| John Keane | |
| Birth Date: | 21 January 1959 |
| Birth Place: | Athens, Georgia, U.S. |
| Years Active: | 1981–present |
John Denison Keane (born January 21, 1959)[1] is an American record producer based in Athens, Georgia, who has worked extensively with R.E.M., Indigo Girls and Widespread Panic. He owns and operates John Keane Studios in Athens, his hometown, which opened in 1981.[2] [3]
Keane began playing guitar at age 8 and developed an interest in recording music after receiving a cassette recorder on his 12th birthday. In a 2005 interview he recalled: "Later I got another one and figured out how to overdub by bouncing tracks from one machine to the other while playing along. I'd do stuff like play both lead guitar parts to Allman Brothers songs, and layer vocal harmonies. When I got a four-track, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven."[4]
Keane has participated in many music conference panels as an expert on subjects such as record production, home recording, and Pro Tools. These include South by Southwest in Austin, Texas; The Tape Op conference in Portland, Oregon; Athfest in Athens; and the Cutting Edge in New Orleans. He has taught a Pro Tools course for the University of Georgia’s Music Business Program, and is the author of the popular Pro Tools book, The Musician’s Guide to Pro Tools (McGraw-Hill).[5] He has also created Online Pro Tools, a series of Pro Tools instructional videos.
He started in 1981 with an assortment of road-worn PA gear that belonged to Phil and the Blanks, a local band he was playing with at the time. He bought a TEAC reel-to-reel 4-track tape machine which he mounted in a shopping cart and started making demos for local bands and taking them to the local college radio station for airplay.
Gradually the hobby evolved into a profession, and in 1985 Keane decided to attend The Recording Workshop in Chillicothe, Ohio. Shortly after that he bought an Amek Matchless console and an Otari 16-track tape machine and began to produce records for acts in the burgeoning Athens music scene such as the Indigo Girls, Widespread Panic, Vic Chesnutt, The Barbecue Killers and many others. His neighbor Peter Buck of R.E.M. began to bring many artists into the studio for collaboration, such as Warren Zevon, Robyn Hitchcock, Nicki Sudden, Billy Bragg, The Troggs, Richard Butler, and Nancy Griffith, to name a few. The other members or R.E.M.; Mike Mills, Michael Stipe, and Bill Berry all brought bands into the studio to make records.
By the early 90s John Keane Studios had upgraded to an Otari 24-track, a Pro Tools rig and a Trident 80-B console.
His studio is still in operation today. In the early 21st century, he undertook recording projects with R.E.M., Randall Bramblett, and Widespread Panic's Dirty Side Down album, for which he received a Grammy nomination in 2011.
| Project | Artist | Credit | Release Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| "No One Needs Help Anymore" | Producer | 3/3/2017 | ||
| "Lil' Bear" | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 10/30/2015 | ||
| Hard Working Americans | Mixing | 1/21/2014 | ||
| "Before The Feast" | Mastering | 2014 | ||
| The Essential Indigo Girls | Producer | 2013 | ||
