KEITH STEGALL Artist, songwriter, producer—he’s seen success from all sides By Michael Gallant When it comes to country music, few producers have made as profound a mark as Nashville’s Keith Stegall. The multitalented studio master has produced more than 20 platinum albums and sold more than 70 million records. His résumé includes 50 No. 1 hits, four Country Music Association Awards, 10 Academy of Country Music Awards—and the list goes... 

JOE CHICCARELLI Rock, pop, country or jazz, it’s all about serving the music       By Michael Gallant In more than three decades, Joe Chiccarelli has amassed an impressive roster of production and engineering credits—from Alanis Morissette, My Morning Jacket and the White Stripes to Jason Mraz, Elton John, Christina Perri and the Shins. But it all began humbly for the multiple Grammy winner. “I started in music as a bass player in rock bands,... 

BENNY BLANCO A prodigious talent schools the music business in Hit-making 101         By Michael Gallant Benny Blanco has crafted pop magic in the studio for today’s biggest stars, including Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Rihanna and Bruno Mars. He’s scored more than a dozen No. 1 hits and was named Songwriter of the Year at this year’s BMI Pop Awards. Oh, and he’s 24. That’s an impressive career at any age, but only more so considering its... 

RON ANIELLO  Doing whatever it takes to make the record great             By Michael Gallant When Ron Aniello was selected to produce Bruce Springsteen’s 2012 album Wrecking Ball, he faced a daunting challenge—how to offer constructive criticism to a personal hero. “Being in the studio, and hearing the voice of my childhood was the main thing I had to get over,” Aniello says with a laugh. “Telling an artist like Bruce that a certain... 

MATT SERLETIC Creating big hits takes talent, toil and the ability to thrive under pressure            By Michael Gallant When Grammy-winning producer Matt Serletic steps into the studio to record with the likes of Rob Thomas, Carlos Santana, Aerosmith or Joe Cocker, he brings lots more than a knack for piecing together catchy tunes. Thanks to exceptional talents as a musician, songwriter, arranger and music business executive, Serletic has... 

HOWARD BENSON  From aircraft to songcraft and from aerospace to star power            By Michael Gallant For multiplatinum, Grammy-nominated producer Howard Benson, the crucial skill that led to success in the music business was … aerospace engineering? “Music has a math component to me,” Benson explains. “It’s complicated and fun, and I’m blessed to do it every day. Plus the same organizational skills apply. Just instead of making...