Sound Cell Recording Studios || Huntsville, Alabama

Robert LaSalle

A teenage musician records a beautiful and haunting album in his bedroom. Two local producers hear the record and are blown away. The production team helps the young gun flesh out a new song. This new song sounds bigger and better. A music industry insider gets the song on a high-profile compilation disk. This is a record issued to Grammy Association members -people with power. Endless possibilities fill the air. Then the deal falls through, dead on the vine. Robert LaSalle takes it all with a poise that belies his age. He's a quiet and humble guy with Beatles for brains and Beethoven in his fingers. He's a 19-year-old magic music weirdo. LaSalle's music fits nicely next to the revered art-rock of Radiohead. A year ago, LaSalle brought in his self-produced record, "Fridge Buzzing," to Smith to be mastered. The music perked up the studio owner's ears and he passed it on to Anderson. He cues up a new song, "Far Too Close," on Sound Cell's colossal studio monitors. Piano flourishes float in thick echo around slippery bass. LaSalle's voice lilts in falsetto mystery. Then comes a bridge that would make Paul McCartney smile. The second tune we hear is "Things," an atmospheric amalgam of futuristic folk and retro synthesizer. While Anderson and Smith still occasionally suggest arrangement or production ideas, the songwriting is purely LaSalle. LaSalle seems grateful to be working with accomplished tunesmiths. However, there are more songs to be sung before these sessions result in Robert LaSalle's second record. The artist remains undaunted. (Excerpts taken from Huntsville Times article by MATT WAKE)

Robert was added to a compilation of new artists, promoted by Memorex and EMEG.Inc and given away to the 2005 Grammy Association members. Click here for more info.

For Booking info contact Nick@soundcell.com or call 615-995-2924. www.myspace.com/robertlasalle

Lacey Atchison

Producer David Anderson brought Lacey to Sound Cell as a demo artist on a song he and Doug wrote entitled "Float". Lacey's performance was inspiring and she became a frequent demo singer for the songwriters. Each demo brought them closer to what ultimately became the masters for her debut album. One song debuted in a feature film and opportunities opened up with a internet promotion sponsored by Sports illustrated. More information can be found about Lacey and her debut album on our website or by clicking here.

TAKE 6 In the early eighties, through Mark Kibble's uncle, Sound Cell was introduced to the amazing talents of a group from Oakwood College's acoustical stairwells and dormitory bathrooms - then known as Alliance. After years of working with the group, giving them all jobs, co-signing car loans, teaching them the in's and out's of the music industry, helping them develop their recording style, and promoting them everywhere, an independent record was undertaken. When money ran out Doug again stepped in and helped complete the project including a re-recording and mix on "David", the song that he gave through friend Mac McAnally to Jim Ed Norman, president of Warner Brother's in Nashville. Doug arranged for Jim Ed to attend their first showcase in a Christian bookstore on music row and they we're signed the next day. Alliance became TAKE 6 and the rest is history. www.take6.com

Pierce Pettis While Doug was winding up his own artist pursuits and committing to the studio full time, he ran into a singer/songwriter who had lost his publishing deal with Muscle Shoals and was auditioning for the club where Doug often performed. Their friendship expanded into years of working together, with Piece floating in an out of town, using a spare bedroom at Doug's house and recording whenever they could. Doug helped developed Pierce's songwriting during the years he was signed as a writer to Let's Have Lunch Music and then fproduced and released on Small World Records, "Moments" followed several years later by "While the Serpent Lies Sleeping" that was picked up by Windham Hill. At the time Doug negotiated the deal, Pierce was the first folk artist signed to develop "High Street Records" for Wil Ackerman. His song "legacy", produced by Doug, was used to pilot the self-titled new-folk compilation "Legacy" which included artists like John Gorka, Uncle Bonzai, David Massengill, and Bill Morrissey. Doug was executive producer for the "Tinseltown" release, after which Pierce went on to sign with Polygram Music in Nashville where Doug was also signed as a writer-producer and working as talent scout. www.piercepettis.com

Brian McKnight

The younger brother of a member of Take 6 came to Sound Cell hoping to enlist the support of the man who helped his brother find success. Doug immediately introduced Brian to to his lead staff writer, Brandon Barnes, who took the 17 year-old under his wing and soon the two were in the writer's room every day. By the time Kenny Ortiz from Capitol Records showed the first interest in Brian on a demo, the Sound Cell team of writers and musicians were contributing to Brian's career at full speed. Contrary to bios that claim " By the age of 18, McKnight had secured a publishing deal. His calling to the national scene manifested itself when his older brother Claude and the group he was a member of, Take 6, signed a recording contract with a major label. After sending out numerous demos to various record companies, McKnight's tape drew the interest of Mercury Records president Ed Eckstine (son of Billy Eckstine). Eckstine was so impressed with McKnight's sound that the young artist was signed to a deal within two weeks". Brian never shopped himself, and as an artist and writer signed to Sound Cell for years, we only wish it had been that easy. The studio walls still display rejection letters on Brian - even from Ed Eckstine's assistant Sam Sapp - right next to the platinum album that was started in Huntsville. When Doug concluded negotiations with Polygram, it was reportedly one of the most artist favorable deals done that year. After a few months, Ed persuaded Brian to take the project from Sound Cell, but over two years later and hundreds of thousands of $ over budget, the record still had 12 songs written and demoed at Sound Cell, and many of the original tracks, including Sound Cel's recording of "One Last Cry", were still sounding out on the platinum selling debut album. To hear some of Brian's original demos navigate to our publishing catalog.