Bill Schnee

William S. Schnee (born July 4, 1947) is an American musician, music producer, and audio engineer. Schnee has been nominated 11 times for the Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical Grammy Award and worked on a multitude of other Grammy nominated and awarded albums. He has won two Grammys, an Emmy for Outstanding Sound for a Television Special, and a Dove Award. In a 45+ year career of very diverse artists, Schnee has received over 135 gold and platinum records and has recorded/mixed over 50 top twenty singles.

Early life

Schnee was born in Phoenix, Arizona, where he lived until he was 13. At that time, his family moved to California. Early musical training was in trumpet, saxophone and piano. In 1964, his senior year at Glendora High School, Schnee started a band, The LA Teens, writing songs and playing organ. Immediately after graduation, The LA Teens were signed to Decca Records. When their single releases had little success, the band was dropped, however, they were immediately signed by Mike Curb to work with producer/engineer Richie Podolor. While learning his craft, Schnee attended California State Polytechnic University, majoring in Business. Schnee then started law school at Loyola University, but took a leave of absence in the second semester to continue playing and recording music. Three years after being produced by Podolor, Schnee's big break came when he was hired to engineer in Podolor's studio. On Schnee's third day, Podolor put him in to record two tracks and some overdubs for Three Dog Night. Schnee never returned to law school.

Career

Schnee was instrumental in launching Sheffield Lab Records and the modern era direct to disc audiophile recordings, when in 1973 he engineered Lincoln Mayorga & Distinguished Colleagues - The Missing Linc, Volume III, and in 1975 he produced and engineered the Thelma Houston and Pressure Cooker album, '' I've Got the Music in Me''. These audiophile albums were recorded in real time directly to the phonograph record cutting lathe. Schnee went on to produce several more of the direct to disc albums, including James Newton Howard and Friends, The Drum Record, and The Track Record.

Schnee has recorded and mixed with a wide variety of artists that include Steely Dan, Chicago, Ringo (with all the Beatles), Natalie Cole, Rod Stewart, Dire Straits, Whitney Houston, Carly Simon, The Pointer Sisters, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Barry Manilow, Michael Bolton, The Jacksons, Mark Knopfler, Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Marvin Gaye, George Benson, Bette Midler, and Amy Grant. As a producer, Schnee has worked with Boz Scaggs, Joe Sample, Thelma Houston, Kiki Dee, and launched the careers of Huey Lewis and the News and Pablo Cruise. Schnee has also mixed the bulk of the Japanese mega-star Kazumasa Oda's albums.

Recording studio

In 1981, Schnee opened Schnee Studio in North Hollywood. Schnee and his fellow engineers built all of the equipment for the studio, including the discrete recording console and custom tube microphone preamps. The studio has an extensive collection of vintage tube microphones.

In 2015, Schnee Studio was sold and merged to become Studio 6 of the adjacent Larrabee Sound Studios.

Awards

Schnee has been nominated eleven times in the category of Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, winning twice.

Grammy Awards

* 1977 '' Aja'' – Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical
* 1981 ''Gaucho'' – Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

Emmy Award

* 1992 Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing For a Variety, Music series, or Special for "Unforgettable, With Love" by Natalie Cole.

Dove Award

* 1995 Praise and Worship Album of the Year for ''Promise Keepers, Raise the Standard''.

Selected works

Over the course of his career, Schnee has worked on over 600 albums
*Grammy Nominated for Best Engineered Album – Non Classical

