We recently had the opportunity to catch up with Jesse Wilson from Rancho Deluxe where he and partner Nicki Bluhm work, and who’s most recent release shares the name of said studio.
Location: Madison, TN on the north east side of Nashville. It is the detached garage next to our home. Our property is 28 acres and we have two horses; real pretty middle Tennessee country out here.
Notable Artists: We have been lucky in here! My partner in all things, Nicki Bluhm, and I built this studio for ourselves and our friends and we already have had so many come through…Texino, Clover County, Sarah Klang, Drayton Farley, Jess Woodland, CMAT, Margo Price, Valley James, Mair, Golden Everything, Baptiste W. Hamon and lots others!
How did you start the studio or what led you to start the studio? I have always had a recording space in whatever place I’ve lived, my dad had a small studio in our garage growing up. Recording/making music is my favorite thing to do and so it’s always first priority for the most part when moving into a home. Nicki is super supportive of the space and uses it for her needs as well.
How do you go about finding new gear for the studio and what’s your favorite toy? Like most of my fellow studio rats I am a Facebook marketplace/reverb/craigslist/ebay hound and spend way too much time on my phone because of it.
Name 1 or 2 favorite/most meaningful sessions/albums from the studio. The obvious answer is Nicki’s most recent record, appropriately named, Rancho Deluxe. As we were building the studio space out we knew that Nicki’s next record would be made there and so once we had the full band (which was all family and friends) in the room it was a pretty special feeling.
Name 1 or 2 most surprising moments in the studio. Honestly I feel like every session offers some surprising moments for better or worse. I’m slightly psychotic with the layout of my rooms and constantly move shit around which always offers some surprises. I’m surprised at how many times I’ve had to completely rewire my patch bay.
What’s the best/worst part of running a studio? Best part is getting to be part of other peoples art and having a playground at my disposal 24/7. Worst part is scheduling, I’m bad at calendars.
What was the first session done at the studio? The first project we did before the studio was even finished was with my good friends, Golden Everything. Once the live room and everything was finished, I had my friend Adam Meisterhans come in with his trio and did a fun night of tracking. Hoping that comes out some time.
Is there a non-musical aspect of the studio that you are proud of? Lighting.
How would you describe the vibe in your studio? How do you maintain it? I like the studio to feel comfy and safe, like you’re in your favorite pub/diner with your friends rather than a room filled with shit you shouldn’t touch. Corny as it may be, recording music is still just capturing time and moments and so the more comfortable you are the better those moments might be. We maintain it mostly just by keeping it light and fun and having everything readily accessible and as plug and go as possible without limiting ideas or ambitions.
Any final thoughts? I feel like Rancho is kind of a sandlot mentality when it comes to recording. There is a lot of propaganda out there about how to be a recorder and how things should be done. I just think it should be fun and you just work within your means. Find a few good pieces of gear and really learn how they work and discover what they can’t do and then find gear that can do that! Small steps! Dynamic mics are awesome!
About the author: Producer, Engineer, Musician and all around music enthusiast.