From the moment I first heard the velvety, enchanting voice of Orlando-based singer-songwriter Hannah Stokes, I knew I had to work with her. I could listen to her sing for eight hours straight and never tire of it—recording her was an absolute dream.

​

When I first heard the demo of 1957, it felt like a story being told by a fireplace or the perfect soundtrack for a road trip through the mountains. That was exactly the feeling I wanted to help her capture. I loved that the song was inspired by stories her grandfather shared with her—it added such a beautiful, personal depth.

For production and mix references, Hannah sent me songs by Fleet Foxes and Hozier, and I also felt echoes of Ray LaMontagne’s Til The Sun Turns Black. Her voice has this warm, timeless quality, so I knew it needed the richness of a tube mic. I borrowed an M49a Kit mic from Melissa Harris Chambers, who also mixed and mastered the song. Melissa built this mic herself, modeling it after the legendary Neumann M49 tube mic—used by icons like Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, Miles Davis, and Norah Jones. The result? Hannah’s vocals turned out better than I could have imagined.

​

For guitars, we used my 1959 Gibson Les Paul Custom and my Yamaha FGX-730SCA—an acoustic guitar I’ve cherished for nearly 20 years. To add even more depth, we brought in cellist Tom Kersey, whose playing complemented Hannah’s voice beautifully, grounding the song with low-end warmth and fluid movement.

​

I couldn’t be happier with how 1957 came together.