* 2015 ''That Lovin' Feeling'' – Steve Tyrell – engineer, mixing
* 2014 ''My Dream Duets'' – Barry Manilow – engineer, mixing
* 2014 '' Night Songs'' – Barry Manilow – mixing
* 2013 ''It's Magic: The Songs of Sammy Cahn'' – Steve Tyrell – mixing
* 2013 '' My Hope: Songs Inspired by the Message and Mission of Billy Graham'' – engineer, mixing
* 2013 ''New Blood/No Sweat/More Than Ever'' – Blood, Sweat & Tears – producer
* 2012 ''AM/FM'' – Rita Wilson – engineer
* 2012 ''As Time Goes By/Stardust he Great American Songbook, Vols. 2-3' – Rod Stewart – engineer
* 2012 ''I'll Take Romance'' – Steve Tyrell – engineer, mixing
* 2011 ''1'' – Julio Iglesias – engineer
* 2010 ''The Essential Herb Alpert'' – Herb Alpert – mixing
* 2009 ''Priority/Black and White'' – Pointer Sisters – mixing
* 2009 ''Anything Goes'' – Herb Alpert – engineer, mixing
* 2009 '' Soulbook'' – Rod Stewart – mixing
* 2008 ''Marcus'' – Marcus Miller – mixing
* 2008 '' Still Unforgettable'' – Natalie Cole – engineer*
* 2008 ''Benji Hughes'' – Benji Hughes – mixing
* 2008 ''Encanto'' – Sergio Mendes – mixing
* 2007 '' At the Movies'' – Dave Koz – engineer
* 2007 ''Free'' – Marcus Miller – mixing
* 2007 '' Home at Last'' – Billy Ray Cyrus – mixing
* 2006 ''Romantic Classics'' – Julio Iglesias – engineer
* 2005 '' Bette Midler Sings the Peggy Lee Songbook'' – Bette Midler – mixing
* 2005 '' Altered State'' – Yellowjackets – engineer
* 2005 ''Thanks for the Memory: The Great American Songbook, Vol. 4'' – Rod Stewart – Audio engineer, engineer
* 2005 '' Twilight of the Renegades'' – Jimmy Webb – mixing
* 2004 '' Just for a Thrill'' – Ronnie Milsap – mixing
* 2004 ''Sheffield Lab Drum and Track Disc'' – Sheffield Track Record – producer, engineer
* 2004 ''Stardust: The Great American Songbook, Vol. 3'' – Rod Stewart – engineer, String Engineer
* 2003 '' Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook'' – Bette Midler – engineer, mixing
* 2003 ''This Guy's in Love'' – Steve Tyrell – mixing
* 2003 ''The Movie Album'' – Barbra Streisand – mixing
* 2002 ''David Clayton-Thomas/Tequila Sunrise'' – David Clayton-Thomas – engineer, mixing
* 2002 ''The Pecan Tree'' – Joe Sample – producer
* 2002 '' The Christmas Album'' – Johnny Mathis – mixing
* 2001 '' Christmas Memories'' – Barbra Streisand – mixing
* 2001 ''On the Way to Love'' – Patti Austin – mixing
* 2001 '' The Disney Album'' – Michael Crawford – mixing
* 2000 '' Absolute Benson'' – George Benson – mixing*
* 2000 ''Fingerprints'' – Larry Carlton – mixing
* 2000 ''Here's to You Charlie Brown'' – David Benoit, engineer, mixing*
* 2000 ''Tomorrow Today'' – Al Jarreau – engineer, mixing
* 2000 ''Tutu/Amandla/Doo-Bop'' – Miles Davis – mixing
* 1999 ''Body Language'' – Boney James – mixing
* 1999 ''The Song Lives On'' – Lalah Hathaway – producer
* 1999 '' Snowbound'' – Fourplay – engineer
* 1998 ''As Time Goes By'' – Neil Diamond – engineer, mixing
* 1998 ''The Movie Album: As Time Goes By'' – Neil Diamond – engineer, mixing
* 1997 ''Artist of My Soul'' – Sandi Patty – mixing
* 1997 ''Greatest Hits'' – Kenny G – engineer
* 1997 '' Vulnerable'' – Marvin Gaye – mixing
* 1996 ''Mandy Barnett'' – Mandy Barnett – producer
* 1996 ''Full Circle'' – Randy Travis – mixing
* 1996 ''In My Lifetime'' – Neil Diamond – engineer, mixing
* 1996 ''Sheffield Jazz Experience'' – producer
* 1996 '' That's Right'' – George Benson – engineer, mixing
* 1996 ''The Sheffield Pop Experience'' – producer
* 1995 ''The Tattooed Heart'' – Aaron Neville – mixing
* 1994 ''Love is Always 17'' – David Gates – mixing
* 1994 ''Cohen Live'' – Leonard Cohen – mixing
* 1994 ''Tenderness'' – Al Jarreau – mixing
* 1993 '' Citizen Steely Dan'' – Steely Dan – engineer
* 1993 '' Friends Can Be Lovers'' – Dionne Warwick – mixing
* 1993 '' Love Remembers'' – George Benson – engineer, mixing
* 1993 ''Love Songs'' – Diane Schuur – mixing
* 1993 ''Screenplaying'' – Mark Knopfler – mixing
* 1993 ''Starbox'' – Boz Scaggs – producer
* 1993 ''The Sun Don't Lie'' – Marcus Miller – mixing
* 1992 ''Home for Christmas'' – Amy Grant – mixing
* 1992 ''Timeless: The Classics'' – Michael Bolton – engineer
* 1991 '' Hard at Play'' – Huey Lewis & the News – producer
* 1991 ''Healing the Wounds'' – The Crusaders – mixing
