Feature • Casey Abrams------Post-Idol Operator by Evan Gillespie “He Changed My Life,” Abrams Says of Hawkins
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---------------Feature • Casey Abrams -------------- Post-Idol Operator By Evan Gillespie “He changed my life,” Abrams says of Hawkins. “I’m a musician now thanks to There’s no question that there are paths Marshall. to musical success available these days that So, now it’s 2010, and Abrams has just musicians couldn’t have imagined 20 years received his ticket from Idol. He’s made it ago, but even in the contemporary context, through competition rounds in Hollywood Casey Abrams’ road to fame is one that and Las Vegas, and he’s been chosen as one most singers will never have the chance to of the show’s 24 semifinalists. It looks like travel. That’s not to say it’s been easy for Abrams to get where he is now. In a way, his journey to a debut album and a wide-ranging tour has probably been tougher than -------Feature • Digitracks Recording Studio ------ that of a singer who takes a more conventional route. Yet he’s determined to make the most of the opportunities he’s been given. “I had a heart attack when they chose me,” he Doing What He Wants says of his successful audi- By Chris Hupe loud.” The studio was the next natural pro- tion for season 10 of Ameri- gression. can Idol. “I was like, this is “I’ve always hoped to do this for a liv- “Steve got successful at his other job and the ticket. As soon as I got ing.” needed to focus on that, so we parted ami- that foot in the door I knew It’s refreshing to talk to someone who cably,” Middleton said. “In 2005 or 2006, I could make it. I was so has turned a dream into reality. Too many the space we are in now became available. happy.” people in this world don’t realize their We weren’t getting the sound we wanted to Abrams got his “tick- dreams, or, worse yet, even try to achieve get in the house so we knew eventually we et” via an audition for Idol them. Through hard work, determination, would have to move,” and this was the time. when he just 19 years old, perseverance and maybe a little luck, Dan “We just weren’t getting a pro sound at the but he’d already been sing- Middleton, owner of Digitracks Recording house. We realized that recording took more ing for a long time. He was Studio has realized his dream. He, along than having some home equipment and a born in Austin, where he with a dedicated staff and his wife Sondra computer. It’s having the ability to manipu- auditioned, but he’d moved – without whom, he admits, none of this late audio, knowing how to mix and having around a lot before the Idol would be possible – has built a business the a place built for music. producers found him back right way: with honesty, integrity and a lot “Coming to this building changed all in Texas. He spent his early of blood, sweat and tears. that for us. It took a year and a half of hard years in the Chicago Middleton’s name may be familiar to work to get the studio to where it needed to suburbs – Evan- CASEY ABRAMS people in the local music scene, as he played be, but once we got in here we started to be ston and Wilmette bass guitar in quite a few bands over the taken more seriously. We received more – and then moved Saturday, Sept. 29 • 8 p.m. years, including perennial Whammy award calls from bigger bands wanting to record. to California where DeKalb County Free Fall Fair he has a good shot at winner Plow. “I was a decent musician,” Many hours and thousands of dollars later, he spent his middle Main Stage, Downtown Auburn the big time. The fu- said Middleton of his days gigging around we started making a real product that doesn’t school and high ture looks bright. But the city. “I could play. I had the most success sound like a home studio recording.” school years. Admission: Free it wouldn’t be that with Plow and Spork, but what I’ve always When Middleton started the studio, he His father was www.dekalbcountyfair.org easy. Abrams suffers really liked was tinkering with electronics says it was a very seasonal job, complete a film production from ulcerative colitis, and making things happen.” with peaks and valleys, but things are begin- teacher at the Idyllwild Arts Academy in a chronic, debilitating and potentially life- Middleton admits he could have kept ning to become more consistent as his repu- Idyllwild, California, and Abrams attended threatening disease that causes inflammation playing in bands and making enough money tation builds. the academy, studying classical bass and im- of