Tracknotes
In the fall of 1979, Ron Flack, then a freshman art student at Mount Vernon Nazarene University (MVNU), quickly found a community of songwriters. He organized events to connect these songwriters with musicians, creating a platform called "Students at Work" that helped young writers bring their songs to life. Even after Ron's "requested departure" from the university after his first year, these student-led events continued.
Impressed by these gatherings, Bob Finnie, a music professor at MVNU, invited Ron to monthly lessons. Although Ron had no formal music education and played solely by ear, he eagerly absorbed lessons on theory, scales, harmony, and melody. Professor Finnie's selfless mentorship profoundly influenced Ron, ultimately helping him re-enroll at MVNU, where he graduated in 1987.
From the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, Ron worked as a youth worker, using music to connect with young people. In 1995, he attended Al Denson's Music Camp in Nashville, and a year later, he moved with his family to Hermitage, Tennessee. There, Ron honed his skills in MIDI sequencing, arranging, and recording his music, which led to collaborations with local musicians.
As technology evolved, Ron saw new opportunities and moved his family back to Ohio to be closer to loved ones. In the early 2000s, he found his niche in web design and software UX engineering, leading to the creation of Realgrey Creative. His recording experience from Nashville and his passion for music and people naturally transitioned into recording and mixing for the Northeast Ohio songwriter scene.
In 2010, a small group of songwriters began meeting in Ron's living room, forming a monthly gathering known as "BRING YOUR SONG" (BYS). This word-of-mouth group grew into a network of songwriters, musicians, engineers, and producers, many of whom worked out of Ron's home studio. Realgrey Creative evolved into Realgrey Records.
By 2015, Ron and his songwriting friends converted his property's carriage house into a dedicated recording space. As studio traffic increased and Ron's passion for helping musicians grew, the studio evolved. Tape machines and recording consoles came and went until the spring of 2022, when Carl Tatz installed his renowned PhantomFocus Monitoring System. This marked the beginning of the studio's newest chapter, continuing Ron's mission to help musicians cross new lines.