The week-long grand opening of the historic and renovated Church Studio in Tulsa begins today, which is exactly 50 years after music legend Leon Russell bought the property.
Tours of Church Studio are available from March 1 to March 5 for a $5 donation, with tours costing $25 after that. The studio sits at 304 S. Trenton Ave., one block south of an old alignment of Route 66 near downtown.
The Tulsa World newspaper talked to owner Teresa Knox about the studio and the five years it took to renovate it:
“There’s no doubt that renovation challenges and other setbacks have been frustrating, but I have learned to respect and love the process while developing a lot of patience,” she said, adding that she has gained a much deeper appreciation of and respect for the historic renovation process. (Church Studio was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2017.) […]
“It was really important for us to learn as much as possible about the Church’s origins through Leon’s ownership to help us create an experiential atmosphere that is a nod to the past without being stuck in the past,” Knox said. “We gave a lot of thought to the ‘why’ behind our design and decor so that our guests get inspired, learn something new and connect with our messaging by way of an emotional response.”
More about what awaits visitors:
Outside, visitors will be greeted by a 6-foot, 500-pound piece of Russell artwork that has been in place since September. The bronze sculpture shows Russell as he looked in 1972 — two years after he served as the bandleader during Joe Cocker’s legendary Mad Dogs and Englishmen Tour and one year before Russell was named by Billboard as the world’s top touring artist. Enshrined in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2011, Russell died in 2016.
Church Studio visitors will encounter the sculpture before entering a gallery space. Discovery Lab, under Dr. Ray Vandiver’s direction, helped build the gallery exhibit. Though the room is “new” construction and modern-looking, Knox said a “stunning” walnut cathedral ceiling was installed to emulate the look of the early church choir chamber. […]
Gallery walls will have rotating exhibits with photos and artifacts that celebrate the church’s history and “all things music,” according to Knox, including Tulsa Sound lore, Shelter Records and even the recording process.
Meanwhile, an archive room houses the Church Studio Archive, a 5,000-piece collection of artifacts, documents and memorabilia, and Knox said a guided tour has been designed to take visitors through functional areas of the building, including echo chambers, a control room and a belfry. The restoration included a return to Church Studio being a fully functional recording studio.
The Tulsa World also has a gallery of images from the revamped Church Studio here.
The property has been brought back as a working recording studio, using equipment that was used by Dan Fogelberg, David Bowie, U2, Neil Young, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson and Eric Clapton drummer Jamie Oldaker. Even before the grand opening, the studio has been used by Tommy Emmanuel and Kenny Loggins, and famed songwriter and Oklahoma native Jimmy Webb is booked to record there soon.
Russell, a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member who grew up in Tulsa and cut his teeth musically there, moved to Los Angeles in the late 1950s and became a session musician there. He played on thousands of recording sessions and became part of the legendary “The Wrecking Crew.” He branched out on his own, wrote several hit songs (“Superstar,” “Delta Lady” and “A Song for You” among them) and collaborated with music artists such as George Harrison, Joe Cocker and Elton John.
Russell returned to his hometown in 1972 to buy the church. Built in 1915 as Grace Methodist Episcopal Church, Russell converted the structure to a studio. It became a home for Shelter Records, which he started with Denny Cordell. Those who previously have recorded at Church Studio include Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Dwight Twilley, Dr. John, JJ Cale, The GAP Band, Michael Bolton, Kansas, Freddie King, Phoebe Snow, Wolfman Jack and Peter Tosh. Russell died in 2016 at age 74.
Tulsa has become quite a music destination in recent years. It has the Woody Guthrie Center and now Church Studio. The Bob Dylan Center is scheduled to open in May, and the OKPop Museum is set to open in 2023.
(Image of Church Studio in Tulsa via its Facebook page)