Bob Clearmountain

Bob Clearmountain (; January 15, 1953) is an American mixing engineer and record producer, best known for his work with major acts, including Bryan Adams, David Bowie, Bon Jovi, Huey Lewis and the News, Roxy Music, the Pretenders, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, and the Rolling Stones. Described by Sound on Sound magazine as having "his name on more hit records than anyone else in the history of popular music",

Clearmountain has mixed some of the most famous live shows in music history, including Live Aid and The Concert for New York City. Records mixed by Clearmountain have won eight Grammy Awards. He has also won two Emmy Awards from five nominations.

Early life and education Born in Connecticut, Clearmountain later moved to New York City, where he graduated from Greenwich High School in 1971. As a teenager, Clearmountain had many friends who were musicians. He loved music, and played bass guitar in various bar bands, but felt he did not want his career to depend on other musicians. At Mediasound, Clearmountain engineered albums for Kool & the Gang. He also played bass on the Dead Boys' first album, Young, Loud and Snotty (1977), before Jeff Magnum rejoined the group.

In 1977, Clearmountain was approached by his Mediasound co-worker, Tony Bongiovi, who had decided to build his own recording studio. Clearmountain became part of Bongiovi's team that designed and opened Power Station, with Clearmountain becoming the studio's Chief Engineer. Clearmountain worked exclusively at the Power Station over the next two or three years, working with artists including The Rezillos, Narada Michael Walden, and others. During this time, he recorded several hit albums for the Nile Rodgers/Bernard Edwards project Chic and Sister Sledge's hit album We Are Family, which established his reputation as a mixing engineer. Clearmountain soon found himself being sought out specifically as a mixing engineer, with the Rolling Stones requesting Clearmountain to mix their single, "Miss You", and Roxy Music having him remix their single "Dance Away".

Independence and success Around 1979, Clearmountain became independent, working at various studios in addition to Power Station. and the Rolling Stones' Tattoo You (1981) (including engineering vocals and overdubs for "Start Me Up"), In 1985, he mixed Live Aid. Robbie Robertson's debut solo album, and albums for Crowded House and Divinyls. and Clearmountain developed SessionTools, a studio management application. Clearmountain continued to work with Adams, Springsteen, Rolling Stones, and INXS, and mixed albums for Bryan Ferry, the Who, Dire Straits, Aimee Mann, the Corrs, Jonatha Brooke, Melissa Etheridge, Counting Crows and others. a private recording studio located in the basement of his home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. Clearmountain later upgraded the studio to Dolby Atmos, and used it for immersive album mixes of Roxy Music's Avalon and Simple Minds' Sparkle in the Rain.

Personal life Clearmountain is married to Apogee Electronics CEO Betty Bennett.

Production discography

Selection of work as producer Bryan Adams - You Want It You Got It (1981), Cuts Like a Knife (1983), Reckless (1984) and Into the Fire (1987) Jonatha Brooke - Steady Pull (2001) and Careful What You Wish For (2007) The Church - The Blurred Crusade (1982) Hall & Oates - Big Bam Boom (1984) Paul McCartney - Tripping the Live Fantastic (1990) The Pretenders - Get Close (1986) Simple Minds - Once Upon a Time (1985) The Who - Join Together (1990) Michael Stanley Band - You Can't Fight Fashion (1983) Various - Woodstock 94 (1994) The Silencers - Rock 'N' Roll Enforcers (1980) The Rolling Stones - Shine a Light (2008)

Selection of work as live mixer/engineer Date Concert Location July 13, 1985 Live Aid John F. Kennedy Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Beginning in 2010, Santa Monica radio station KCRW began hosting live music performances in the venue, called KCRW Apogee Sessions and later KCRW Live from Apogee Studio, with Clearmountain handling the mixing and recording. Artists for these KCRW sessions have included David Gray, Ryan Adams, Chrissie Hynde, Patti Smith, Vampire Weekend, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Regina Spektor, Glen Hansard, the Shins, k.d. lang, Shelby Lynne, Leon Bridges, Norah Jones, the Avett Brothers, Mayer Hawthorne, Alabama Shakes, Belle & Sebastian, John Legend, Beck, John Mayer, Common, and Queens of the Stone Age. In 2024, Cory Henry recorded his album Live at the Piano at the studio; the first recorded there to receive a Grammy Award nomination.

In 2023, he was awarded the Music Producers Guild Icon Award for "a person seen to be an icon of the recording industry."

In 2025, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from BerkleeNYC at their class of 2025 graduation ceremony."

Grammy Awards & nominations

Emmy Awards & nominations