* 1991 '' On Every Street'' – Dire Straits – engineer
* 1990 ''Ashes to Ashes'' – Joe Sample – mixing
* 1990 '' ''Blue Pacific'''' – Michael Franks – mixing
* 1990 ''Grand Piano Canyon'' – Bob James – mixing
* 1990 ''Neck and Neck' – Chet Atkins – mixing
* 1989 '' Amandla'' – Miles Davis – mixing
* 1989 ''Last Exit to Brooklyn'' – Mark Knopfler – mixing
* 1989 '' No Holdin' Back'' – Randy Travis – mixing
* 1989 ''Spellbound'' – Joe Sample – mixing
* 1988 '' Get Here'' – Brenda Russell – mixing
* 1988 '' Heart of Mine'' – Boz Scaggs – producer
* 1988 ''Love Songs'' – David Sanborn – engineer, mixing
* 1988 ''Other Roads'' – Boz Scaggs – producer
* 1987 '' Get Close to My Love'' – Jennifer Holliday – engineer, mixing
* 1986 ''Double Vision'' – Bob James – engineer, mixing
* 1986 ''Tutu'' – Miles Davis – mixing, surround sound
* 1985 ''Gettin' Away with Murder'' – Patti Austin – mixing
* 1985 ''James Newton Howard and Friends'' – James Newton Howard – producer
* 1985 ''Take No Prisoners'' – Peabo Bryson – mixing
* 1985 ''Greg Rolie'' – Greg Rolie – producer
* 1985 ''Whitney Houston'' – Whitney Houston – mixing
* 1984 ''Home Again'' – Judy Collins – mixing
* 1984 ''Love Language'' – Teddy Pendergrass – mixing
* 1984 ''In London'' – Al Jarreau – engineer
* 1983 ''Merciless'' – Stephanie Mills – mixing
* 1983 ''Uncle Wonderful'' – Janis Ian – mixing
* 1982 '' So Excited!'' – Pointer Sisters – mixing
* 1982 ''Angel Heart'' – Jimmy Webb – mixing
* 1982 ''Missin' Twenty Grand'' – David Lasley – producer, engineer, mixing
* 1982 ''Stand by the Power'' – the Imperials – producer, engineer
* 1982 ''Chicago 16'' – Chicago – mixing
* 1982 ''Dreamgirls riginal Broadway Cast Album' – mixing
* 1981 ''The Jacksons: Live'' – The Jacksons – engineer, mixing
* 1981 ''Growing Up in Hollywood Town'' – Lincoln Mayorga and Amanda McBroom – engineer, mixing*
* 1980 ''New Baby'' – Don Randi and Quest – engineer, mixing*
* 1980 ''Alibi'' – America – mixing
* 1980 ''Gaucho'' – Steely Dan – engineer*
* 1980 ''Gideon'' – Kenny Rogers – mixing
* 1980 ''Huey Lewis and the News'' – Huey Lewis & the News – producer
* 1980 ''Middle Man'' – Boz Scaggs – producer
* 1979 '' Dr. Heckle and Mr. Jive'' – England Dan and John Ford Coley – mixing
* 1979 '' Stoneheart''- Brick – producer
* 1979 ''Part of the Game'' – Pablo Cruise – producer
* 1979 ''September Morn'' – Neil Diamond – engineer, mixing
* 1978 ''Leo Sayer'' – Leo Sayer – engineer
* 1978 '' Worlds Away'' – Pablo Cruise- producer
* 1978 '' You Don't Bring Me Flowers'' – Neil Diamond – mixing engineer, supervisor
* 1977 ''If Love is Real'' – Randy Edleman – producer
* 1977 '' A Place in the Sun'' – Pablo Cruise – engineer, mixing
* 1977 '' Aja'' – Steely Dan – engineer*
* 1977 ''Discovered Again'' – Dave Grusin – engineer, mixing*
* 1977 '' I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight'' – Neil Diamond – engineer, mixing
* 1977 '' Making a Good Thing Better'' – Olivia Newton-John – engineer, mixing
* 1976 ''Farewell Fairbanks'' – Randy Edleman – producer
* 1976 ''Don't Stop Believin – Olivia Newton-John – mixing
* 1976 '' Endless Flight'' – Leo Sayer – engineer
* 1976 ''Follow My Mind'' – Jimmy Cliff – mixing
* 1976 ''I've Got a Reason'' – Richie Furay – producer
* 1975 ''Breakaway'' – Art Garfunkel – mixing
* 1975 '' I've Got the Music in Me'' – Thelma Houston – producer, engineer, mixing*
* 1975 ''Melissa'' – Melissa Manchester – engineer, Remixing
* 1975 ''Playing Possum'' – Carly Simon – engineer, Remixing
* 1974 ''Goodnight Vienna'' – Ringo Starr – Audio engineer, engineer, Remixing
* 1974 ''Hotcakes'' – Carly Simon – engineer, Remixing
* 1974 ''Lincoln Mayorga & Distinguished Colleagues, Vol. 3'' – Lincoln Mayorga – engineer, mixing*
* 1974 ''Live!'' – Marvin Gaye – engineer, mixing
* 1973 '' Barbra Streisand...and Other Musical Instruments'' – Barbra Streisand – mixing
* 1973 '' Ringo'' – Ringo Starr – engineer, mixing
* 1972 ''David Clayton-Thomas'' – David Clayton-Thomas – mixing
* 1972 ''LaCroix'' – Jerry Lacroix – producer
* 1972 ''Live Concert at the Forum'' – Barbra Streisand – engineer
* 1972 '' No Secrets'' – Carly Simon – engineer, mixing*
* 1971 '' Barbra Joan Streisand'' – Barbra Streisand – engineer, mixing

