A girl walks into The Hit Shack recording studio to record my first CD (Twisted Love) in Austin, Texas. In the early days of my music journey, I met a local Austin guitar player (Steve Doerr of The Leroy Brothers Band) who suggested to me “you need to go to the Hit Shack and meet Jay Hudson, he will help you record your first CD!” What started as a simple visit to discuss a recording project changed the course of my life.
The Hit Shack was a modest studio filled with warmth, creativity, and the smell of a fresh pot of coffee. I was young, full of dreams, and carrying my accordion with me. The owner engineer CEO (Jay Hudson) welcomed me with open arms and let me play a few notes of my music for him.
Soon after that day I recorded my first professional tracks. The experience opened my eyes to the possibilities of a life in music. From that moment on, I knew I wanted to pursue a career as a professional singer and musician.
The Hit Shack became more than a studio — it became a place where friendships were formed, songs were written, and my confidence as a musician grew. Many of my early recordings and collaborations started within those walls. I look back on that first visit with gratitude. Walking into The Hit Shack wasn’t just stepping into a studio — it was stepping into my future.
This story is part of my larger journey from Canada to Los Angeles, to Austin, Texas, where I eventually formed The Love Saints and built a career playing country, blues, zydeco, and roots western swing. genres.
What I didn’t realize on that day in 1992 was that I would end up finding my soul mate and marrying the recording engineer CEO of The Hit Shack Recording Studio. Jay Hudson, a local born and raised Austin-ite helped my journey of becoming a Texan. I worked part time at the studio and met every musician in Austin. The coffee pot was always my favorite job! Making sure others enjoyed their recording session as much as I ever did! I loved helping Jay out with customer service starting in 1992 until the studio closed in 2005
If you enjoy stories about real musical journeys, behind-the-scenes moments, and the places that shape an artist’s life, you’ll love the rest of the archives on this site.
— Debra Peters
