Many Rock Legends Owe Their Thanks To This New Mexico Studio

When you think of iconic recording studios, many come to mind. Abbey Road, Electric Lady, Muscle Shoals certainly rank amongst the most well known. If you're in Texas, you certainly know Sonic Ranch (in Tornillo) has one of the most popular in the state. And while those recording studios are historic, there is one recording studio that can be regarded as the starting point for rock music in the 50s. You just need to travel to Clovis, New Mexico to find it.

Where is Clovis, New Mexico?

Located in far East New Mexico, Clovis is just 9 miles west of the Texas border & 100 miles away from Roswell. It's a small town of little over 37,000 people. However the locals & the rock world know this town to be the place with a recording music that would kick off the careers of many classic rock stars. That studio is the now called the Norman & Vi Petty Rock N Roll Museum.

Who has recorded in Clovis?

Norman Petty & his wife Vi Petty along with guitarist Jack Vaughan would form the Norman Petty Trio & have success with their own songs like "Mood Indigo" in 1954. Despite having success in their home of Clovis, Norman & Vi would start the building for their own recording studio called Norman Petty Studios & they would create what would be known as "The Clovis Sound" in the 50s & 60s.

They would help at the time, small artists like Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, Waylon Jennings, Buddy Knox, Charlie Phillips... all names that would be GIANTS in the music world. And they owe a lot of their success to this recording studio. Such notable songs include Buddy Holly's "That'll Be The Day", "Peggy Sue", Buddy Knox's "Party Doll" & Roy Orbison's "Ooby Dooby" were among the many recorded in Clovis.

Today the recording studio has been transformed into a museum where people can visit. Some people have & shared their experiences online.

The museum still stands as both a memorial to the lives of Norman & Vi Petty but also as a testament to the legacy of the artists & songs that were recorded there. While it might not be the "home of rock & roll", it's highly likely that WITHOUT this recording studio, the sound of rock & roll would've been very different.

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