| Wood | Mixing | 10/16/2012 | ||
| Subject to Change Without Notice | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 8/21/2012 | ||
| Where It Hits You | Mastering, Mixing | 2/21/2012 | ||
| Apollo | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 2011 | ||
| That Other Mile/Light of the Night | Remastering | 2011 | ||
| Live in the Classic City II | Producer, Mixing | 9/28/2010 | ||
| Dirty Side Down | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering | 5/25/2010 | ||
| Love Is a War | The Corduroy Road | Producer, Engineer | 2009 | |
| Balm In Gilead | Engineer | 11/3/2009 | ||
| Just One Drop | The Corduroy Road | Producer, Engineer | 4/16/2009 | |
| Valdosta 1989 | Mastering | 2/24/2009 | ||
| New Day | Jimmy Landry | Engineer | 2/17/2009 | |
| Bar Band Americanus | Charlie Pickett | Producer, Engineer | 10/7/2008 | |
| Carbondale 2000 | Mixing | 6/10/2008 | ||
| Angel Songs | Tim Prince | Producer | 2007 | |
| East of the Sun | Engineer | 7/12/2007 | ||
| Intermission | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 6/18/2007 | ||
| Chest Fever | Producer, Engineer | 1/30/2007 | ||
| ShadowBoxing | Blue Flashing Light | Engineer | 2006 | |
| Volume 2 | Engineer | 10/17/2006 | ||
| Rich Someday | Mixing | 7/11/2006 | ||
| Green Winter | Mixing | 4/11/2006 | ||
| The Workhorses of the Entertainment/Recreational Industry | The Workhorses of the Entertainment/Recreational Industry | Mastering | 4/11/2006 | |
| Sandbox | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering, Graphic Design | 1/24/2006 | ||
| Dog Days | Producer, Engineer, Mixing, Mastering | 1/10/2006 | ||
| Friendly Fire | Mastering, Mixing | 2005 | ||
| Rarities | Engineer | 6/14/2005 | ||
| Live at Myrtle Beach | Producer, Mixing | 2/22/2005 | ||
| Wear N' Tear | Tishamingo | Engineer, Mixing, Mastering | 2/1/2005 | |
| Mouthfeel | Magnapop | Mastering | 1/25/2005 | |
| Need | James Evans | Engineer, Mixing, Mastering | 2004 | |
| Jackassolantern | Producer, Mixing | 9/28/2004 | ||
| Dear Life | Producer, Mastering, Mixing | 9/21/2004 | ||
| In the Mood | Mastering | 9/15/2004 | ||
| Über Cobra | Producer, Mixing | 7/13/2004 | ||
| Holy Happy Hour | Mixing | 6/29/2004 | ||
| Night of Joy | Producer, Mixing | 3/23/2004 | ||
| Ain't No Horse | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 3/9/2004 | ||
| Tishamingo | Tishamingo | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 2/17/2004 | |
| Must I Paint You a Picture? The Essential Billy Bragg | Engineer | 10/28/2003 | ||
| Bad Day | Engineer, Mixing | 10/1/2003 | ||
| Ball | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 4/15/2003 | ||
| Defector | Mixing | 2/11/2003 | ||
| Live from the Backyard | Mixing | 2/4/2003 | ||
| Producer | 10/1/2002 | |||
| Door Harp | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 9/24/2002 | ||
| Coast to Coast | The Cowslingers | Producer, Engineer | 7/30/2002 | |
| Live in the Classic City | Producer | 6/11/2002 | ||
| Co-Balt | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 4/9/2002 | ||
| Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 3/19/2002 | |||
| Visiting Normal Town | Big Wooden Radio | Engineer, Mixing, Mastering | 9/25/2001 | |
