“Al Schmitt on the Record: The Magic Behind the Music” book published

About

FOREWORD

by Sir Paul McCartney

WHEN I WORKED with Al and Tommy LiPuma on my Kisses on the Bottom album we would do a take, and when we had one that we thought was good enough, we’d go into the control room to check it. This was always a revelation for me because Al had transformed the take into a great-sounding record. This is a skill that very few recording engineers have.

The various techniques that Al uses are a mystery to me and it’s such a joy to be working with someone who understands this magical process. Al would tell us stories of his experiences with everyone from Jefferson Airplane to Frank Sinatra and many other great artists. This encouraged me to share stories of my own, so the sessions were often more like social events than work.

More than all of this, Al is a great human being who cares deeply about what he does and the people he works with. He is admired by many recording artists and fellow engineers for these qualities.

I always wished I knew more about Al and so am very much looking forward to reading this book. Thank you, Al, for the wonderful times we have shared.

Love,
Paul

Last updated on May 7, 2022