The Spirit Ranch
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| Bud Snyder at Spirit Ranch Studio |
What do Jeff Buckley, Edwin McCain, Warren Haynes, John Popper, Gumbi Ortiz, Leon Poindexter, Chuck Leavell, Oteil Burbridge, Derek Trucks, Jimmie Fadden, Jimmy Herring. and Stevie Ray Vaughn along with many others have in common - An audio engineer production genius named Bud Snyder. Per Abby Weingarten/Ticket Sarasota, “ He has handled nearly every element of music making – inside the sound
booths and
on the tour buses -- from the United States to Europe and Japan. Snyder was an
audio engineer and production manager for the Allman Brothers Band from 1980 to
2001. He was also involved in five Grammy Award-nominated records and one
winner.” Bud and partner Pete
Arevalo own the Spirit Ranch recording studio.
Recently I had the opportunity to meet Bud and Pete and spend some time
at the Ranch.
It is beautiful and peaceful. It is a perfect place for a music
studio. The musicians are away from the
maddening crowds and can concentrate on the art in their souls.
Bud and Pete were so
kind as to allow me to spend alone time in the recording studio. The studio is filled with good vibrations. I sat on the stage, warmed by sunlight
streaming through the windows, highlighting instruments and the ghosts of
musicians playing them. There is so much
spirit and music echoing through the rooms. You can feel the energy of the
artist, their hope for success, fear of failure, high on music and unfortunately
sometimes something more. You can hear
their voices; singing, laughing and arguing; see their closed eyes, see them swaying to
the music – so many echoes - so many emotions. You can see Bud recording/mixing music –
reaching for just the right combination of voice, beat, and sound that makes
for – wow, this is it! 
If these walls could talk, the stories they
would tell. Each artist leaving behind a
bit of their spirit and taking with them a bit of the spirit someone else left
behind. The Spirit Ranch is such an appropriate name.
Thank you, Bud &
Pete for sharing your Ranch. Thank you, George
for sharing your friends and winter retreat.
The Grammy - Thank you Bud!
