Allaire Studios, Shokan:

Allaire Studios is located 8 miles west of Woodstock. The residential studio is situated at the mountaintop estate Glen Tonche and offers full-time technical support, state-of-the-art sound rooms and an on-site chef. The Great Hall room features a view of the Catksill Mountains and the Ashokan Reservoir. There are five other recording rooms, including The Neve Room, a wall-less studio where the performance area and control room are combined. Norah Jones recorded her debut album, “Come Away with Me,” in The Neve Room. Levon Helm and Garth Hudson joined Jones at The Neve Room while recording her “Feels Like Home.” And country music star Tim McGraw recorded the title song from his album “Live Like You Were Dying,” at The Great Hall. Additionally, David Bowie, Cassandra Wilson, Natalie Merchant, Donald Fagen and many others have releases that were recorded and/or mixed at Allaire.

Contact info: Allaire Studios, 486 Pitcairn Road, Shokan, NY 12481; (845)657-6553; http://www.allairestudios.com

Applehead Studio, Woodstock:

Applehead is a large barn studio in Woodstock, where artists like Tony Levin, Jerry Marotta, Jesse Gress and King Crimson have recorded. Applehead had just completed a new barn addition when King Crimson recorded their 1994 “Vrooom” sessions.

Contact info: Applehead Recording & Production, PO Box 634, Bearsville, NY 12409; (845) 679-6490; http://www.myspace.com/appleheadrecording

Bearsville Studios, Bearsville:

Bearsville Studios is one of the few purely analog recording studios left. It was originally viewed as the personal studio for The Band; however, during its more than 30-year history, it has quickly became one of the most popular recording studios for many well known artists. Less than five minutes from downtown Woodstock, Bearsville Studios began its rich recording history in 1970, when music industry giant Albert B. Grossman (The Band, Todd Rundgren, Janis Joplin, Paul Butterfield , Bob Dylan and many others) planned and financed the building of the studio. The original Bearsville Studios were comprised of two rooms: A and B. In addition to the studio, Bearsville also offers Turtle Creek Barn and Apartments for a more private recording experience. The converted barn is a separate studio building. Some well known – and some not so well known – albums were recorded at Bearsville Studios, including The Isley Brother’s “Funky Family”; The Rolling Stones’ May 1978 tour rehearsal 4-disc collection, “The Complete Woodstock Tapes”; Natalie Merchant’s “Tigerlily”; Joe Jackson’s 1982 “Blaze of Glory”; and many others like REM, Phish, The Dave Matthews Band, Cassandra Wilson, Don Byron, Slick Rick, Foreigner, The Pretenders and Todd Rundgren’s band, Utopia, are just a few of the hundreds who have recorded at Bearsville. Rundgren opened Utopia Video Studios, a multi-million dollar cutting-edge video production enterprise, in 1979 as part of the Bearsville empire. Their first project was called "The Planets," commissioned by RCA as the first demonstration software for their new videodisc format. Earlier, Rundgren became an in-house producer and engineer for Grossman’s studio and label, Bearsville Records, and did mixing and engineering for The Band’s 1970 album “Stage Fright.”

Contact info: Bearsville Studios, P.O. Box 135, Bearsville, NY 12409; (845) 679-8900; http://www.bearsvillestudios.com

The Big Pink, West Saugerties:

“Big Pink” was the name given to The Band’s Ric Danko’s rented house in West Saugerties, just a few miles Northeast of Woodstock. After Bob Dylan was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident in 1966, the Hawks, along with Levon Helm, moved to the Woodstock area and collaborated from Big Pink. Their efforts were bootlegged as “Great White Wonder” in 1967, and then officially released in July 1975 as the “The Basement Tapes.” The Hawks officially changed their name to The Band in 1968 and released “Music from Big Pink” as their debut album.

