Catching up with Dayton music producer Patrick Himes

Rockin’ and rollin’ at Reel Love
Multi-instrumentalist Patrick Himes, the audio engineer-producer behind some the best local releases of the past several years, laying down overdubs on a project in the control room of his Reel Love Recording Company in Dayton.

Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Multi-instrumentalist Patrick Himes, the audio engineer-producer behind some the best local releases of the past several years, laying down overdubs on a project in the control room of his Reel Love Recording Company in Dayton.

In an age when anyone with interest can record music on their computer and release it into the world, audio engineer-producer Patrick Himes is thriving. In fact, he has carved out a niche at his Reel Love Recording Company in Dayton where he offers studio time at competitive Midwest rates while delivering the quality you would find in major music markets like Nashville and Los Angeles.

Himes was at the helm for a lot of great releases in 2021 including Brother Hill’s “Blackfish,” “I’ll Be Better” from Paige Beller and the Repeating Arms’ “Higher Than Lonesome.” These were among my top albums of the year, and in the future, will all be regarded as classic local albums of this era. The projects are very dissimilar, musically and lyrically. Even so, there is a shared commitment to acoustic instrumentation, a hometown connection, and the presence of Himes, who doesn’t so much have a signature studio sound as much as he manages to sonically capture the best aspects of each act.

Himes, who is also a talented multi-instrumentalist, was at the helm for sessions from other local acts that made my top releases of 2021. In the roots rock realm, there was Neo American Pioneers’ “Into the Deep,” the New Old-Fashioned’s four-song EP “Big City,” and Age Nowhere’s sophomore LP, “Age Nowhere Strikes Again!” However, it wasn’t only roots rock coming out of Reel Love. There was folk duo the Touchy Feelys’ debut, “Break-Up Songs About Staying Together,” and “Future Copy,” the sophomore album from alt-rockers Sadbox.

“It’s crazy,” Himes responded when I asked about the output. “Working with all of these people has been an absolute joy and I’m still in awe of how wide the talent pool is here.”

The Katawicks, Heather Redman, the Paint Splats and Zac Pitts all released Himes-produced singles in 2021. These songs were all teasers for forthcoming albums that should be released in 2022, but that’s only the tip of the monolithic iceberg of music scheduled surging its way out of Himes’ studio.

In addition to the four acts mentioned above, the hardworking studio wizard has more than a dozen other planned releases that should emerge this year. It’s a diverse group including highly anticipated new releases from Yuppie, Amber Hargett, Viceroy Kings, RIND, David Payne and Shade Of Red.

“I’m loving it all, too,” Himes said. “There’s not a bad one in the bunch. I’m legitimately excited about every single one of these releases.”

Contact this contributing writer at 937-287-6139 or e-mail at donthrasher100@gmail.com.

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