In 2004 the “Riley B. King Recording Studio” acquired its first ADK microphones after the Nashville 2004 Summer NAMM show. After hearing various demonstrations of ADK microphones, including their appearance on the final recording of the late Ray Charles, Dr. Alphonso Sanders (Director, B.B. King Recording Studio) found an opportunity to speak with Larry Villella, CEO of ADK Microphones. “Mr. B.B. King has a passion for quality sound and the education of our recording students, they need to experience the recording quality of these microphones,” Sanders stated. The union between ADK and the B.B. King Recording Studio is all about the future of great recorded music. Larry Villella’s vision is to create “Affordable Audiophile Gear”.

“It has always been my belief that the microphones can make or break a recording session. Our ADK microphones have been one of the biggest assets on our recordings. With the release in 2006 of David Durham’s and the 2007 Mississippi Mass Choir’s CD project, we have been able to capture the true essence of the music, vocals and room with the ADK microphones” says Daryl Dickerson (Chief Audio Engineer, B.B. King Recording Studio).

One vision of the studio is to archive recordings of as many Delta musicians as possible. Many of the older genuine bluesmen have never seen the inside of a recording studio. Mr. B.B. King and Mississippi Valley State University are making it possible to preserve the rich heritage of the Delta Blues and its future through the B.B. King Recording Studio. The studio’s recent live recording of Delta Bluesman David Lee Durham’s “Struggling and Straining” (at the historic Club Ebony) is now becoming widely recognized throughout Italy, Switzerland, and other parts of Europe. David loves the natural sound of his vocals using ADK Microphones.

Mississippi Delta music is certainly on the rise and its roots are so deep that no one can deny its influence on generations of music across the world. Microphones like the ADK Custom Shop CS-1 will help capture and preserve the heart and soul of future music. They are already capturing the Blues heritage of the Delta through the B.B. King Recording Studio. We are looking forward to a long relationship with ADK microphones. “Larry Villella has a heart of gold and a passion to create the best microphones to produce great music,” Dr. Sanders said. 

We want the BB King Recording Studio to be known by our mission to offer a well-defined skill-set to the next generation of musicians and audio engineers.