YEAR
2012
INDUCTED BY
Robbie Robertson (The Band)
CATEGORY
Musical Excellence
In a tiny, unassuming room in New Orleans’ French Quarter, Cosimo Matassa worked magic.
The savvy studio owner was one of the first to recognize the goldmine that was New Orleans’ music scene. He has worked with the likes of Fats Domino, Big Joe Turner and Little Richard.
Cosimo Matassa
HALL OF FAME
ESSAY
By Ben Sandmel
Studio engineers rarely get credit for their crucial contributions to hits. But the sound of a recording—just as much as a song’s rendition— often provides the intangible element that puts it across. Listeners rarely identify this certain something as the hook that grabs them. Without its imperceptible appeal, however, they simply may not respond, and a hit will not ensue.
No audio engineer has thrilled more listeners by imbuing more hits with more sonic excitement than Cosimo Matassa. Matassa worked on a shoestring budget.
