Back in 1996, the country music world was in for a treat as a young LeAnn Rimes burst onto the scene with her debut single Blue. Originally written for Patsy Cline in the early 1960s, Rimes gave the song her own unique spin with her classic “yodel” that set her apart from other contemporary country artists of the time.
The recording process for Blue was quite interesting. It was first recorded onto a 24 track MCI JH-24 analogue tape machine through an MCI JH-400 console at Norman Petty’s studio. Yes, the same Norman Petty who worked with Buddy Holly decades earlier. Although Petty had passed away many years before, his studio was still operational and recently refreshed.
However, due to maintenance issues on the MCI JH24 tape machine, they had to transfer all the tracks to brand new Alesis ADAT machines, which were considered state-of-the-art at the time. Despite this hiccup, the recording turned out to be a major success.
The primary reverb used on Blue was the natural ambience of the MESA Theatre. The engineers also utilized the classic EMT 140 plate reverb and Lexicon 200 reverb to add depth and character to the track.
After the release of Blue, it quickly became a cult classic in the country music world, and LeAnn Rimes became an overnight superstar. Her powerful voice and unique style won over fans from all walks of life, and Blue remains a beloved track to this day.
