Community Highlights: Meet Nettie Freed of Spellbound Recorders

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nettie Freed.

Nettie, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Between my father Lance Freed, the award-winning music publisher who built what was the largest independent music publisher in the world, and my mother Judith Fisher Freed, who was a celebrity stylist in New York City and Los Angeles, and now a music history archivist, it’s safe to say I quite literally grew up in the entertainment industry. My roots in the music business run generations deep. My grandfather, Alan Freed, was a true disrupter in every sense of the word. He loved music and was not afraid to take on great risks. His decision to spin and feature artists like Little Richard, Ritchie Valens, and Frankie Lymon on his radio and live showcases could have ended his career and came at a personal cost that included more than one death threat. It was that disruptive spirit that earned him one of the first inductions at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and I think that Spellbound Recorders is the manifestation of that disruptive spirit in me. My husband Alex and I decided to leave Los Angeles, where we were born and raised, to start a new life in Tennessee along with my mother, who had fond memories of Nashville spanning back to the mid-70s. The respect that Nashville has for the industry and the working songwriter is profound and resonates with me on a deep level. I had already been traveling here for professional recording sessions for several years, so I knew my life in Nashville would include being a part of the incredible music community here. After considering how I could continue my family’s legacy and fulfill my dream of giving back all I had learned about the business, I decided to open my own recording studio.

When I was growing up, the studio was my safe place. I started recording my original demos when I was around 8 years old after I learned guitar from the renowned multi-instrumentalist and author, Fred Sokolow, who’s my mentor and long-time collaborator. I have always loved the recording process, and a lifetime of studio experience and songwriting gave me a unique understanding of what worked – and what did not. On an enchanted piece of land in Lebanon, Wilson County, about 45 minutes outside of Nashville, my vision started to become reality. I decided that I wanted to create a studio that did not only provide world-class recording capabilities, but also offered artists and producers an escape where their creative talents were nurtured, supported, and truly valued. My mother and I renovated a post-and-beam cabin on the property that now includes pristine home amenities and even a full stage.

Along with the studio, we are able to offer our clients the exclusive experience of being able to stay overnight or rent short-term for longer recording projects or songwriter retreats. With the help of my business partner Daryl Hill, I was able to put together a world-renowned team of architects and engineers that brought the studio to life. My team included the incredibly talented acoustician Steven Durr, whose work has been sought after by the likes of companies including Disney and Sony, our amazing architect and engineer Matt Schlachter whose client roster has included Nick Jonas and The Black Keys, and Joe Kaplan, the lighting architect who helped light up some of the biggest Las Vegas icons and beyond. We put our soul into this project, and I am so thankful to my team for helping me create this truly one-of-a-kind recording studio and artist retreat.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
Our industry has come a long way in terms of gender equality and representation but there is still work to be done. I encountered my share of misogyny on this journey which presented its own unique set of challenges that I and countless other women have to overcome. A project this ambitious was bound to face a certain level of skepticism and I did find it difficult to get many of the people around me to understand my vision in the era of the home studio, which was hard at the time, but has since been very rewarding as I’ve been able to watch in real-time while the people who once doubted me quickly fall in love with Spellbound and are moved by what we have accomplished.

Sadly, my personal challenges paled in comparison to the tragedy my wonderful business partner Daryl was faced with. Months after we broke ground at the studio Daryl’s son Sterling was killed in an act of needless violence. Both Daryl and Sterling had incredible backgrounds in construction and electrical work and without Daryl as foreman, the project could have never been completed. Faced with a trauma of this magnitude, I wasn’t sure if Daryl was going to be able to continue building Spellbound. Lucky for me, I chose one of the strongest, most courageous people I’ve ever known as my business partner. I’m so thankful that Daryl found the strength to complete this project in the face of such a tragedy. We hope that we are able to honor Sterling and all those we’ve lost with the music and the art that is created on the Spellbound grounds.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Spellbound Recorders was built for artists by artists. We offer premium recording services, a content creation space, and luxury retreat style losing for our creative clients. I am the owner and founder, creative director, producer, and artist manager who specializes in musical and brand development. I am known for acting in between the realms of retro and modern sensibilities, honoring the history and importance of the old-school studios of the past that I grew up recording in while creating a modern space of my own unique vision.

◦ What sets us apart is our acknowledgment is the pristine design and layout of our studio and lodging. While most studios operate within specific working hours and constraints, we are open 24/7, 365, and allow our clients the unique option of lodging in our studio. In addition to our commitment to acoustical integrity and design by Steven Durr, our custom multi-faceted architectural lighting by Joe Kaplan is ideal for setting an ideal mood for the workspace, photo and video opportunities, and web content creation.

◦ We are proud to be the first full-scale 24-hour professional recording facility in the thriving and continually growing artistic community in Wilson County. As Nashville/Davidson county continues to break cultural barriers in the arts and its numerous studio offerings, we hope to highlight the deep roots and rich cultural significance of the recordings, musical culture, and history of Lebanon/Wilson County, which has included the home studio and residence of legends like Charlie Daniels, or the renowned recordings of Paul McCartney and Wings by acclaimed producer Curly Putnam.

◦ Spellbound Recorders is more than a recording studio. We are a community that lifts up artists and believes every songwriter should have access to a good, clean-sounding demo recorded in a professional studio no matter their budget. While recording has become much more accessible in the home studio, we believe nothing beats the sound of a true in-studio recording, and want to rekindle this generation’s interest in old-school audio. We also offer a place just outside of the city for writers and artists to gather and experience the tranquillity and beauty of nature and the outdoors, which has been synonymous with the creative process for millennia and will continue to be a vital freedom to inspire and nurture the working creative.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Access to high-level recording facilities and equipment was once reserved for only a select few, however, the advancements in technology allowed for greater accessibility to very powerful recording tools, and with that accessibility, what it meant to be a “recording studio” has changed. What I did with Spellbound was take the good things about the old-school studio environment I grew up in, but built for a new generation, like an acoustical playground for recording and web content creation.

I see the industry moving in this direction of a more immersive and visual artist experience where audio will continue to play a huge role. Music is the great global connection we all share, and we at Spellbound believe every songwriter and creator has the right to access a quality demo. Spellbound is a place that any working creative, from the artist, producer, engineer, or songwriter simply looking for inspiration, can call home. What we built is very special and the work that is being created at Spellbound is already groundbreaking. In 5-10 years, I hope to look at the credits and work our studio played a part in bringing forth with great pride and admiration, and to help bring back a new golden era of recording studios.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://spellboundrecorders.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spellboundrecorders/