The Henhouse Hang - Nashville
My name is Steve Dawson and I’ve been producing and playing on records for over 25 years. I’ve always been into teaching, and I wanted to open up and talk about the recording process with folks who are interested in learning about it - whether they are youngsters just getting into music, professionals who want to get a different perspective, or hardcore music fans that want to see how the music they love gets made. But I didn’t want it to be in a dull environment or a classroom, so we started this program to welcome you into my studio in Nashville and show you how it all goes down. I bring along some of the best musicians and engineers in town and we get down to it. Join us!
A One-of-a-Kind Immersive Recording Experience
The Henhouse Hang is a unique, immersive 3-day recording event that began in Nashville and expanded to Vancouver in 2025. For 2026, we’re bringing the original experience back to The Henhouse.
Hosted by JUNO Award-winning producer Steve Dawson, this rare weekend brings you inside the creative process as real songs are arranged, recorded, overdubbed, and mixed in front of you.
You’ll be in the room with the artist, producer, engineer, and band as decisions are made in real time - hearing the conversations, watching the songs take shape, and seeing how a record actually gets made from the inside.
Price: $1,500 USD
Deposit: $100 holds your spot and is fully credited to your final balance
Capacity: Maximum 8 participants
Only 2 spots left!
What You’ll Be Part Of
Over three days, you’ll have a front-row seat as two unreleased songs evolve from rough ideas into fully produced tracks. You’ll observe and participate in discussions as the artist, band, producer, and engineer work through each stage of the process.
A talented guest artist bringing in two unreleased songs that we will be recording from the ground up in front of you
See Nashville number charts being written
Watch a group of incredible players hearing and playing the song for the first time
Learn how each instrument is recorded, including drums, guitars, pedal steel, bass, piano, organ and more!
Follow the live tracking, refining, final takes and overdubs
Instruction and discussion about mic placement, gear walkthroughs, and recording techniques
Creative decisions around arranging, overdubbing, and mixing
Steve Dawson brings 20+ years of record-making experience and a deep commitment to sharing the craft. He’ll be joined by long-time collaborator and recording engineer Sheldon Zaharko, along with a lineup of top-tier session musicians working in the Americana/Roots world - where recording a live band is not just accepted, it’s preferred.
“Thank you and Sheldon for putting on an incredible program and providing a learning experience like no other! The Henhouse Hang is something I will never forget. I’ve learned so much - The Henhouse Hang is a truly unique and ‘must do’ experience that you can’t help but come away from completely inspired to take on whatever project you’ve been thinking of!”
- Michael (2025 attendee)
The Henhouse Hang Nashville
Now Booking for Oct. 23-25, 2026
Delicious lunches, coffee, and snacks provided all 3 days
Hours run 10am–5pm, with coffee, pastries, and a casual hang before we start each day
Each day includes a morning session and an afternoon session
You’ll see two songs come to life and be part of each step of the process
The basic schedule:
Day 1 — Tour the studio, meet the musicians, and learn how each instrument will be recorded
Day 2 — Meet the guest artist and watch the full-band session unfold, from the first listen through final takes and overdubs
Day 3 — Follow the final overdubs and finishing touches, then get inside the mixing process
Rate: $1500 USD
Deposit: $100 holds your spot and is fully credited to your final balance
Coming from Canada? Contact us to discuss the exchange rate.
The Henhouse Hang is perfect for:
Songwriters interested in the recording process
Hobby musicians
Experienced musicians/engineers looking for new concepts and ideas about recording a band
Music Fans
Anyone curious about how records are made
People who want an immersive, no-pressure creative experience
Questions about whether this is right for you? Contact us here.
($100 deposit required to hold a spot and fully credited to your final balance)
“A unique opportunity to witness the studio operations - from setup to mixing. If you love songwriting, sound and dabbling in tech - this is a great immersion experience.”
- Maureen (2025 attendee)
Why This Is So Rare
Recording studios are usually private, closed spaces - places where musicians experiment, make mistakes, chase ideas, and carve out moments that become the heart of a finished song. Most people never get to see this world up close.
You’re invited right into the room as the band shapes a song from its very first chart to the final mix. You’ll hear the conversations, watch decisions unfold, and feel the energy as musicians and producers chase a sound together. It’s an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at the craft of record-making that normally happens with nobody watching.
If you’ve ever wondered how music really comes to life, this is the rare chance to experience it firsthand.
Limited Spots Available
The Henhouse Hang is intentionally intimate and designed for a relatively small group of music lovers, aspiring producers, engineers, and artists who want to experience the recording process in a truly interactive way. For our Nashville session, the class will be a maximum of 8 participants.
Join us for an unforgettable look into the real world of making records!
