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17,000 gear fanatics from across the country convened for Sweetwater Sound's 18th Annual GearFest, held June 21-22 at Sweetwater's headquarters in Fort Wayne, IN. The two-day event, which highlighted the newest musical instruments, technology and audio equipment from top manufacturers in addition to performances by special guest artists, also featured two full days of workshops held at Sweetwater Studios and the new Purdue Fort Wayne Sweetwater Music Center. The workshops provided attendees a nut-and-bolts approach to a wide variety of topics relating to making music and choosing the right equipment to practicing and performing, recording, mixing and engineering. The workshops also offered personalized discussions on how to pursue a successful career in the music business.

Beth Hart's artistry has always been a study in emotional contrasts. From exhilarating joyful highs to solemn and soulful lows, the 46-year-old singer-songwriter has made her career on her ability to capture the essence of these moments with memorable, narrative song writing and passionate live performances that have moved listeners and concertgoers for nearly twenty years. One Friday night last May, Sweetwater Studio's Senior Producer/Engineer Mark Hornsby was called on to record and engineer her new live album Live at the Royal Albert Hall.

Sweetwater Studios, the world-class, multi-room recording facility owned and operated by top music retailer Sweetwater, will host another installment of its hands-on recording master classes next month, featuring Rick Nielsen — lead guitarist of the legendary band Cheap Trick. The class, which is the second one in which Mr. Nielsen will have participated in, is to be led by Sweetwater Studios' Mark Hornsby and will take place on November 2 and 3. The master class is open to registered students on a first come-first served basis.

Sweetwater Studios, the multi room, world-class recording facility owned by music retailer Sweetwater Sound, will host a three-day hands-on Pro Tools master class taught by Sweetwater Studios Producer/Engineer and Pro Tools Expert Nathan Heironimus. The master class, which will occur between September 13 and September 15, offers a chance for recording enthusiasts of all skill levels to increase their knowledge of Pro Tools and learn valuable tips and tricks from an experienced studio veteran.

For the 17th year, Sweetwater hosted its annual GearFest on Friday, June 22 and Saturday, June 23, 2018 at its campus in Fort Wayne, Indiana, drawing record crowds with more than 15,000 attendees from across the world — including guests from Australia, Brazil and Japan. This year's event also saw a 15-percent increase in music equipment sales during the event.

In their storied half-century year career, Tower of Power has played countless performances and won over millions of fans around the world — among them, Fort Wayne, Indiana-based Sweetwater Sound and its founder and fellow horn-player Chuck Surack — who considers them 'his favorite band in the world.' In the past, the band has participated in Sweetwater sponsored events, and more recently, Sweetwater's professional recording services subsidiary, Sweetwater Studios, was asked to record the band's 50th anniversary celebration performances at Fox Oakland Theater in Oakland where it all began 50 years ago.

For the Sweetwater All-Stars, a casual assemblage of approximately 15 employees of Sweetwater Sound, taking a break from work often means gravitating towards a common center point: a shared love for classic R&B music. While it the music that draws each of them to record and perform, their respective routines at the world's largest online retailer are distinctly different: there are members of sales, marketing, support and others — each bringing his or her competence or talent on a particular instrument. The 'backbone' of the band is the Sweetwater Studios rhythm section — which provides the unshakable core — then there are a host of other talented players, including Chuck Surack, Founder and President of the company, on saxophone.

At the age of 15, Addison Agen was encouraged by a family friend to try her luck in auditioning for NBC's The Voice. She followed that advice and soon landed a spot on the show, stunning international audiences with thoughtful, mature renditions of classics by Joni Mitchell, Ray LaMontagne and others. Her age-defying talent and soulful delivery landed her second place in the prestigious program, propelling her confidence while offering a range of open doors and career choices.