Timeless. Memories. Family. American. Ask just about anyone his or her very own personal experience with The Oak Ridge Boys, and that’s the message you’ll hear. They’re truly legends, respected and revered.
Better yet? They’re back with a bang. On March 16th, The Oak Ridge Boys will release their newest album, 17th Avenue Revival. This album, by superstar producer Dave Cobb (Cobb), is in some ways a new direction for The Boys yet in other ways very much their wheelhouse. 17th Avenue Revival features songs hand selected by Cobb and The Boys. The goal was to create an album as a throwback to old gospel yet relevant to the next generation of younger fans. The result? A variety of lighthearted, heavy, slow-paced, fast-moving, respectful, irreverent works of art.
Indie Bling Studio was tasked with the privilege of creating a concept for the cover and album package design. This included all photography as well as layout and design of the final product. Over a span of three days, The Boys laid down tracks as Indie Bling’s team captured details and candid moments for liner notes, video clips, & music videos. The vision behind the cover was to create almost an old school "crooner" vibe. For the cover shot, Brandon (Indie Bling’s owner) suggested The Boys dress as if they had attended a wedding before ending up at a bar singing karaoke around an old 44 microphone. With The Boys huddled around the microphone, singing songs yet to be introduced to the world, & entwined in the rich walls of history in Studio A, the album cover was born. “It was surreal then & it’s surreal now. We had a very short window to set-up, shoot, and tear down. "My small crew, Darius Fitzgerald and Jeffery May, were amazing. We set lights and got three sets with multiple looks including two wardrobe changes. We also managed to finish out a few of the detail shots that line the interior of the album. Literally, every shot in this packaging was created in Studio A. Super cool!”- Brandon, Indie Bling Studio.
The overall goal was to capture visually the sounds, textures, feelings, and even smells the team experienced while the songs were being recorded. In the end, Indie Bling created designs for The Oak Ridge Boys latest release on CD, Vinyl LP, cassette, along with the ads.
Textures From Studio A
The title, 17th Avenue Revival, is both intentional & significant as it directly references the famous Studio A on Nashville's Music Row. In fact, the entire album was recorded in Studio A under the direction of Manager Jim Halsey. "These few acres were once the center of the city's creative music scene, home to an informal "producers' alley" where Chet Atkins, Cowboy Jack Clement, Bob Ferguson and others kept offices. It was on this site that songwriters and publishers once pitched and discussed the songs that would not only be recorded by major artists, but make country music history worldwide." –savestudioa.com
When you pair The Oak Ridge Boys with historic Studio A, you expect magic. That’s what this album is, from the lyrics to the music to the visual design elements. Pure magic.