skills, often sharing how preparation and understanding the artist’s vision are key to great results. Gabe also talks about his studio setup,...

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RSR518 - Trina Shoemaker - From Maid to Grammy as 1st Woman to Win Album of the Year show art RSR518 - Trina Shoemaker - From Maid to Grammy as 1st Woman to Win Album of the Year

Recording Studio Rockstars

What does it take to rise from cleaning studios to shaping some of the most iconic records of our time? Trina Shoemaker’s story is not just about breaking into the music industry—it’s about breaking through it. As the first woman to win a Grammy for Best Engineered Album, Trina paved the way for a generation of female producers and engineers, and she brings her powerful voice and razor-sharp insight to this inspiring and unfiltered conversation. In this episode, Trina shares how she went from mopping floors at Capitol Records to earning Grammy wins for her work with artists...

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RSR517 - Ulf Blomberg - DIY to Pro Swedish Punk and Black Metal  show art RSR517 - Ulf Blomberg - DIY to Pro Swedish Punk and Black Metal

Recording Studio Rockstars

Ulf Blomberg is a Swedish producer, engineer, and musician known for his deep roots in the DIY scene and his work in punk, death metal, and black metal. He joins Lij to talk about running his own studio, recording techniques, the power of real amps, and why clear communication and artist comfort are critical. Ulf also shares the mission behind his band Agenda, which blends hardcore punk with political and social awareness, and discusses building his own gear, training interns, and what makes a studio truly inspiring. Get access to FREE mixing mini-course:  My guest today is...

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RSR516 - David Kalmusky - Inside the Ultimate Dream Studio, Addiction Sound, and the Future of Music Production show art RSR516 - David Kalmusky - Inside the Ultimate Dream Studio, Addiction Sound, and the Future of Music Production

Recording Studio Rockstars

What does it take to build the ultimate dream studio? Grammy-winning producer, engineer, and guitarist David Kalmusky returns to the show to share his journey of designing Addiction Sound Studios and how it’s shaped his approach to music production. Known for his work with John Oates, Journey, Shawn Mendes, and many more, David talks about the importance of studio setups, the magic of drums and microphones in recording, and how technology has changed the way we make records. We talked about drive-by sessions, archiving sounds for future inspiration, and why it matters to always have...

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RSR515 - Collin Dupuis - Crafting the Perfect Mix Through Microphone Choices and Techniques show art RSR515 - Collin Dupuis - Crafting the Perfect Mix Through Microphone Choices and Techniques

Recording Studio Rockstars

What’s the secret to crafting a killer mix? Grammy-winning mix engineer Collin Dupuis joins us to share his insights on mixing techniques, room acoustics, and creative chaos. Known for working with The Black Keys, Lana Del Rey, Angel Olsen, he discusses the evolution of music gear, collaboration, experimentation, clarity in mixing, effective file management, and tools like Soundflow and Samply that streamline workflow. Collin talks about vintage recording equipment, the revival of classic multitrack tapes, and automation in modern mixing. He shares experiences with in-person...

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More Episodes
What does it take to rise from cleaning studios to shaping some of the most iconic records of our time? Trina Shoemaker’s story is not just about breaking into the music industry—it’s about breaking through it. As the first woman to win a Grammy for Best Engineered Album, Trina paved the way for a generation of female producers and engineers, and she brings her powerful voice and razor-sharp insight to this inspiring and unfiltered conversation.
In this episode, Trina shares how she went from mopping floors at Capitol Records to earning Grammy wins for her work with artists like Sheryl Crow and Emmylou Harris. She tells the behind-the-scenes stories of working on Wrecking Ball and how that album helped define the sound of Americana. We explore her years in London learning the art of engineering, her move to New Orleans to join the legendary Kingsway Studio, and the deep musical and personal lessons she learned along the way.
Trina also pulls back the curtain on the realities of being a woman in a male-dominated field—how she navigated the industry, demanded respect, and held true to her belief in capturing raw, honest performances. She discusses her approach to vocal production, why she avoids auto-tune, and how crafting backing vocals is one of her secret weapons. Beyond her life in the studio, Trina opens up about her love of writing and her dream of publishing a novel and having actor Will Patton narrate the audiobook.
Whether you're a seasoned engineer or just starting out, this episode offers a powerful reminder: authenticity, persistence, and a deep respect for the artist’s process will always rise above the noise.

Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com

My guest today is Trina Shoemaker, who was born in 1965 and raised in Joliet, IL, southwest of Chicago. Over the past three-and-a-half decades, she has produced, recorded and mixed hundreds of records. A four-time Grammy® Award winner and six-time nominee, she is the first woman to win the Grammy® for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. Her credits run the gamut from Queens Of The Stone Age, Rodney Crowell, Charley Crockett and Iggy Pop to Sheryl Crow, Brandi Carlile and Tanya Tucker. Although audio engineering is a passion, writing songs and playing musical instruments are not. Instead, while her ears are busy in the studio recording music, her imagination is busy creating characters, narratives, plotlines and dialogues as she travels through the hidden workings of songs. These stories have culminated in the creation of her debut novel, Bury Me Alive In Your Sugar. Trina lives on Mobile Bay in Fairhope, Alabama, with her husband, singer-songwriter Grayson Capps.

Thank you to Tyler Bryant for the introduction!

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Listen to this guest's discography on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7FEgPMG0Zhkx6vdIuU5SUX?si=38dbbb23f1994fae

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