Gerald E. "The Gov" Brown (also known as Gerry Brown; born 1958) is a recording engineer, mixer and music producer based in Los Angeles, best known for his work with artists including Whitney Houston, John Legend, Earth, Wind & Fire, Madonna, Sting, Prince, Phil Collins, Marcus Miller, Wayne Shorter and Victor Wooten. He is credited on multiple RIAA Gold and Platinum certified albums.
Awards Brown has won 3 Grammy awards, one in the Best Contemporary Jazz Album category for his work as a producer and engineer on Stanley Clarke's 2010 album The Stanley Clarke Band and another one in the Best R&B Album category for his work as an engineer on John Legend's 2020 album Bigger Love. He also won a Billboard Award for his work as a producer on the 1993 single “Love Is” by Vanessa Williams and Brian McKnight.
Early life and career Brown's interest in recording technology started at a young age. At age 5, he received a tape recorder as a gift, which he used to record sounds around him. During his teenage years, Brown played the trombone for the Los Angeles High School band. The school band director invited Brown to work at his home studio and continued to mentor him in recording engineering after graduating high school. Brown was also raised Catholic and experienced choir music at his local parish.
Brown obtained a degree at Sound Masters Recording Engineer School. In 1977, he started working at ABC Recording Studios in Los Angeles, organizing the studio's magnetic tapes. The studio was later known by the names Scott-Sunstorm Recording Studios, Concorde Recording Center and then Lion Share Studios. Six months after he started working at Concorde, Brown was promoted to assistant engineer. There, he engineered Debra Law's album Very Special, produced by Ronnie Laws and Hubert Laws. Brown later became a freelance engineer in 1982.
In 1988, Ed Eckstein, who at the time was president of Wing Records, hired Brown to mix the single "Lay Your Troubles Down" by Angela Winbush and Ronald Isley. The song peaked at Nr. 10 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. In 1991, Brown worked on Vanessa William's album The Comfort Zone for PolyGram. Brown continued working with Eckstein and moved to New York in 1992 when Eckstein became co-president of PolyGram. While in New York, Brown also worked on singles for Capitol Records. He returned to Los Angeles in 1996.
Brown engineered and mixed tracks on Alicia Keys' 2001 album Songs in A Minor. Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson was recording at the studio next to Brown. Questlove describes Brown's recording sessions: "Gerry is world famous for his all-year-round Christmas decorations during his sessions".
Brown currently works with engineer Bobby Campbell under the name "Mixed by Humanz". They mixed John Legend's 2020 album Bigger Love, produced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the mobility limitations due to the pandemic, Brown mixed at Bernadette Cooper's Museum68 studios and Campbell mixed the album at his home studios, working remotely.
Selected credits
Albums and singles
Year Album/Single Artist Role1971SalisburyUriah HeepProducer1978Here, My DearMarvin GayeProducer, engineer, mixer1980Don't Look BackNatalie ColeEngineer, remixer1981Very SpecialDebra LawsEngineer1987Circumstantial EvidenceShalamarEngineer1988"The Right Stuff"Vanessa WilliamsEngineer, mixer1988"Silhouette"Kenny GEngineer1989Kenny G LiveKenny GEngineer1990The RevivalTony! Toni! Toné!Engineer, Mixer1991The Comfort ZoneVanessa WilliamsProducer, vocal arranger, engineer, mixer1992MastertouchTorsten de WinkelEngineer1992Brian McKnightBrian McKnightProducer, composer, background vocals, engineer, mixer1992Beverly Hills, 90210 Original TV Soundtrack -Producer1993Sons of SoulTony! Toni! Toné!Engineer, mixer1994StorytellerCrystal WatersEngineer1994Sweetest DaysVanessa WilliamsProducer, composer, arranger, mixer1996Star BrightVanessa WilliamsProducer, arranger, engineer1996House of MusicTony! Toni! Toné!Engineer, mixer1997Still WatersBee GeesEngineer, mixer1997Lo Mejor de MíCristian CastroEngineer1998Never Say NeverBrandyMixer1999"Almost Doesn't Count"BrandyMixer2001Songs in A MinorAlicia KeysEngineer, Mixer20023DTLCMixer2003All Hits at the House of BluesRaphael SaadiqEngineer2004Complex SimplicityTeedra MosesEngineer2005IlluminationEarth, Wind & FireEngineer2007The Toys of MenStanley ClarkeEngineer2008ThunderSMVEngineer, mixer2008The Way I See ItRaphael SaadiqEngineer2010The Stanley Clarke BandStanley ClarkeProducer, engineer2011Stone Rollin'Raphael SaadiqEngineer2014UpStanley ClarkeEngineer, mixer2017War & LeisureMiguelMixer2017Strength of a WomanMary J. BligeEngineer, mixer2018A Legendary ChristmasJohn LegendMixer2019Jimmy LeeRaphael SaadiqEngineer2020Bigger LoveJohn LegendMixer
References
External links
Gerry Brown at Recording Academy