Lipscomb University’s College Of Entertainment & The Arts To Help Preserve Historic Sound Emporium Studio As New Owner

Former Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets owner George Shinn has agreed to gift the Sound Emporium, one of Nashville’s vibrant recording studios for nearly 50 years, to Lipscomb University.

The announcement ceremony was at 10:15 a.m. Bill Cody, morning show host of WSM’s “Coffee, Country & Cody” and a Grand Ole Opry announcer/host; Amy Grant, world renown recording artist and recent Nashville Walk of Fame inductee; Randy Goodman, Chairman and CEO of Sony Music Nashville and Lipscomb alumnus; Lipscomb University President L. Randolph Lowry; Mike Fernandez, dean of the George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts; and other university and music industry officials participated in the ceremony.

“This generous gift will provide an extremely valuable learning opportunity for our students in the contemporary music program, as well as those who are interested in a variety of aspects of the recording industry,” said Fernandez. “The Sound Emporium has played a key role in the development of the music industry in Nashville, and we are thrilled that Lipscomb will now get to play a role in preserving this icon in the industry. With the studio located just one mile from Lipscomb, the Sound Emporium will provide students the opportunity to learn from industry leaders and artists at one of the nation’s top recording studios through internships, hands-on experience and other initiatives.”

Shinn, who has owned the Sound Emporium since 2011, recently announced his plans to give ownership of the studio to Lipscomb while retaining Juanita Copeland, who is the current president and general manager and will continue to oversee the studio’s operations and manage its staff as she has done since 2005. Under Lipscomb’s ownership, producer Charlie Peacock will oversee the day-to-day interactions between the studio and the university. His primary role will be to preserve the professional production capacity of the studio while looking for subtle ways for it to serve as a real-world learning lab for contemporary music students in the university’s George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts.

 “For the first time ever, we will have a partner in Lipscomb University who will help us preserve the history of this iconic place that we have worked so hard to create,” said Copeland. “In the 22 years that I have been a part of the Sound Emporium team, I have seen a lot of ebb and flow in this industry. I am excited that this partnership will give us stability and a partner who shares our vision. We are honored and proud to be part of the Lipscomb family.”

The Sound Emporium has been a vital part of Nashville’s international claim to fame as Music City, U.S.A., and has been the place that numerous music legends have entrusted with their recording projects for nearly 50 years. In 1969, “Cowboy Jack” Clement, who produced artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Charlie Rich and Johnny Cash at Memphis’ famed Sun Records, built Jack Clement Recording Studios in Nashville, the first of its kind in the city. In 1979, Clement sold the studio and the name changed to the Sound Emporium. Producer Garth Fundis purchased the studio in 1992, and in 2011 sold it to George Shinn, former owner of the NBA franchise Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets.

One of Nashville’s most iconic recording studios, numerous artists have produced music within the Sound Emporium’s walls, including Kenny Rogers, Johnny Cash, John Denver, Keith Whitley, New Grass Revival, REM, Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Plant, Alison Krauss, Taylor Swift, Elvis Costello, Willie Nelson, Kenny Chesney, Cyndi Lauper, Keith Urban, Merle Haggard, Cole Swindell, Jimmy Buffett, St. Paul and the Broken Bones and numerous others. In addition, film soundtracks such as O’ Brother Where Art Thou, Cold Mountain and Walk the Line have been recorded at the Sound Emporium under the guidance of Grammy-winning producer T-Bone Burnett.

The Sound Emporium gift is just part of a $15 million pledge Shinn has committed to Lipscomb University. Last month, Lipscomb officials announced the $15 million gift, the largest in university history, to fund a new events center among other initiatives. In recognition of this gift, the college was named the George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts. Lipscomb and Shinn expect that the gift of the Sound Emporium to Lipscomb will take effect before June 30, 2017.

“This is a significant moment in the history of Lipscomb University,” said John Lowry, Lipscomb University vice president for development and external affairs. “We are grateful to George Shinn and his commitment not only to this institution, but to our students and the music industry as a whole. We look forward to continuing the vision of the Sound Emporium to serve this community and the music industry for decades to come and to the many ways our students will thrive as they have a unique opportunity to learn from some of the industry’s leaders at Sound Emporium.”

Shinn, a resident of Franklin, Tennessee, is founder of the George Shinn Foundation, which is dedicated to helping people in need. It is committed to building God’s kingdom and reflecting its founder’s deep Christian faith by furthering the work of churches, ministries, missionaries and nonprofit organizations.

Lipscomb University’s George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts is the fastest growing college in the university, with undergraduate degrees in cinematic arts, fashion and design, contemporary and classical music, theater and dance, and visual arts. Graduate programs include Master of Arts degrees in film and creative media, Master of Fine Arts degrees in film and creative media with writer and director tracks and a Master of Fine Arts/Master of Business Administration blended degree. With training from artists-in-residence like Steve Taylor, Charlie Peacock and others, the CEA provides a real world experience where students are inspired to create what’s next for the marketplace.  The mission of Lipscomb University’s George Shinn College of Entertainment & the Arts is to be a Christ-centered, innovative, entrepreneurial arts community committed to rigorous artistic training, creative collaboration and professional growth that seeks to train the next generation of believer artists who seek to uplift, challenge and entertain culture through their art. For more information visit cea.lipscomb.edu.