| No More Mr. Lucky | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 7/10/2001 | ||
| Don't Tell the Band | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 6/19/2001 | ||
| Reveal (R.E.M. album) | Engineer, Musician | 5/14/2001 | ||
| Imitation of Life | Engineer, Mixing | 4/30/2001 | ||
| Set the Record Straight | ID-X | Producer, Mixing, Composer | 4/10/2001 | |
| Smiling Assassin | Mixing, Percussion | 4/10/2001 | ||
| Insulation | Something 5 | Producer | 2000 | |
| Another Joyous Occasion | Producer, Mixing | 6/6/2000 | ||
| Draggin' The Line | Engineer | 10/26/1999 | ||
| End of Romance | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 10/12/1999 | ||
| Kulanjan | Engineer | 8/3/1999 | ||
| 'Til the Medicine Takes | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 7/27/1999 | ||
| Straight Away | John Keane | Producer | 6/15/1999 | |
| Who Died & Made You King? | Producer, Engineer | 10/26/1998 | ||
| Up | Engineer, Mixing | 10/26/1998 | ||
| Let's Kill Saturday Night | Engineer | 9/15/1998 | ||
| See Through Me | Mixing, Mastering | 8/4/1998 | ||
| Calling | Sara Lovell | Engineer | 6/30/1998 | |
| Light Fuse, Get Away | Producer, Mixing | 4/12/1998 | ||
| Barrel Chested | Mixing | 8/12/1997 | ||
| Help Wanted Love Needed Caretaker | Mount Pilot | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 8/12/1997 | |
| Love Among the Ruins | Producer, Engineer | 6/17/1997 | ||
| Fantastic Distraction | Producer, Engineer | 5/19/1997 | ||
| The Lonesome Death of Buck McCoy | Engineer | 5/5/1997 | ||
| More than This | Producer, Engineer | 5/5/1997 | ||
| Picnic | Producer, Engineer | 4/29/1997 | ||
| Bombs & Butterflies | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 2/4/1997 | ||
| Albino Alligator | Engineer | 1/17/1997 | ||
| About to Choke | Producer, Mixing | 1996 | ||
| Hip | Hazel Virtue | Producer, Engineer | 1996 | |
| New Adventures in Hi-Fi | Engineer, Mixing | 9/9/1996 | ||
| E-Bow the Letter | Engineer, Mixing | 8/27/1996 | ||
| Lay It Down (Cowboy Junkies album) | Producer, Engineer | 2/27/1996 | ||
| Blister Soul | Producer, Engineer | 1995 | ||
| Horsebreaker Star | Producer, Engineer | 1995 | ||
| Tornado Alley | Terry Lee Hale | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 1995 | |
| At the Hands of Our Intercessors | Engineer | 10/30/1995 | ||
| Nine High a Pallet | Producer | 9/12/1995 | ||
| Is the Actor Happy? | Producer, Mixing | 5/23/1995 | ||
| Private Stock | Producer | 3/14/1995 | ||
| Beautiful Light | Engineer | 1994 | ||
| Spillage | Engineer | 1994 | ||
| Normaltown | Catfish Jenkins | Engineer | 11/15/1994 | |
| Flyer | Engineer | 9/13/1994 | ||
| Ain't Life Grand | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 9/6/1994 | ||
| Drunk | Producer, Engineer | 1993 | ||
| Bottle Rockets | Engineer | 9/18/1993 | ||
| Swim | Engineer | 9/6/1993 | ||
| Happiness | Engineer | 7/27/1993 | ||
| the Lion Sleeps Tonight | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 2/5/1993 | ||
| Don't You Know | Engineer | 1992 | ||
| Killing Floor | Engineer | 1992 | ||
| Out There | Original Sins | Engineer | 1992 | |
| The Survivors Parade | Engineer | 1992 | ||
| Automatic for the People | Engineer | 10/5/1992 | ||
