This rendering shows what Church Studio may look like after a renovation is complete. (Courtesy Church Studio)
By Jimmie Tramel, Tulsa World | Teresa Knox, while providing a sneak preview of an upcoming Tulsa attraction, pointed out the future location of Dan Fogelberg’s piano and the future location of a console that was used during the recording of a Bob Dylan album.
The upcoming attraction is actually an old attraction made new again, but, this time, you can get a foot inside the door.
Back in the day, the saying was you had to know someone to get inside Church Studio, a church that the late, great Tulsa music legend Leon Russell converted into a recording studio during the heyday of a record label (Shelter Records) launched by the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and English producer Denny Cordell.
Knox said Russell and Cordell were eating at restaurant (the Ranch House, now the Freeway Cafe) across the street when they saw a “for sale” sign on the built-in-1915 church. During a span of years from 1972 to 1976, music artists came to Tulsa to hang out and record at Church Studio. And they will again.
Workers are hammering away at Church Studio, 304 S. Trenton Ave., to get the facility restored to its 1970s glory for a July opening. Knox, the current owner, wants to recapture the Russell-era vibe of Church Studio while modernizing it for contemporary studio use and for public enjoyment.
Selected goodies from the 5,000-plus items in the Church Studio Archive will be on display, and Church Studio will be a multi-functional space capable of hosting concert performances and programs like, for instance, book signings and art exhibits related to the music industry.
The completed project should bring a smile to the face of “Leon Lifers,” a nickname given to fans and proponents of Russell, who died in 2016. Knox is a fan. She began collecting Russell memorabilia and music when she was 8.
“As a native Tulsan, I was really proud of our artists that came from my hometown — David Gates, JJ Cale, Leon Russell, Dwight Twilley, Elvin Bishop, Gary Busey, The Gap Band, Walt Richmond, David Teegarden, Jamie Oldaker,” she said. “And I loved that someone like Eric Clapton would come to our town and learn from our musicians and use them. Our history is magical.”
Knox described the restoration of Church Studio as a passion project. It wasn’t for sale when she reached out to the previous owner, but they made a deal anyway.
“I bought it sight unseen,” she said. “I wanted it so badly. I wanted to display my personal collection, but, again, I love historic preservation (Church Studio was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017). Preserving Tulsa’s history is important, especially when stories can be captured and shared in a way for others to learn from and engage with. We have a lot to be proud of, and it’s worth celebrating.”
> > > > > > > > >
Read the whole informative article here:
https://tulsaworld.com/entertainment/church-studio-what-to-expect-from-restoration-of-leon-russells-recording-studio/