Dreamland Studio, West Hurley:

Dreamland Studio is a 19th-century country church located in West Hurley.  It has played host to artists like Joe Jackson and Ron Sexsmith, as well as long-time Woodstock resident Jack DeJonette, who recorded “Parallel Realities” – accompanied by Pat Methany and Herbie Hancock – at Dreamland. The Push Star’s bassist/keyboard player, Dan McLoughlin, worked as an engineer at Dreamland before joining fellow band members Chris Trapper and Ryan McMillan. Other Woodstock artists, such as The Band, John Hall, NRBQ, John Sebastian and Jules Shear, have been known to frequent the studio also.

Flymax Studio, Woodstock:

Flymax Studio is owned/operated by engineer, producer and drummer Pete Caigan.  Caigan performed as a drummer for several bands in the 1990s and early 2000s and was the engineer for clients Sarah McLachlan, Bad Brains, Lil Jon and others.  Flymax offers recording, voiceover, mixing, production, editing and more.

Contact info: Flymax Studio, P.O. Box 132, Woodstock, NY 12498; (845) 679-6611; http://www.flymaxstudio.com

The Loop Pool, Bearsville:

Created by David Torn, The Loop Pool is a small recording studio operated in Bearsville. Tony Levin has produced and recorded several albums at The Loop Pool, including “Waters of Eden,” featuring Woodstockers Pete Levin, Jerry Marotta and David Sancious, and “Blue Nights.” 


Make Believe Ballroom, West Shokan:

Opened in 1991 by recording engineer Tom Mark, Make Believe Ballroom is a 24-track analog studio. Robbie Dupree – in collaboration with fellow Woodstockers David Sancious, Tony Levin, Jerry Marotta, Jim Weider, Larry Hoppen, John Hall and others – recorded “Walking on Water” at Make Believe. “Upper Extremities,” produced by Levin, was recorded and mixed at this studio. And it is believed that Artie Traum produces the majority of his Homespun Records and Tapes at Make Believe.

Contact info: Make Believe Ballroom, 250 Brodhead Road, West Shokan 12494; (845) 657-6007; http://mbballroom.com

Midnight Modulation, Saugerties:

Located in Saugerties, Midnight Modulation is owned/managed by Michael Bitterman. With its large recording area deep in the woods, this recording studio has served many Woodstock artists well. “Woodstock – Moods and Moments” and “A Woodstock Sampler,” both compilations of Woodstock artists, were recorded here.

Contact info: Midnight Modulation, 29 Paradise Way, Saugerties, NY 12477; (845) 246-4761; http://www.midmod.com

Nevessa Production, Saugerties:

Nevessa Production is a residential recording facility in Saugerties that offers studio and remote recording. In conjunction with other media, Nevessa is credited with helping to mix, broadcast or distribute numerous major music works, including Utopia’s 1982 concert simulcast on cable TV and radio, Todd Rundgren’s performance from The Chance in Poughkeepsie, NRBQ’s 1999 performance from the Bowery Ballroom and others.

Contact info: Nevessa Production, One Artist Road, Saugerties, NY 12477; (845) 679-8848; http://www.nevessa.com

NRS Recording Studios, Catskill:

NRS Studios is owned and operated by Scott Petito, bassist, guitarist, keyboardist and founding member of The Fugs. Some of the artists who have recorded at NRS include: The Band, The Fugs, Orleans, The Dolphins, Tom Pacheco, Baird Hersey & PRANA and Rick Danko, who recorded his last studio album, "Times Like These," at NRS.

Contact info: NRS Recording Studios, Route 34, Catskill, NY 12414; (518)943-0085; http://www.scottpetitoproductions.com

Sonart Recording Studio, Mount Tremper:

Sonart Recording Studio is a state-of-the-art digital and analog studio owned/operated by Ken Lovelett. Opened in 2000, Sonart offers a variety of equipment and rooms and caters to the likes of local Woodstockers bassist Tony Levin, musician/composer Pete Levin, guitarist Mike DiMicco and keyboardist Garth Hudson, original member of The Band.

Contact info: Sonart Recording Studio, Box 254, Mount Tremper, NY 12457; (845) 688-5299; http://www.sonartrecordingstudio.com