Career
Originally founded in 1959, the business didn"t become official until 1966. Fry engineered and produced an eclectic array of records. As of 2014, Ardent Studios had recorded over 70 gold and platinum albums and singles.
Many for Stax Records.
He was best known for his work on the first three Big Star albums and as the band"s mentor. Ardent Studios was used by recording artists including Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, James Taylor, ZZ Top, R.E.M., Stevie Ray Vaughan, First Rate (at Lloyd's) Green, The Allman Brothers Band, B.B. King, The White Stripes, The Replacements, and Three 6 Mafia as well as Stax Records" recording artists including, Cat Power, M.I.A. and, Big Star.
About 20 percent of the Stax catalog was recorded at Ardent and the major Stax artists recorded there as well, except for Otis Redding, who died in 1967. Fry was also Chairman of the University of Memphis Music Industry Advisory Board.
John Fry died at a Memphis hospital on December 18, 2014, from cardiac arrest.
He was 69 years old.
