LESS TALK, MORE ROCK

My fascination with audio began in middle school when my music teacher explained multitrack recording while playing Penny Lane by The Beatles for the class. Fast forward past all the high school bands and home recording sessions to UMass Lowell where I enrolled in their highly respected Sound Recording Technologies program. It was here, while studying musical and recording theory under some of Boston’s most highly regarded professionals that I met the son of legendary sound man Bill Hanley. Known as the ‘Father of Festival Sound”, some of Hanley’s most notable accomplishments were running FOH at the infamous Woodstock Festival and Newport Jazz Festival.

Through this friendship I was hired on at Terry Hanley Audio Systems, working with many of the original crew from the festival days, as a live sound engineer in the Boston area. It was here that I learned the fundamentals of signal flow, troubleshooting, gear repair and professional etiquette. 

I stayed with Hanley throughout the remainder of my studies at Lowell. I also started working independently as a FOH engineer at bars and recording local bands. 

Upon completion of my BMus, I relocated to Los Angeles where I was quickly offered an entry level position at Westlake Studios in Hollywood. Inspired by the platinum plaques lining the halls and the platinum artists coming and going every day, I spent two years climbing the studio ranks and learning as much as I could from other engineers working at the studio. Always eager to keep things moving and growing, I decided it was time to try my luck as a freelance engineer. 

I soon started booking work regularly on reality television sets running production sound. My work on television has taken me all over the country and world as a Sound Supervisor, Mixer and A2. 

Despite staying so busy in the production world I have not lost sight of my true passion, which is recording and producing music. I still make time to work on music related projects every year on both the East and West coast.

After 5 amazing (and stressful!) years in sunny Southern California I decided it was time for a change and made the move to Dallas, TX! After spending just 6 months there (which just happened to be the hottest summer EVER in the state's history) it already felt like home. Besides, I was traveling 8-10 months a year anyway, at least Dallas is only a short 3 hour flight to either coast!

I've since established myself as a reliable sound mixer in the region. 

Most importantly, however, I met my best friend, and future bride here :) To go "full Texan" I now have two dogs, a Tahoe and a shotgun... guess which one I've never actually played with. I'm still available to work locally in both Los Angeles and Boston and try to take advantage of that as often as I can. 

As I said earlier, I still thoroughly enjoy both listening to and playing music, I'm a Patriots FANATIC and have taken up Crossfit the past couple years. I try to maintain a healthy lifestyle, even when on the road, but my love for fried potatoes (I'm Irish, what do you want?) tends to undermine my physical efforts. 

It's been a crazy ride so far but I still enjoy every second doing what I do and the places it's taken me!

I appreciate you taking the time to visit my site and (hopefully) consider hiring me as your sound guy! If you are another industry professional, student or just plain curious about the world of sound in television, please feel free to reach out to me! I was incredibly fortunate to learn from highly respected professionals with such an impressive pedigree and I'm happy to help preserve the lessons they taught me. 

Go Pats!!

-Jim