Scores for movies and television

* 2011 Rio usic from the Motion Picture– engineer, mixing
* 2001 Atlantis: The Lost Empire riginal Soundtrack– James Newton Howard – engineer
* 2000 Space Cowboys riginal Soundtrack– engineer, mixing
* 1997 Space Jam riginal Score– James Newton Howard – engineer, mixing
* 1997 The Postman riginal Score/Soundtrack– James Newton Howard – producer
* 1996 E.R.: Original Television Theme Music and Score – producer
* 1995 Father of the Bride, Pt. 2 riginal Soundtrack– Alan Silvestri – mixing
* 1994 The Swan Princess riginal Soundtrack– mixing
* 1992 '' The Bodyguard riginal Motion Picture Soundtrack' – engineer
* 1991 The Prince of Tides riginal Soundtrack– James Newton Howard – mixing
* 1989 Beaches riginal Soundtrack– Bette Midler – engineer
* 1987 The Princess Bride riginal Soundtrack– Mark Knopfler – mixing
* 1985 Promised Land riginal Score– James Newton Howard – engineer

References

External links

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Bill Schnee Interview
NAMM Oral History Library (2021)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schnee, Bill
1947 births
Living people
Record producers from Arizona
American audio engineers
Grammy Award winners
Primetime Emmy Award winners