Glyn Johns

Award for Musical ExcellenceGlyn Johns (producer, engineer; born February 15, 1942)Glyn Johns, born in Epsom, Surrey, England, February 15, 1942, has been producer or engineer of a number of rock's classic albums, including those by the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, the Eagles, the Who, the Beatles, the Clash and such singular artists as Joan Armatrading and Ryan Adams. Having been trained as a chorister, and performing in a semi-pro band in his teens, Johns left school to begin an apprenticeship in 1959 at London's IBC Studios as an engineer, and a number of artists Johns worked with would spearhead the British Invasion of the Sixties. These included the Rolling Stones, Procol Harum, Traffic and much of the early work by the Who -including "My Generation"- and the Kinks, including "You Really Got Me" and "All Day and All of the Night." He would work with the Rolling Stones across a span of 15 years, beginning with their earliest recording and continuing through virtually every session during that period, including 1967's Their Satanic Majesties Request and 1968's Beggar's Banquet.He was at the board for almost all of the Small Faces' output, including Ogden's Nut Gone Flake, and he also worked with the band's later incarnation as the Faces.Johns worked on the first two Joe Cocker albums, and later the two-record live set, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, his first gold record, for Jerry Moss at A&M Records.Johns' first major production credit was on the Steve Miller Band's debut, 1968's Children of the Future.He worked with the Beatles on Let It Be and Abbey Road, and 1969 saw the release of the landmark Led Zeppelin album debut, on which Johns engineered and shared production duties with Jimmy Page.Johns renewed ties with the Who to produce Who's Next.On the Eagles' first album in 1972, Johns was a key to creating what would become known as a Southern California sound with such hits as "Take It Easy" and "Witchy Woman", and later "Desperado" and "Best of My Love."Johns made three albums with Joan Armatrading, with such hits as "Love and Affection" and "Down To Zero."In between those two albums came Johns' collaboration with Eric Clapton on Slowhand.Johns' work in the next decade and beyond would include mixing Combat Rock for the Clash and producing Bob Dylan's Real Live, as well as return engagements with the Who, Pete Townshend and Ronnie Lane, Eric Clapton, plus work with John Hiatt, Crosby Stills & Nash, Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt and many others. Most recently, Johns produced Ashes & Fire for Ryan Adams, and is now preparing to record Adams' follow-up.