We are saddened to report that multiple Grammy/Emmy/TEC award-winning engineer/producer, Ed Cherney, widely considered one of the greatest recording engineers on the planet, has passed away. His credits included hundreds of best-selling albums and soundtracks, all captured and mixed with loving care and outstanding sonic quality. Ed was a founder of the Grammy’s Producers and Engineer’s Wing, governor of the L.A. chapter of the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS), and a founding member of the METAlliance, a group of audio industry experts dedicated to implementing high-quality standards in music recording and delivery.
Ed’s career began in the Chicago area, where he agreed to roadie and drive the truck for a group of friends’ band. He began mixing sound for the band and became an apprentice engineer at Paragon Recording Studios in Chicago. Cherney moved to Los Angeles and landed a position as assistant engineer at Westlake Studios, just in time to serve as assistant to Bruce Swedien (whom he had met in Chicago) and Quincy Jones on Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall. He worked with Swedien and Jones for the next six years.
His discography features a who’s who of great artists: The Rolling Stones, Bonnie Raitt, Bette Midler, Eric Clapton, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Willie Nelson, Iggy Pop, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Queen Latifah, Sting, Sir Elton John, John Mayer, and countless more — even Spinal Tap! His work on film scores and soundtracks includes everything from Fast Times at Ridgemont High to The Hobbit, and many, many more.
I first made Ed’s acquaintance nearly 20 years ago, when I was the editor-in-chief at EQ magazine. I met him during a studio visit in Los Angeles, and shortly after, he began working with the burgeoning Music Player Network forums, which were part of the same publishing group as EQ. In the following years, I was privileged to see Ed many times, at trade shows, industry events, and here at Sweetwater, where he gave an outstanding workshop during GearFest 2014 and also sat down for a video interview with me.
Despite the lofty heights his career reached, there was no pretense or arrogance about Ed. He was always friendly, gracious, funny, and happy to see a new or old friend. He was an advocate for education, open and generous in sharing his knowledge, and in supporting his industry peers and newcomers to the industry alike. He was a fan of great music and committed to high-quality audio.
Ed Cherney will be missed. On behalf of everyone at Sweetwater, our condolences to his wife, Rose, his family, and his many, many friends.