Group Effort Studios

06/19/2024

A productive & fun Jim Pelz session yesterday featuring Aaron Jacobs, Jason Smart, and my old “Crazy Fingers” buddy Jim Connerly.

06/13/2024

Hi all!

I just wanted to clear up some mis-information that has been circulating about Group Effort Studio being inducted into the Northern Kentucky Legends Hall of Fame tonight. Its really no biggie, but I’ve been receiving emails about this so I though I should say something.

Blondie, The Doobie Brothers, and Exile did do work at the studio, but not while it was Group Effort. Their work was done 2 years before we moved into that space.

Here is the corrected bio that I sent out so we wouldn’t mis-lead people:

Dan Murphy started the studio in 1976 in the basement of a house that was in the path of the Ronald Reagan Highway. People donated drums, keyboards and time to help him put things together, hence the name Group Effort.

Dan met another musician named Wayne Hartman and the 2 of them kept the studio working around the clock. That partnership continued as we added Jeffrey Seeman and incorporated the business, moving the studio to Kentucky into the old Forum Recording building in 1983.

A few years later we added Bill Gwynne to the staff and in 1989 we added Jeff Monroe. We had interns over the years from NKU and UC to lend us a hand.

Studio projects consisted of: Thousands of artists, cruise ship shows, audio for video games, on hold phone messages, audio books, theme park shows, forensic audio clean up for law enforcement, band demos, NPR programs, commercials, music for movies, and video layback.

Some of the notable people that have recorded at Group Effort are: Peter Frampton, Sheldon Reynolds (Earth, Wind and Fire), Ric Wake (producer of Taylor Dayne, Mariah Carey, J-Lo etc.), Paul Barrere (Little Feat), and Mike Reid (composer of “I Can’t Make You Love Me”).

Our studio mission was to treat musicians with respect and approach their projects as if they were our own. No judgement and no pressure. The more relaxed the vibe is, the better the outcome.

Dan retired at the beginning of 2018 and Jeff Monroe has kept the studio alive and kickin’.

Thanks much,

Dan Murphy

06/12/2024

Tomorrow evening Group Effort Studios will be inducted into the “Northern KY Music Legends Hall of Fame”. This is quite an honor for the studio and for all the engineers that have participated over the years. It will be great to have founding members Dan Murphy, Wayne Hartman, and previous co-owner Bill Gwynne along to celebrate this honor. Over the years the others have either moved on, moved away, or retired. This being the seventh year that I’ve been operating/responsible for the studio (and my 35th year @ GESS), I must give a shout out to not only my previous business partners, but also current engineers Loren Turner and Rick Andress who help keep the studio steadily moving forward. The biggest Thank You however, goes out to all the artists who continue to use the studio as part of their creative vision, a true testament to what Dan & Wayne started some 45+ years ago! It truly has been a “Group Effort”! THANK YOU 🙏 ❤️

05/21/2024

A nice review of a fine album. Congrats to my friends Anne & Steve! Totally enjoyed working on this record.

Defined by a beautiful melancholy - a hallmark of expansive and expressive genres like Folk, Bluegrass, and American - Stick & Bindle take their time in letting Lore & Laments unwind.

05/18/2024

The studio has been pretty busy the last couple months. Lots of original music, musical theater recording, lots of editing and mixing, tape and ADAT transfers, and recorded some podcasts too.

05/07/2024

Fun session recently with Jim Pelz and crew laying down rhythm tracks for some of Jim’s new songs. Scott Carnder on bass and Nick Hach on the kit.

01/01/2024

Stick & Bindle and The Humble Strays in the studio.

10/31/2023

Happy to have been involved in the recording for "Fiona the Musical"!!!

"Who doesn't love a story of a fighter?" 🥊 🦛 Root for the underhippo this holiday season at FIONA: THE MUSICAL! Save your seat → https://bit.ly/FionaETC

09/08/2023

The last 6 weeks have been busy at Group Effort! Rock, pop, country, singer/song writer, fusion, and quite a bit of musical theater (Fiona the musical) recording! Lots of fine players and performers have graced the studio.

08/22/2023

Jerry, Mark, and Kyle in the studio laying down some tracks trio style. 2 acoustics and cajon.

08/18/2023

Artist David Leonard was in recently cutting rhythm tracks to a new song and finishing up over dubs on several others.

08/10/2023

Greg Spaulding was in laying down vocals to a couple country tracks after taking a break from singing for several years. Beautiful voice, and some great conversation after the session.

08/09/2023

“White Pine Drive” recently completed their new single “Shannon”.

08/08/2023

Jason Erickson in the house recording horn section parts on several of his songs. Eric, Michael, Jason, and Jamie on horns. A fun session with some talented & solid players.

08/03/2023

Alex Green & crew were in the studio recently cutting and mixing a new song.

08/02/2023

Loren Turner (of Foxy Shazam fame) is working the room today with one of his artists. I’m diggin’ what I’m hearing coming from the control room!

07/31/2023

Been a busy couple of months. Recently had the Clark Montessori jazz band in the house.

06/30/2023

Had Ray Cummins and Joetta Schmitt in the studio adding tracks to one of Ray’s songs.

06/15/2023

More tracking yesterday with Jim Pelz, Aaron Jacobs, Devon Leigh, and Brian Bachelor-Glader. The playing was so hot 🔥 we had to turn the AC down.

06/13/2023

Fun sessions working on new material with Jim Pelz and his “Wrecking Crew” consisting of Aaron Jacobs, Devon Leigh, and Brian Bachelor-Glader. Great players and some great basic tracks recorded. I love my job!

05/26/2023

Kenny Holycross was in the house recently adding pedal steel to a couple songs by Charlene Keyes. Rick Kinman is Charlene’s multi instrumentalist on these songs too. Always great to hear these songs come together.

04/29/2023

Had Jaki Howser and some of the students from Badin Highschool in the studio Friday laying down a couple songs. Foxy Shazam’s Loren Turner at the helm on this one.

04/26/2023

So happy to have been involved with this project❤️

https://fb.watch/k8fvxhRYlu/?mibextid=kdkkhi

03/11/2023

Brother Smith! These guys are always a hoot to work with.

!!!DOUBLE SURPRISE RELEASE!!!

Very happy to release our second single of 2023 “Graham Crackers & Glue”

*Recorded and Mixed by Jeff Monroe at Group Effort Studios
*Mastered by
*Artwork by

Streaming Everywhere

03/08/2023

Studio humor…