If you’ve ever been inside the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center – commonly known as Ray PAC – you might not have noticed the two full-fledged music studios inside the building. The space is home to a few creatives from the Atlanta University Center (AUC), such as Spelman alumna Janay Trench-Lesley ‘26, aka Nay Speaks, and Kennard Garrett ‘01, the director of multimedia at Ray PAC. But how did this space come about, and who can access it?
Garrett is a well-renowned veteran in the music industry, working in the business for around 26 years. Over the years, he has accumulated multiple awards and even a Grammy win.
“Got my first deal in 2009. I had the pleasure of working with some of the biggest names in the industry, culminating with me winning a Grammy in 2019,” Garrett said.
Originally built in 2010, Ray PAC never seemed to have a set plan to become a home for two studios on campus, but when Garrett came for a tour, he saw the space and planned to turn it into a state-of-the-art music studio for students who attend the AUC, something he did not have.
“I hadn’t really been back over to the yard. And I was like, ‘What are y’all doing over at the school?’ I came to take a tour of it and stumbled upon this room that did not look anything like this. At the time, it was always built to be a studio. Equipment was bought. Nothing was put together. It became a storage closet, almost,” he said.
Working alongside Garrett in the studios is Henny “Tha Bizness” Henderson, a longtime music producer and professional making hit songs like “EveryGirl in the World” by Young Money. They both have been mentoring and educating students in this space for over 10 years now.
Their classes have produced two Grammy winners, one being Tim Maxey, an artist and producer from Chicago who has worked with Kendrick Lamar.
Garrett and Henny treat this studio space not only as a work environment but also as an academic one, where they host workshops and classes on Thursdays. Bringing the programming and curriculum to support the music technology in the studio space. Garrett also says the space serves as an office for him as well.
“I think from two standpoints, from students being able to create and to get their dreams out and, and work in an environment that’s conducive to making quality recordings,” Garrett said.
Students can access this space by applying every semester through an application sent out via email. The studios accept around 23 people. Ray PAC Studios is much more than just a studio; it is an educational classroom for musicians and creatives in the AUC.
