Grant Walden is the owner and Chief Audio Engineer of Heartell Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL. He cut his teeth learning from music’s best-known sound masters and was recognized as one of Muscle Shoals’ top recording engineers. He’s also the creator and host of the Muscle Shoals Storytellers podcast.
RELATED: Songwriters Joe Leather, Kyle Jacobs, & Matt Wynn
We sat down at SOWAL House studio in Rosemary Beach, FL, to chat about the Muscle Shoals music and recording scene, podcasting, and how sound engineering is evolving. Interestingly, Grant wrote and recorded the theme to the I-65 to 30a podcast and reguarly plays in and with bands around Muscle Shoals. He also edits this podcast, including Southern Americana!
“Welcome to Muscle Shoals. Hit Recording Capital of the World,” sign welcoming visitors.
Grant grew up in the Muscle Shoals area and began playing guitar in his teens. Fortunately, he gained his recording knowledge by observing and working with experienced sound engineers like Billy Lawson at Wishbone Studios. Not only is Billy a songwriter and accomplished musician. He’s produced and recorded acts such as Darryl Worley, Sammy Kershaw, and penned multiple hits songs for Shenandoah, Tim McGraw, Lee Ann Womack, George Strait, and Blake Shelton.
Muscle Shoals Recording Magic
Not only is Muscle Shoals the home to so many remarkable hits, an entirely new stable of artists, songwriters, and recording engineers record new material weekly. “You cannot experience, Muscle Shoals. You just have to experience it,” Grant explained during our episode.
“We all try to analyze the ‘Muscle Shoals sound’. The reality is, great session players and artists show up and we all figure everything out. That’s the way Muscle Shoals music has always worked and still does.”
It’s not uncommon for Grant to work with such industry greats as David Hood, Spooner Oldham, and Mark Narmore. Just days before recording our episode, Grant worked with Hood, who gained fame as one of the infamous “Swampers,” that also included Jimmy Johnson and Roger Hawkins. The trio initially worked for Rick Hall at FAME studios, before founding Muscle Shoals Sound Studio on Jackson Avenue.
In addition to recording and producing new music, Grant is also the creator and host of Muscle Shoals Storytellers, a podcast covering Muscle Shoals music. Grant resides in Florence, AL with his talented wife, Haley, and their two children. You don’t want to miss this episode.