Biography
MICHAEL FREEMAN - BIOGRAPHY
Grammy Award winning Producer/Engineer Michael Freeman began his career in the recording industry in the late 1970’s as studio manager and later Vice President , General Manager and Chief Engineer of the Hedden West Studios complex located in the Chicago suburbs (later named Remington Road Studios) where he remained for almost 10 years creating a vibrant business that served independent artists from many different genres. The studio also began the first recording arts educational program in the Chicago area.
A transplant from London, England, Freeman ventured out in 1986 as a freelance Producer/Engineer and to date has amassed an award-winning discography in a diverse set of musical genres including Rock, Pop, R&B, Blues and American Roots with work on over 200 albums.
Currently, 70 of those titles are in the Blues genre with more in progress. In 2011 he received a prestigious “Keeping The Blues Alive Award - Producer” – KBA – from The Blues Foundation.
He has garnered a Grammy Award and a fourth Grammy Nomination for this year's 65th Grammy Awards, three WC Handy/Blues Music Award nominations and one Blues Music Award. Additionally, a Platinum Award for Candi Staton’s single “You’ve Got The Love”, released in 1986 and remixed over 20 times by many DJs and engineers worldwide.
Michael is a highly respected member of the Chicago recording community, a past Governor, Chapter President and National Trustee for the Chicago Chapter of The Recording Academy. He also has served on The Recording Academy’s Producer and Engineer’s Wing Advisory Council and currently Co-Chairs their Blues Advisory Committee with Shemekia Copeland. He is also a partner in the Grzebik Design Group offering acoustic consultation, design and operations services.
Michael currently serves as adjunct faculty to Columbia College Chicago teaching Master Classes in recording and is also a founder member of EARS, the Engineering and Recording Society of Chicago. He is a member of AES, The Audio Engineering Society and The Blues Foundation where he served as Chairman of the Board of Directors.
January 2023
Degrees