If the walls of Evergreen Studios could talk, they would have countless stories to tell about the amazing performances captured within. For more than forty years, music icons such as Frank Sinatra, Paul McCartney, Pink, Radiohead, Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Ozzy Osbourne, and so many more have recorded some of their best-loved and most influential work right here.
During that same span of time, the soundtracks for movies that have become part of their cultural zeitgeist, like Back To The Future, The Blues Brothers, and Urban Cowboy, were also recorded there.
Meanwhile, the building's front facade, which resembles the Eiffel Tower, has appeared in the background of movies like the Oscar-winning La La Land.
How did all of this magic happen in one place? The question has two answers.
Regarding its recording roots, the seeds were planted when composers Artie Butler, Charles Fox, and Gayle Levant purchased the building to turn it into a world-class composing studio.
However, the history of the building itself dates back much further. The building housing Evergreen Studios dates back to Hollywood's Golden Era of the 1940s. At the time, it was called The Magnolia Theatre and was owned by Albert Fonda Minor. At night, the street was lit by the distinctive towering sign, topped with a 170-foot tall pylon inspired by the Eiffel Tower and designed by legendary architect Jacques De Forest Griffin. Meanwhile, inside, the theatre featured 750 seats.
In 1964, the theater was heavily updated to include a new marquee, air conditioning, a new box office, and a front facade made of Italian marble. To go along with this, the theatre's parking lot was extended to accommodate 300 cars. Thanks in part to these upgrades, The Magnolia remained in business until 1979.
Meanwhile, the vision of Butler, Fox and Levant continued when the building was sold in 2009 to Music Producer Matt Salazar, who made various audio improvements before selling the building in 2010. That was when Evergreen Studios was sold to Canadian-based DiaDan Holdings LTD, who owned the building for seven years.
As it stands now, this historic building boasts a studio featuring a 72-channel Neve 8078 mixing console in its control room. Meanwhile, the recording space is well-equipped with three isolation booths, a projection screen, and a variety of recording equipment. Thus, it continues to make it a perfect spot for recording the next great soundtrack or album.