| March 16–20, 1992 | Engineer | 8/3/1992 | ||
| Kitty | Dashboard Saviors | Engineer | 7/20/1992 | |
| Rites of Passage | Engineer | 5/12/1992 | ||
| Lefty's Deceiver | The Jody Grind | Engineer | 4/3/1992 | |
| Athens Andover | Engineer | 3/1/1992 | ||
| First We Take Manhattan | Engineer | 1991 | ||
| 8 Track Stomp | Engineer | 1991 | ||
| A Green Little Pill | Insane Jane | Mixing | 1991 | |
| Country Boy's Dream | Normaltown Flyers | Engineer | 1991 | |
| Don't Try This at Home | Engineer | 9/17/1991 | ||
| Perspex Island | Engineer | 8/6/1991 | ||
| Out Of Time | Engineer | 3/12/1991 | ||
| Green Cat Island | Run Westy Run | Engineer | 1990 | |
| I Belong to You | Nikki Sudden | Engineer | 1990 | |
| Little | Engineer | 1990 | ||
| One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure | The Jody Grind | Producer, Engineer | 1990 | |
| Reluctantly We | Engineer | 1990 | ||
| White Dirt | Producer, Engineer | 1990 | ||
| I Walked With A Zombie | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 1991 | ||
| Chain | Engineer | 10/4/1990 | ||
| Nomads Indians Saints | Engineer | 9/21/1990 | ||
| MacDougal Blues | Engineer, Mixing | 1/21/1990 | ||
| Indigo Girls | Engineer | 2/28/1989 | ||
| Drum | Engineer | 1988 | ||
| New Experience | Producer, Engineer, Mixing | 1988 | ||
| No Time | The Squalls | Producer, Engineer | 1988 | |
| Green | Mixing | 11/7/1988 | ||
| Space Wrangler | Producer, Engineer | 2/4/1988 | ||
| Strange Fire | Producer | 7/28/1986 | ||
| Lifes Rich Pageant | Engineer | 7/28/1986 | ||
| Fables of the Reconstruction | Mixing | 6/10/1985 | ||
| The Normaltown Flyers | The Normaltown Flyers | Engineer | 1981 |
| Project | Artist | Credit | Release Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Subject To Change without Notice | Pedal Steel | 8/21/2012 | ||
| Where It Hits You | Guitar, Pedal Steel, Vocals | 2/21/2012 | ||
| Apollo | Guitar, Pedal Steel, Vocals | 2011 | ||
| Live in the Classic City II | Guitar, Pedal Steel | 9/28/2010 | ||
| Love Is a War | The Corduroy Road | Dobro, Guitar, Mandolin, Pedal Steel, Vocals | 2009 | |
| Just One Drop | The Corduroy Road | Dobro, Guitar, Mandolin, Pedal Steel, Vocals | 4/16/2009 | |
| Intermission | Guitar, Bass, Keyboards | 6/18/2007 | ||
| Chest Fever | Guitar, Vocals | 1/30/2007 | ||
| Earth to Atlanta | Guitar, Pedal Steel | 11/14/2006 | ||
| Sandbox | Bass, Guitar, Pedal Steel, Vocals, Piano | 1/24/2006 | ||
| Dog Days | Member of Attributed Artist, Sound Effects | 1/10/2006 | ||
| Live at Myrtle Beach | Guitar | 2/22/2005 | ||
| Dear Life | Guitar, Pedal Steel, Vocals | 9/21/2004 | ||
| Tishamingo | Tishamingo | Banjo, Pedal Steel | 2/17/2004 | |
| Über Cobra | Pedal Steel | 7/13/2004 | ||
| Must I Paint You a Picture? The Essential Billy Bragg | Guest Artist, Musician | 10/28/2003 | ||
| Coast to Coast | The Cowslingers | Pedal Steel | 7/30/2002 | |
| Door Harp | Guitar, Pedal Steel, Keyboards | 9/24/2002 | ||
| Conscious Contact | Keyboards, Pedal Steel, Primary Artist | 4/23/2002 | ||
| Co-Balt | Guitar, Pedal Steel, Vocals | 4/9/2002 | ||
| Guitar, Bass, Pedal Steel | 3/19/2002 | |||
| Visiting Normal Town | Big Wooden Radio | Pedal Steel | 9/25/2001 | |
