THE GOLDEN YEARS

The summer of 1996 marked 50 years in the recording industry for Tom Dowd. Still going strong, he was nominated for a Grammy in that year for his collaboration on the John Coltrane box set, and produced a live recording that won The Allman Brothers Band a Grammy award for Best Acoustic Rock Performance.

This award was the culmination of a strong comeback in the '90's for The Allman Brothers Band. Starting with the successful album 'Seven Turns' in 1990, Tom and the ABB produced 'Shades Of Two Worlds' in 1991, a fine live recording on 'An Evening With the Allman Brothers' in '92, and the marvelous 1994 release of 'Where It All Begins.' The Allman Brothers Band, crafted by long-time friend Tom Dowd, continued to carry their free-flowing blend of rock, blues and jazz to an ever-expanding audience throughout the decade.

Still busy with other artists in the studio, Tom's credits in the '90's include acts as diverse as Primal Scream ('Give Out But Don't Give Up'), Popa Chubby ('Booty and the Beast'), Tinsley Ellis and many more. Tom's ability to mold the recording sessions of artists of varied ages and genres is testament to a man whose talents are equal to those of the artists he records.

Having played a vital role in the creation and implementation of the technique and technology used to capture sound over the previous half-century, Mr. Dowd is, quite literally, a walking history book and technical manual. An energetic, gracious man, Tom shared his knowledge with as many people as possible, speaking at high schools, colleges and universities. He chronicled a manuscript depicting his career in the recording industry, leading to the commencement of a documentary project entitled Tom Dowd & the Language of Music.