“Having the opportunity to see “behind the curtain” of the work of such incredible professionals was a gift (and very rare in my experience). Everyone was generous and open handed with answering any questions we had. Getting to observe the team work through the songs was inspiring. The food/hospitality was first rate as well!”
- Paul (2023 attendee)
FAQ
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No, this isn’t interactive in that way. You will be around players, and be able to speak with them and ask them questions, but the musicians we hire to come in will do all the playing.
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None. This event is really geared towards everyone from music fans that just want to be around it and see how it’s done, to professionals that just want a fresh perspective on he process. Whether you’ve worked in audio before, or have no experience at all, you will find this event rewarding.
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Yes, while there is a technical aspect to this, we try not to get too deep in the weeds with anything too technical. People that are just music fans will love this experience.
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This is a very real and very legitimate session! We don’t dumb it down and we don’t put it all on for show. We do work slower than we normally would so we can explain things and answer questions, but we are cutting real tracks that could potentially be released in the future (depending on what the artist wants to do with them, of course!)
($100 deposit required to hold a spot and fully credited to final cost)
If you have any questions about The Henhouse Hang, Contact us here
Guest Artist for 2026
Aaron Lee Tasjan is a Grammy-nominated, genre-bending singer-songwriter and guitarist, known for his masterful, eclectic style that blends '70s glam, classic rock, pop, and alt-country with sharp, honest, and often humorous lyrics, emerging from the East Nashville scene as a respected voice for his musical versatility, and witty storytelling. He gained early fame with the band Semi Precious Weapons and as a sideman for the New York Dolls, before launching a successful solo career with albums like In the Blazes, Karma for Cheap, and Stellar Evolution, solidifying his place as a unique talent in modern Americana and indie music.
Aaron Lee Tasjan
Meet The Instructors
Steve Dawson
Behind the seemingly endless stream of award winning musical output is one of the hardest working musicians this country has ever produced. Whether he’s turning heads on the concert circuit with his incendiary playing, or pulling the best possible performances out of the many artists that he works with, Steve Dawson is always striving to take things to the next level with innovative slide guitar playing, fingerstyle guitar and songwriting. His work as an artist and producer has garnered 7 Juno Awards (the Canadian Grammy). He has become an in-demand guitarist and sideman, touring and recording with artists such as Birds of Chicago, Matt Andersen, Allison Russell, Bruce Cockburn, Joe Henry, Jim Byrnes, Kelly Joe Phelps, John Hammond, Alvin Youngblood Hart, and many more.
Steve currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee, where he works as a solo artist, sideman, and record producer. He runs the acclaimed independent label Black Hen Music and his recording studio, The Henhouse. Steve also releases a monthly podcast exploring the lives and careers of interesting musicians entitled “Music Makers and Soul Shakers”.
Sheldon Zaharko
Sheldon is a Juno Award winning engineer that has worked with many Internationally acclaimed artists on their recording projects. Sheldon is also the recipient of the Western Canadian Music award for Engineer of the year 2017 and 2021.
Sheldon was born in Vermilion, Alberta and discovered at an early age that music can pretty much save your life. Growing up in a small town, he found refuge in music as a musician and performed in bands throughout the 80’s as a drummer. His love of music morphed into a fascination with the recording process and he discovered his passion lay in the studio, behind the mixing board.
From 1993-2011 Sheldon was the Head Engineer at "The Factory", working with a bevy of recording acts like Billy Talent, Robben Ford, Geddy Lee, Simple Plan, Bad Company, Roberta Flack, Michelle Wright, Sheena Easton, Melissa Manchester, Susan Aglukark, Philip Bailey, Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson, Prism, Rob Halford, Ridley Bent, Jane Siberry, Holly McNarland and The National Film Board of Canada.
The Musicians
The musicians are the ones who bring the session together. All of these players are highly skilled and experienced studio musicians who have been working in studios around Nashville and internationally for decades. All of them are extremely creative and approachable, and will be telling you about their instruments as we learn how to record the sounds they make. This year’s lineup of players includes:
Steve Dawson - guitars, pedal steel
Dave Jacques - electric and upright bass. Dave spent 30 years in John Prine’s band and is now a top-call live bassist and session musician.
Jen Gunderman - piano, organ, wurlitzer and other keyboards. Jen has spent the last 12 years in Sheryl Crow’s band, and before that was a member of The Jayhawks.
Justin Amaral - drums and percussion. Justin is one of the busiest drummers around town and has amassed a huge body of recorded and live work.
We Hope to see you at The Henhouse Hang!!
Hold My Spot ($100 Deposit required to hold a spot)
If you have any questions about The Henhouse Hang, Contact us here
Some images from Last Year’s Event in Nashville
Featuring our amazing crew, guests and our incredible special guest artist, Lily Winwood
