Howard Benson

Howard Michael Benson (born July 20, 1956) is an American record producer from Havertown, Pennsylvania. He has been nominated for two Grammy Awards for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical in 2007 and 2008, among two wins and 16 total nominations for his productions. He is also the co-founder of the American record label Judge & Jury Records, alongside Three Days Grace drummer Neil Sanderson.

Early life and education Benson was born and raised in a middle-class family in greater Philadelphia, the son of Estelle and Robert Benson. He is of Jewish descent.

At the time of his graduation, he regularly played with his band in small Hollywood clubs, and when his band finally went into the studio with a producer, Benson was inspired to become a record producer.

He returned to Drexel in 2010 to create and teach the advanced production class at Drexel University's Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design. In 2011, he established the Howard and Monica Benson Endowed Scholarship Fund for students enrolled at the Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design. In 2015, he received an honorary degree from Drexel University.

Career His first works as producer were two albums for hardcore punk band T.S.O.L. (Revenge (1986) and Hit and Run (1987)), and the first record he produced for a major record label was Bang Tango's Psycho Café in 1989. Benson states that discovering Pro Tools in 1998 while working with Sepultura was a major turning point in his career. He was asked to produce P.O.D.'s The Fundamental Elements of Southtown album in 1999, which became a platinum-selling record. In 2000, Benson produced P.O.D.'s multi-platinum-selling Satellite at Bay 7 Studios, and continued to record numerous albums at that location. Over the next few years, Benson produced records from acts like Cold, Crazy Town, P.O.D.'s Payable on Death, and Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge from My Chemical Romance. He later produced numerous multi-platinum records for artists such as The All-American Rejects, Hoobastank, Flyleaf, Daughtry, Seether, Saosin, Theory of a Deadman, Three Days Grace, Skillet, Santana, Adam Lambert, My Chemical Romance, Kelly Clarkson and Papa Roach.

He now produces exclusively at West Valley Recording Studios, in Woodland Hills.

Benson stated that he utilizes Auto-Tune in the studio and that those who do not are "nuts". Benson prefers to record in what he calls a "parallel system," in which musicians will record their parts in isolated rooms.

In 2021 Benson and Three Days Grace drummer Neil Sanderson co-founded the record label Judge & Jury Records.

In addition to his album production work, Benson has expanded into audio-software and music-education projects. He collaborated with Joey Sturgis Tones to release the signature vocal-processing plugins Howard Benson Vocals and Howard Benson Vocal Multiplier. He also partnered with STL Tones to develop STL Tonality: Howard Benson, a guitar-amp and effects plugin suite.

Benson has also appeared in educational media, including serving as the featured instructor for the URM Academy course How It’s Done, which documents his production process in collaboration with the band In Flames.

Discography

Benson has served as a producer for numerous musical acts, including Saosin, Hoobastank, Seether, Three Days Grace, My Chemical Romance, P.O.D., Escape the Fate, and Daughtry.

Awards ARIA Awards

"Thrills, Kills & Sunday Pills" Best Rock Album Grammy Awards

"Alive" Best Metal Performance

"Youth of the Nation" Best Hard Rock Performance "Portrait" Best Metal Performance

The Reason Best Pop Vocal Album "The Reason" Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals

Himself Producer of the Year, Non-Classical Daughtry Best Rock Album "It's Not Over" Best Rock Song "Home" Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals "It's Not Over" Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals

Himself Producer of the Year, Non-Classical

All I Ever Wanted Best Pop Vocal Album "Born Again" Best Gospel Performance "Born Again" Best Gospel Song

Stronger Best Pop Vocal Album "Love Bites (So Do I)" Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance GMA Dove Awards

The Passion of the Christ: Songs Special Event Album of the Year

Revelation Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year

Awake Rock Album of the Year "Hero" Rock Song of the Year

Memento Mori Rock Album of the Year "One Day Too Late" Rock Song of the Year "Lucy" Rock Song of the Year

New Horizons Rock Album of the Year Release the Panic Rock Album of the Year "Sick of It" Rock Song of the Year "Who We Are" Rock Song of the Year "Perfect Life" Rock Song of the Year "Strike Back" Rock Song of the Year

Rise Rock Album of the Year Release the Panic: Recalibrated Rock Album of the Year "Not Gonna Die" Rock Song of the Year "Die For You" Rock Song of the Year "Run and Escape" Rock Song of the Year "Zombie" Rock Song of the Year

"Good to Be Alive" Rock Song of the Year "Dead Man" Rock Song of the Year Products In 2017 Howard Benson partnered with audio plug-in developer STL Tones to create the Howard Benson - Producer Kemper Pack and in 2018 they released STL Tonality - Howard Benson Guitar Plug-In Suite. In 2020 Howard partnered with Joey Sturgis Tones and released his signature vocals plugin, Howard Benson Vocals. In 2022, Howard partnered with Joey Sturgis Tones again and released his signature voice generation plug-in, the Howard Benson Vocal Multiplier.