The House of David

House of David is named for the historic studio’s owner, David Briggs. Briggs’ professional career began in Alabama at the age of 14, when he played a session for James Joiner. His career took off and he became the pianist at Rick Hall’s Fame Studio, cutting hits on Arthur Alexander, Jimmy Hughes, Tommy Roe, and The Tams. He was also an original player at Muscle Shoals.

In the early 1960’s Briggs was signed to Decca Records and moved to Nashville as a solo recording artist and sought after session player (eventually playing on classic recordings ranging from J.J. Cale, to Elvis, to Alabama). In no time, Briggs became just as respected as a Nashville recorder, producer, and arranger.

The late 1960’s proved to be busy and formative. As Briggs' longtime relationship with Elvis began, he and fellow Alabama hit-maker Norbert Putnam opened Quadraphonic Studios in Nashville, and Briggs purchased a condemned boarding house on 16th Avenue to renovate as his private writing room - apart from the bustle of Quadraphonic. By 1972, the renovation was complete, and House of David was born.

Although not officially open to the public until 1982, the studio stayed busy not only with Briggs’ own production and publishing work, but also with a steady stream of well-known artists, all looking to make great-sounding records in a space with a good vibe. During that time, Neil Young's Old Ways and Hawks and Doves were both recorded at House of David, as well as records by B.B. King, Joe Cocker, and many, many others.

The Lisa Marie

At that time, the console at House of David was a Quad Eight, which had been custom made for Briggs and Putnam while at Quadraphonic. In 1976, they bought an MCI for Quadraphonic, and Briggs moved the Quad Eight to the House of David. This was a desk with quite a history, having been the console for so many Quadraphonic hit records, including Neil Young’s Heart of Gold, and hits by Linda Rondstat and Dan Fogelberg – the list goes on and on.

The Quad Eight remained at House of David until 1992, when it was replaced with a 32-input API – yet another desk with a history. The API had been Val Garay's B-room desk at Record One in Los Angeles, and was used for many of Val's hit productions in the 80's, including Kim Carnes’ "Betty Davis Eyes" and all the Motels records. It was during this time that Garay had the console stripped and repainted its unusual beige color. Many engineers find this color much easier on the eyes than the stock black of API desks - but to others who spend time at House of David, the unusual color just adds to the mood of the room.

David's Baldwin Piano

While Briggs was busy playing on just about every record in Nashville, the House of David was the recording home for Briggs’ publishing company located next door, and it was used by many celebrated artists and bands, from Nashville and elsewhere. From George Strait to Yo La Tengo, the House of David cemented its reputation as a place with a great sound and a great vibe.


In the spring of 2002, Briggs hired musician/engineer Richard McLaurin to manage the studio. McLaurin rebuilt the API console from the ground up and refreshed all the vintage outboard gear and mics.

Lately the studio has seen a busy stream of artists making records, from Billy Joe Shaver (Freedom’s Child), to Allison Moorer (The Duel), to John Davis (John Davis), to Mack Starks (Blind Spot), to Neilson Hubbard (I Love Your Muscles), to Maura O’Connell (Don’t I Know). Recent special guests include Allison Krauss, Vince Gill, Jerry Douglas, Emmylou Harris, Ricky Skaggs, Tony Joe White, Faith Hill, and the late Vassar Clements.