The world will never see another engineer like Albert Harry Schmitt. Not only was Al the most awarded engineer of all time — with 20 Grammy Awards and one Latin Grammy Award — but he was also the first-ever engineer to have his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Add to that a Recording Academy Trustees Award (2006), over 160 Gold and Platinum records to his credit, and a career that spanned seven decades, and he set the bar so high that no one will ever match it. From his early work in the ’60s on Henry Mancini’s Hatari! and Sam Cooke to more recent accomplishments like the Frank Sinatra Duets albums, Ray Charles’s Genius Loves Company, Natalie Cole’s Unforgettable . . . with Love, Al just kept going. He recently turned 91 (April 17), but he wasn’t slowing down. His most recent album credit is for mixing on Willie Nelson’s just-released That’s Life album in 2021. In 2020 alone, he was credited on nine albums. Considering that his first recording session was when he was 19, that’s a span of 72 years. Simply amazing.
Here’s a partial list of artists he worked with through his long career. And check out his full list of credits on Allmusic.com.
Frank Sinatra
Paul McCartney
Diana Krall
Barbra Streisand
Dr. Dre
Tony Bennett
Lady Gaga
Miles Davis
Bob Dylan
Sam Cooke
Toto
Henry Mancini
George Benson
Johnny Cash
Steely Dan
Ray Charles
Norah Jones
Natalie Cole
Jefferson Airplane
Quincy Jones
Michael Franks
Jackson Browne
Neil Young
His book, Al Schmitt on the Record: The Magic Behind the Music, co-written with Maureen Droney, details not only technical advice and life advice but also recollections of memorable sessions along the way, including one session early in his career, when he was a teenager, when Duke Ellington and his big band showed up to record. That’s one way to start a successful career. To read more about his illustrious career, go buy his book and get insight into one of the most legendary recording engineers of all time.
Al was incredibly generous with his time and taught a master class on mixing here at Sweetwater back in 2015. Al’s vibrant personality and unique take on recording can be clearly seen here with Mitch Gallagher from 2017.
The last time I had dinner with Al (just a few years ago), he was regaling me with stories about his recent African safari vacation with Lisa, his wife of nearly 30 years. As I sat listening to his stories about lots of things, not just recording, I was keenly aware that I was in the presence of recording royalty. I’ll never forget the time I got to spend with him or the influence he had on me and so many others in our industry.
When Al and I last spoke, I was going to be at the Capitol Records Building and he was trying to pull some strings to see if he could get me into the Capitol echo chambers underground at Capitol Studios, one of his favorite studios. That didn’t happen, but here’s the photo I took of Al’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Al, you will be missed. And no one will ever take your place.
– Lynn Fuston
As word of Al’s death spreads, tributes on social media are coming in from all over the world. His influence was felt globally. Our own Mitch Gallagher reflects:
“I’m so saddened to hear of Al Schmitt’s passing. Al was the consummate recording engineer. His ability to capture amazing sounds that required no EQ or processing from vocals and instruments was simply unmatched. But, beyond his technical ability and his unmatched ears, what always stood out to me was his love for music and beautiful sound. The last time I saw Al was at Sweetwater’s GearFest a few years ago — it was always such a pleasure to spend time with him. He and I gave a seminar where he played and discussed what he considered some of his best work. It was beyond inspirational — and instructive — to hear him speak about how he created his fantastic productions. He was a one-of-a-kind treasure, and there will never be another like him.“