Years after getting his first guitar, this producer helps make other musicians' dreams come true
Clint Curtis fell in love with music when he picked up his first guitar. Now he has...a lot of guitars
In the basement of his central Newfoundland family home, Clint Curtis is surrounded by guitars. Dozens of them.
From a Gibson Les Paul to the EVH Signature, Curtis says they are all just tools in the trade — and part of a business that has been helping other musicians realize their ambitions.
Clint is co-owner of the Springdale-based media company Sevenview Studios. The company designs websites and mobile apps, including the Medicuro virtual health app.
Sevenview Studios is also one of the busiest music studios in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Curtis and his business partner Steve Clarke started the company about 13 years ago. Both played in cover bands in the 1990s. Later, they combined their technical and musical talents to create a production company, while staying rooted in rural Newfoundland.
In the last few years, business is busier than ever. Curtis thinks the COVID-19 pandemic played a helpful part.
"Everyone turned to the arts to get through," says Curtis. "They just felt like they needed to express themselves. And so there was a huge uptick [in work] ... 2023 was my busiest year in recording and producing."
Using a remote working style, Curtis connects with the artist, who is often hundreds of kilometres away. He says it often starts with vocals and an acoustic guitar. Then he records the music, with the artists recording their own vocals.
He has collaborated with artists like Justin Fancy, Jason Benoit and Lorna Lovell.
People in the Atlantic Canadian music industry are taking notice.
Goals and inspiration
For the past two years, Curtis has been nominated as producer of the year for the East Coast Music Awards.
"It's nice to know the music is getting heard, the quality of the work and all the hard work you put into something someone is hearing it," he told CBC Radio's Weekend AM.
It's not something he thinks about while creating.
He sees the producer as a valuable role to help artists reach their artistic goals, creating a world-class product.
"My goal is to give them something better than they thought it could ever be — and inspires them to keep going," he said.
He's seen the music industry change a lot since his time starting off in cover bands. These days, he says you can find fulfilment on all multitude of levels.
"I enjoy the process and the journey and wherever it takes me," he said.
He still gets the same excitement playing one of his many guitars as he did when he first started playing as a teenager.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
with files from Weekend AM
