The Rubber Room :: History

Jerry Brown and Jeff Linker built the first studio in a weekend back in 1996. It was a tiny L shaped room that had a tree growing through part of the roof. It quickly got the name the Rubber Room because of the thick black rubber sheeting used on the interior walls for sound absorption. The primary goal for the studio was to give Jerry's bluegrass band, The Shady Grove Band a place to record, but soon after it's completion lots of Jerry's friends and associates from his touring and live sound work wanted to record with him. Tony Williamson came in first and recorded "All for Naught" his first solo record that received critical acclaim for its music and for it sonic quality. Soon to follow was the Rubber Room's first project with Jack Lawrence, "About Time". Co-producing this project with Jack was quite a feather in the cap of the studio as it brought in many acoustic stars. Not only Jack, but Doc Watson and Mike Auldridge, Moondi Klein, T. Michael Coleman, Jimmy Gaudreau and an array of other stars. Many other great projects were produced and recorded, such as Daniel Gores "Ways That Are Dark" with performances from Peter Rowan, Tim Obrien, Rickie Simpkins, Craig Smith and many others.

It seemed as if the only thing the Rubber Room did not have going for it was room, enough of it, so new plans were in the works by the summer of '98. Jerry's experience in the many studios he worked in over the years inspired him to set up a studio where full bands could record live. Jerry began construction on the new studio with the perspective of a musician and the advice of studio designers and technicians. In the winter of 1998 the new studio was finally completed. A large main room with 18 ft ceilings, surrounded by three isolation booths and a spacious control room was off to a roaring start. Since then the Rubber Room has continued recording and producing more and more great music. Jerry has continued to produce over one hundred CD projects with many of the great players from the original studio along with an incredible list of new visitors such as Bobby Hicks, Sam Bush, Will McFarlane, Jerry Douglas and Jim Mills to mention a few.