Studio Engineers
Mark Calhoun
From 1968 to 1978, Mark was the bass player for the Saint James Group. The band achieved success by opening for some of the biggest artists of the 1970s, playing concerts throughout the United States – from New Orleans to Chicago and everywhere in between. The band's recordings were a blend of country rock that was ahead of its time.
In 1972, Mark and his bother formed Calbro Sound & Lighting company. As a monitor mix engineer, Mark toured nationally with major acts, including Kris Kristofferson’s “Why Me Lord” tour, Helen Ready’s “I Am Woman” tour, Olivia Newton-John’s “I Honestly Love You” tour, Mickey Gilley's "Urban Cowboy" tour, "The Solar Tour" with The Whispers, Shalamar, Dynasty, and Lakeside, and Peter Tosh and Jimmy Cliff's "Wanted Dead or Alive" tour. Along the way there were single dates with artists such as Chuck Berry, B. B. King, Canned Heat, Earl Scruggs, Porter Wagoner, Styx, Asleep at the Wheel, Jim Croce, Melissa Manchester, Brownsville Station, Dolly Parton, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Waylon Jennings, Emmylou Harris, Dave Loggins, Harry Chapin, Crystal Gayle, Willie Nelson, Jerry Jeff Walker, Ronnie Milsap, Alabama, Rebra McEntire, Barkays, Pointer Sisters, ConFunkShun, and Barbara Mandrell. The Company was sold in 1983 and Mark retired from the road.
In 1986 Mark started a new career in aviation where he worked wiring Jet aircraft for Hawker Beechcraft. After retiring from the aviation industry in 2013, Mark moved to Wye Mountain where he built Wye Mountain Recording Studios.
Dan Smith
As a professional audio engineer for over thirty-five years, Dan crossed the country, providing sound engineering services for all types of events from outdoor music festivals, concerts, and political rallies to lectures. A partial list of celebrities Smith worked with includes numerous dignitaries such as Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, William Jefferson Clinton, and George W. Bush; also, Bob Hope, Colin Powell, Paul Harvey, Martha Stewart, and Dr. Ruth, and a wide variety of entertainers, including, Kris Kristofferson, Alice Cooper, Dolly Parton, Steve Martin, Allman Brothers Band, Jimmy Buffet, Barbara Mandrell, Ray Charles, Rebra McEntire, Dizzy Gillespie, Iron Butterfly, Dave Brubeck Quartet and Willie Nelson.
Dan currently is the Chief Sound Engineer for the Verizon Arena in Little Rock, AR.
Rick Calhoun
Rick Calhoun is a songwriter, arranger, and producer with over fifty years of experience. Rick was the leader of The Saint James Group for many years and currently performs with Governor Mike Huckabee’s band “Capitol Offense.” Rick is a member of the Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) and is well versed in song structure to help individual artist or groups produce the best performance possible. An advance session to work on the songs will save studio time and money by helping the artist focus on the music instead of the process.
Rick has worked in the studio with Grand Ole Opry star, Marty Stuart, Grammy Award winning record producers/engineers Ron Capone (Booker T. & The MGs, Isaac Hayes, etc.), and Mickey Moody (Freddy Fender), and the legendary Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section member and producer, Barry Beckett (Kenney Chesney, Bob Dylan, Dire Straits, etc.)
Ultimately, the recording artist is the boss and has complete control of the finished product, but Rick can help pull everything together to produce the sound that the artist is looking for.