Editing Val Garay

{{Short description|American recording engineer and record producer (born 1942)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{BLP sources|date=May 2010}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Val Garay
| image           =
| caption         =
| birth_name      =
| birth_date      = {{Birth date and age|1942|05|09}}
| birth_place     = [[San Francisco]], [[California]], U.S.
| death_date      =
| death_place     =
| genre           =
| occupations     = Recording engineer, record producer
<!-- | parents         = [[Joaquin Garay]] (1911 - 1990)  -->
<!-- | sibling         = [[Joaquin Gary III]], Carmina & Ricky Garay  -->
| associated_acts = {{unbulleted list|[[Kim Carnes]]|[[The Motels]]|[[Linda Ronstadt]]|[[James Taylor]]}}
| website         = {{URL|valgaray.com}}
}}

'''Val Garay''' (born May 9, 1942)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=ISBN0810376040|title=ISBN0810376040 - Google Search|website=Google.com|access-date=January 22, 2021}}</ref> is an American [[recording engineer]] and [[record producer]] who has worked with [[Linda Ronstadt]], [[James Taylor]], [[Kim Carnes]], [[The Motels]], [[Neil Diamond]] and others. Garay also co-founded Los Angeles recording studio [[Record One]].

==Career==
Garay, the son of well-known Latin singer [[Joaquin Garay]] and grandson [[Joaquin Garay III]] grew up in [[Burlingame, California]], where he graduated from [[Burlingame High School (California)|Burlingame High School]]. A songwriter and guitarist, Garay left behind studies at [[Stanford University School of Medicine]] to pursue a career as a professional musician.<ref name=Saxon>{{cite web |last=Saxon |first=Jonathan |title=Val Garay: Linda Ronstadt, Kim Carnes, James Taylor |url=https://tapeop.com/interviews/112/val-garay/ |website=TapeOp.com |publisher=Tape Op |access-date=November 17, 2021}}</ref>

In the mid-1970s, Garay's manager, Michael J. Gruber, introduced him to engineer and producer [[David Hassinger]], founder of [[The Sound Factory]] recording studio in Hollywood. Garay was soon engineering recording sessions at The Sound Factory and working with [[Peter Asher]], on albums like Linda Ronstadt's ''[[Heart Like a Wheel]]'', James Taylor's ''[[JT (James Taylor album)|JT]]'', and [[Bonnie Raitt]]'s ''[[The Glow (Bonnie Raitt album)|The Glow]]''.<ref name=Jackson>{{cite web|last=Jackson|first=Blair|title=Classic Tracks: Kim Carnes "Bette Davis Eyes"|url=https://www.mixonline.com/news/classic-tracks-kim-carnes-bette-davis-eyes-425271|website=mixonline.com|publisher=Future Plc|date=September 1, 2003|access-date=November 16, 2021}}</ref><ref name=Saxon/>

In January 1980, Garay opened his own studio, [[Record One]], in the [[Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles|Sherman Oaks]] neighborhood of [[Los Angeles, California]], producing Kim Carnes album ''[[Mistaken Identity (Kim Carnes album)|Mistaken Identity]]'' and its Grammy Award-winning song, "Bette Davis Eyes."<ref name=Jackson/> Garay engineered James Taylor's ''[[Dad Loves His Work]]'' in 1981, and produced [[the Motels]]' hit album ''[[All Four One]]'' in 1982.

Garay has also worked with [[Kenny Rogers]], [[Ringo Starr]], [[Mr. Big (American band)|Mr. Big]], [[Eric Burdon]], [[Dolly Parton]], [[Queensrÿche]], [[Dramarama (band)|Dramarama]], [[Ezo (band)|EZO]], [[Sarah Brightman]], [[Nicolette Larson]], [[Santana (band)|Santana]], [[Reel Big Fish]], [[Joan Armatrading]], [[Katrina (musician)|Katrina]], and others.

In 1989, Garay sold Record One to Allen Sides, who added Record One to the [[Ocean Way Recording|Ocean Way Recording Group]].<ref name=Jackson/>

In November 2010, he partnered with attorney George Woolverton<ref>{{cite web |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/red-red-records-sign-worldwide-132000656.html |title=Red Red Records Sign Worldwide Licensing Agreement for Pop Sensation Katrina's New Single "So Eden" from Her Debut Album "In the Blink of an Eye"|date=March 12, 2012 |work=Yahoo! Finance |access-date=April 24, 2012}}</ref> to form Red Red Records,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fmqb.com/article.asp?id=2015765|title=Val Garay, John Kosh Launch Red Red Records|website=Fmqb.com|date=November 10, 2010|access-date=April 5, 2011}}</ref> and he works with up-and-coming new artists as well as produces/engineers scores for motion picture and television projects.

==Awards and recognition==
In 1982, Garay shared a [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year]] with Kim Carnes, for "Bette Davis Eyes".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SCQEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22Val+Garay%22+%22bette+davis+eyes%22+grammy&pg=PA74|title=Quincy Jones takes top honors at Grammy Awards|last=Grein|first=Paul|date=March 6, 1982|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|pages=1, 74|access-date=May 19, 2010}}</ref> He has received numerous entertainment industry awards and additional Grammy nominations, including [[Grammy Award for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical|Best Engineered Recording]] for his work on the James Taylor album ''[[JT (James Taylor album)|JT]]'' and Linda Ronstadt's ''[[Simple Dreams]]'', a nomination for [[Grammy Award for Album of the Year|Album of the Year]] for Kim Carnes' ''Mistaken Identity'', and a nomination for [[Producer of the Year]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.awardsandshows.com/features/grammy-awards-1982-230.html |title=Grammy Awards 1982|website=Awardsandshows.com |access-date=April 24, 2012}}</ref> He received an Emmy nomination for Best Engineered Recording of a TV Special for Neil Diamond's ''[[I'm Glad You're Here with Me Tonight]]'', as well as dozens of gold and platinum records.

==Personal life==
Garay is married to Nicole Dunn, CEO of Dunn Pellier Media, a Los Angeles-based public relations firm for celebrity health and wellness talent.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160815034246/http://blog.westlakepro.com/thank-you-val-garay/] </ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* http://www.valgaray.com official website
* {{Discogs artist}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garay, Val}}
[[Category:Song recordings produced by Val Garay]]
[[Category:1942 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:American audio engineers]]
[[Category:Record producers from California]]