the colon, and when the disease flares up, to support his music habit, but “as you get “There’s a busy season in this business, provisation. At Idyllwild, he got a thorough it causes severe pain and often requires hos- a little older, playing the bars isn’t as much and when we were busy, we were here all grounding in the fundamentals, including pitalization. Unfortunately, Abrams’ colitis fun as it used to be.” That’s when he realized the time.” But there were gaps of time when music history, theory and composition. He flared up two days before he was scheduled “it would be better to learn how to be a better it was slow and there was no reason to go went on, after his graduation from Idyllwild to perform for Idol’s semifinal round. It was engineer than become a better bass player.” to the studio. “I’ve made this a full-time in 2009, to major in music at the University the beginning of a bumpy road through the Though many might think of Digitracks job now. Every year those gaps are getting of Colorado at Boulder. show’s season for Abrams. as a relatively new studio, its beginnings closer and closer together.” The breadth of Abrams’ musical educa- Abrams was able to perform in the Top actually date back over a decade. “Steve The Middletons have spared no expense tion at Idyllwild helped him to have an ap- 24 round, delivering a soulful rendition of Brady, a musician in one of my bands, and I in equipping Digitracks with the best equip- preciation for musicians who span the spec- “I Put a Spell on You,” and he was one of started the studio around 2000 in my house ment available “We’ve got the most current trum of styles, but his list of inspirations five men to advance to the Top 13. Abrams’ in Aboite,” said Middleton. “We had no bud- version of Pro Tools HD, and we’ve got focuses heavily on the strongest singers in illness caused him to miss the Top 13 re- get. We were playing in a local cover band all the best gear money can buy,” Middle- a variety of genres: Ray Charles, Frank Si- sults show, but he advanced further when and not making a lot of money, but we knew ton says. “That gear is always available to natra, James Taylor, Freddie Mercury. Jazz he returned, making it to the Top 11 on the we wanted to do a studio.” Which they did. the musicians who record here. Anyone can holds a special place in his heart, too, and strength of his performances of “With a Lit- “I had taken college courses and worked use it. We decided to invest in high-quality he emphasizes the role his jazz and bass tle Help from My Friends” and “Smells Like out of Nashville for a while to gain expe- instruments in order to give musicians the instructor at Idyllwild, Marshall Hawkins, Teen Spirit.” rience,” Middleton continued, so the idea opportunity to get the sound they want, the has played in his young career; Hawkins It looked like his Idol run was going to end, didn’t just pop up out of nowhere. “For a sound they have heard on other albums they has played with the likes of Miles Davis and though, when he was the lowest vote-getter long time I did live sound in the area. I liked Roberta Flack, and his encouragement of building sound systems and making things Continued on page 23 Abrams had a huge impact. Continued on page 23 6 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.whatzup.com ------------------------------------------------------------September 27, ’12 --------------- Calendar • On The Road --------------- Sum 41 Nov. 5 House of Blues Cleveland DIGITRACKS - From Page 6 Susan Werner & David Wilcox ($10-$22) Oct. 13 Hall-Moser Theatre Portland like.” this year” but the release date has yet to be Switchfoot Oct. 11 Saint Andrews Hall Detroit Working at Digitracks with Middleton determined. Switchfoot w/Paper Route Oct. 12 Egyptian Room Indianapolis and his wife are producers Chad Deutsch Deutsch was also instrumental in the Taking Back Sunday Oct. 4 House of Blues Cleveland Taking Back Sunday w/Bayside Oct. 6 Riviera Theatre Chicago and Matt Riefler, along with the studio mas- recent Hip Hop for the City video project Taking Back Sunday Oct. 7 The Fillmore Detroit cot, an English bulldog named Porterhouse. which garnered some national attention. The Taproot w/Nonpoint Oct. 5 Al Rosa Columbus, OH Deutsch has built a reputation as a highly project featured Fort Wayne rappers repre- Theory of a Deadman Oct. 29 House of Blues Cleveland respected hip-hop producer, while Riefler senting their city in a song and YouTube vid- Theory of a Deadman w/Adelitas Way and Charm City Devils ($22 adv., $25 d.o.s.) Oct.