| No More Mr. Lucky | Guitar, Horn Arrangements, Loop Programming, Percussion, Programming, Shaker, Vocals | 7/10/2001 | ||
| Don't Tell the Band | Guitar, Guitar Effects, Noise, Pedal Steel | 6/19/2001 | ||
| Reveal (R.E.M. album) | Musician | 5/14/2001 | ||
| Set the Record Straight | IDX | Composer | 4/10/2001 | |
| Smiling Assassin | Percussion | 4/10/2001 | ||
| End of Romance | Guitar, Vocals | 10/12/1999 | ||
| 'Til the Medicine Takes | Banjo, Keyboards, Pedal Steel | 7/27/1999 | ||
| Straight Away | John Keane | Primary Artist | 6/15/1999 | |
| Who Died & Made You King? | Bass, Guitar, Organ, Percussion, Vocals | 10/26/1998 | ||
| Up | Musician | 10/26/1998 | ||
| Calling | Sara Lovell | Drum Programming, Keyboards | 6/30/1998 | |
| Help Wanted Love Needed Caretaker | Mount Pilot | Vocals | 8/12/1997 | |
| Love Among the Ruins | Guitar | 6/17/1997 | ||
| The Lonesome Death of Buck McCoy | Vocals | 5/5/1997 | ||
| Picnic | Vocals, Mandolin, Guitar, Pedal Steel, Bass | 4/29/1997 | ||
| Bombs & Butterflies | Guitar, Pedal Steel | 2/4/1997 | ||
| About to Choke | Guitar | 1996 | ||
| Lay It Down (Cowboy Junkies album) | Guitar, Pedal Steel | 2/27/1996 | ||
| Blister Soul | Guitar, 12 String Guitar, Pedal Steel, Vocals, Percussion | 1995 | ||
| Tornado Alley | Terry Lee Hale | Guitar, Bass, Pedal Steel | 1995 | |
| Horsebreaker Star | Banjo, Bass, Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Vocals, Xylophone | 1995 | ||
| At the Hands of Our Intercessors | Sonic Assistance | 10/30/1995 | ||
| Nine High a Pallet | Pedal Steel | 9/12/1995 | ||
| Is the Actor Happy? | Guitar, 12 String Guitar, Pedal Steel | 5/23/1995 | ||
| Private Stock | Guitar, Vocals | 3/14/1995 | ||
| Beautiful Light | Guitar | 1994 | ||
| Spillage | Pedal Steel | 1994 | ||
| Normaltown | Catfish Jenkins | Guitar | 11/15/1994 | |
| Flyer | Guitar, Pedal Steel, Vocals | 9/13/1994 | ||
| Ain't Life Grand | Guitar, Pedal Steel, Vocals | 9/6/1994 | ||
| Drunk | Slide Guitar | 1993 | ||
| Bottle Rockets | Pedal Steel, Vocals | 9/18/1993 | ||
| Happiness | Guitar, Pedal Steel | 7/27/1993 | ||
| Killing Floor | Pedal Steel, Slide Guitar | 1992 | ||
| Lefty's Deceiver | The Jody Grind | Guitar, Pedal Steel | 1992 | |
| March 16–20, 1992 | Banjo, Bass, Guitar, Pedal Steel | 8/3/1992 | ||
| Kitty | Dashboard Saviors | Pedal Steel | 7/20/1992 | |
| 8 Track Stomp | Bass, Guitar, Lap Steel Guitar | 1991 | ||
| A Green Little Pill | Insane Jane | Pedal Steel, Piano, Tambourine, Vocal Harmony | 1991 | |
| Country Boy's Dream | Normaltown Flyers | Guitar, Pedal Steel, Percussion | 1991 | |
| Don't Try This at Home | Bass, Guitar, Pedal Steel | 9/17/1991 | ||
| Out Of Time | Guitar, Pedal Steel | 3/12/1991 | ||
| One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Treasure | The Jody Grind | Bass | 1990 | |
| I Walked With A Zombie | Musician | 1991 | ||
| MacDougal Blues | Banjo, Bass, Guitar, Percussion, Slide Guitar | 1/21/1990 | ||
| Indigo Girls | Bass, Drums, Guitar, 12 String Guitar, Shaker, Slide Guitar | 2/28/1989 | ||
| Space Wrangler | Vocals | 2/4/1988 | ||
| The Normaltown Flyers | The Normaltown Flyers | Guitar, Percussion | 1981 | |
| The Boy From Nowhere, Who Fell Out of the Sky | Nikki Sudden | Pedal Steel |