Gerry Brown

Gerry “The Gov.” Brown is a recording engineer and producer based in Los Angeles credited on over 47 Platinum and Gold Records. He has received over 15 Grammy bids, including five nominations for Alicia Keys’ “Songs In A Minor,” a Song of the Year Award for Erykah Badu’s “Love of My Life,” two nominations for
Vanessa Williams’ “Comfort Zone” and “Sweetest Days,” and three nominations for
Raphael Saadiq’s “Instant Vintage”. Gerry also won a Billboard Award for producing “Love Is” by Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight. His album credits include artists Whitney Houston, Earth Wind & Fire, Madonna, Sting, Prince,
Stanley Clarke, Leon Ware, The Bee Gees, Brandy, Joss Stone, TLC, Brian McKnight, Phil Collins, Kelis, George Clinton, Nappy Roots, Anastacia, Jill Scott,
Buddy Guy, Jaguar Wright, Warren G, Common, The Bangles, Marcus Miller,
Wayne Shorter, Roy Ayers, Craig Harris, The Gap Band, Usher, Monica, Jonathan Butler, Mariah Carey, Victor Wooten and Babyface.

Biography

Gerry has always been fascinated by electronics. At age of five, he received a tape recorder as a gift. He earned the name “Tape Recorder” because he would use the device to record everything around him: people, birds, cars and all types of sound.

He began to play the trombone in his teens and accelerated to be the primary player at LA High. David Sears, the school band director, gave Gerry an opportunity to work in his 4-track home studio. For years after his graduation, the teacher helpedguide Gerry into the engineering profession while teaching him work ethic and the importance of giving back.

After graduating from LA High School, he attended one semester at California State University: Northridge, before deciding to follow his true passion. He graduated from Sound Masters Recording School, one of the first schools dedicated to sound engineering.

In 1977, Gerry began his professional career with ABC Recording Studios. His first position was in the tape library where he organized and studied over 80,000 tapes, absorbing the history that would become a career tool. After five months, ABC Studios promoted Gerry to a full time second engineer. The grooming process continued as the young audiophile worked with world-class engineers Roger Nichols, Al Schmitt, Barnie Perkins, and Reggie Dozier. Gerry went on to work on staff at Lionshare, Total Experience, Chic Corea’s Mad Hatters studios as a lead engineer, and became independent in 1982.

In 1988, Gerry met Ed Eckstein, then president of Wing Records, when Ed called for a mix of Ron Isley and Angela Winbush’s “Lay Your Troubles Down”. The single landed in the Billboard R&B Top 10. Over the next 7 years, Gerry became a close friend, advisor, producer, and first call for Ed. When Ed became co-President of Polygram in 1992, Gerry followed him to New York City to collect work as Polygram’s “designated hitter”. Though he enjoyed great success during this period, including work on the film Jason’s Lyric, various other soundtracks, and a string of hits, he missed his roots and friends and returned to LA in 1996. Gerry Brown has built a strong independent career as a high demand engineer and producer. He currently lives in Los Angeles where he continues to add to his long list of eclectic credits. His passionate commitment and thirst for knowledge has kept him in the top of the field for over 2 decades, continually cultivating and improving his craft. He has recently completed albums for Joss Stone, Leon Ware, Raphael Saadiq, Stanley Clarke, SMV: Stanley Clarke, Marcus Miller and Victor Wooten, and emerging rock group Beatnik Jr. [Flannery, C. "Gerry Brown The Gov.", 2008]

Selected Credits

Albums

TV & Soundtrack

["Gerry Brown", Allmusic.com, 2008]

[Flannery, C. "Gerry Brown The Gov.", 2008]

References