Recording with Robben Ford: The Story of Purple House
Many people have asked me questions about playing with Robben Ford and the recording process for Purple House, so here’s a little tell-all about the experience.
First, I must say that it was an absolute honor to be included in the making of this record. As someone who grew up playing in blues bands (with “Lovin’ Cup” and “Talk To Your Daughter” on the setlist), getting “the call” was unexpected and unprecedented. It came from out of the blue—a midsummer night text from producer, multi-instrumentalist, and studio owner, Casey Wasner.
Wasner, who had worked as a tech for Ford and Larry Carlton before joining Keb’ Mo’ as his touring drummer, had also taken to engineering and producing records. Between working with artists in Nashville, producing original music, and winning a Grammy award for Keb’ Mo’s Bluesamericana, working with Wasner was a no-brainer for Ford. Searching for a new sound and some fresh blood, the two began brainstorming ideas for the project.
Choosing A Rhythm Section for Robben Ford’s Purple House
Hoping to make a record that would highlight the art of the song, Wasner reached out to one of Nashville’s funkiest and most versatile drummers, Derrek C. Phillips. With a knack for blues and soul and an insightful disposition, Phillips has worked with everyone from Hank Williams, Jr. to Dr. John. When asked to suggest a bass player, he very fortuitously mentioned, “Ryan Madora.”
After getting together to play through some tunes, Ford decided that the chemistry was right and just like that, made plans for a West Coast tour in October 2017. A month later, we set off for two weeks in Asia, including performances at Blue Note Beijing and Blue Note Tokyo.
While enjoying a happy hour on our day off, Ford called a meeting and mentioned his plans to make a new record upon returning to Nashville.
Recording at The Purple House in Leiper's Fork, TN
Fast forward to January 2018, and it was time to make some noise. We hunkered down in Leiper’s Fork, a delightful small town just outside of Nashville. Wasner’s studio—The Purple House—served as a cozy and creative space with little room for distraction. The daily drive to the country was a welcome pilgrimage in preparation for a full day of recording. As we began getting sounds, my nerves started to kick in. Not only was I getting the opportunity to play on a Robben Ford record, but I was sitting directly in front of him in the tracking room. Sure, we spent time on stage together, but I certainly felt nervous knowing that this masterful musician would be so close he would hear every flub, every note that was just a little too late, and every “let me get that section again.” Alas, I had to calm down and do my best.
The band began by tackling some of the tunes that made their way into the live set. A few of the up-tempo numbers, such as “Tangle With Ya,” “Bound For Glory,” and “Somebody’s Fool” were flushed out on the road. They received a great response from audiences and were clearly meant for this record. The rest of the tunes took shape one by one, with plenty of room for sonic experimentation and quite a bit of, “How about we try this?”
Recording at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL
In addition to recording at The Purple House, Ford and Wasner decided to book a day at FAME Studios. After all, why not take advantage of what this historical studio had to offer? Plus, who doesn’t love a road trip? Some of my favorite records were cut at FAME, so being able to set up and play music in the same spot as my heroes was pretty freaking awesome. Also, one of Aretha Franklin’s gold records was just hanging in the bathroom. Again, pretty freaking awesome.
Finishing Touches
After the initial tracking days, I knew that it would be a while until I heard the final mixes. Rome was not built in a day, and records are rarely made that way these days. Every now and then, I got an exciting text from a friend…a picture from stellar vocalist Maureen Murphy saying, “Look where I am!” as she cut background vocals at the studio. And an even more exciting text from Casey with a “check this out” link to the final product.
Record Release and Tour!
When the record came out in October 2018, I was absolutely thrilled and thoroughly humbled—it’s not every day that you get to listen to yourself on vinyl. To accompany the release, we embarked on a month-long European tour. A handful of dates in the Netherlands, ten days traversing France, and two weeks in Italy. Pain au chocolat? Yes, please. Bass solo? Sure! Tortelli en brodo? You bet! It was an experience that I will never forget.
Reminiscing about the recording process, the touring experience, and the relationships made along the way makes me realize how truly lucky I am—especially as I sit at home on day ten of “social distancing.” Making music involves a lot of people. From the players showing up for overdubs to the engineers in the studio, from the tour managers to the people helping us translate menus from French to English. I’m very grateful for getting to work with each of them and extremely proud to have been part of a particularly awesome musical experience.
Visit TrueFire for even more!
If you haven’t heard the record yet, I highly recommend you do so. It’s a fresh sound for Ford and very much inspired by his new home in Nashville, TN. For an even more in-depth look, I also recommend his TrueFire course, “SongCraft Purple House”, where he explores the writing and recording process for each song on the record. While you’re there, you can also check out my TrueFire bass playing course, “Bass Café: Foundations”.