Centerstage: Noel Webster
Noel Webster is a music industry professional who lives and works in Huntsville.
By Katie Holt
Can you tell me about your background in the music industry?
I’m a singer-songwriter, musician, and producer. In 1999, I bought the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and put it on the National Register. Mark Neil and I produced the Black Keys’ Brothers album there. It won three Grammys and went platinum.
You’ve worked with legendary acts and on some very interesting projects. Are there any behind-the-scenes moments from your touring days that still stick with you?
I noticed the bigger the acts, the more legendary they were, and in my case, the kinder they were. Just good people. They’re all very eccentric, but they’re all very good at their craft.
You were away from the area for a while, then returned to establish a private music studio in South Huntsville. What was returning to the Rocket City like?
I originally moved here in 1979 when I was a little kid. I sold the studio in Muscle Shoals in 2014 because I wanted to come back to Huntsville.
I brought all my equipment back here, and I basically moved back to my old neighborhood. I was looking and found this place in a cul-de-sac, facing the mountains.
The whole place is just lit up with sunshine. It’s relaxing, it’s comfortable. It’s almost like you’re on a mountain. It’s just a different environment where artists feel comfortable. It’s like they’re coming to a friend’s home, and they’re relaxed when they work here.
What work are you most proud of that you have completed in Huntsville?
I built the first commercial, professional recording studio for a university in the state, at UAH. Also, The Red Clay Strays came here, and I mixed an album, “Moment of Truth,” for them. In 12 days, I produced, mixed, mastered it.
Do you have a favorite music venue in Huntsville, either one you have performed at or one where you enjoy watching shows?
I used to like The Kaffeeklatsch. That was just a really great hang, and I used to play there all the time. I also worked at the Von Braun Civic Center for about 10 years. I watched that building hang in there and get rebuilt again. It was always fun playing there at the Playhouse.
I also like the Sports Page Lounge and Deli because they have live bands. I like to see when my friends are out playing.
