History

by Trinidad Cisneros

The building itself was the former city hall/fire station, built in 1915. In 1984, attorney Anthony Tomblin purchased and restored it. Then in 1992 Southwest Texas State purchased the building from Tomblin in order to turn it into the studio it is today. The university was the first in the southwest to have a sound recording technology program and still is today, the only university in the southwest to offer this degree. Gary Hickinbotham and Bobby Arnold are the engineers and they work with the students in the Sound Recording Technology(SRT) program. Gary started at the studio in it's beginning stages as a carpenter and quickly advanced to recording engineer. Bobby has worked with country music stars such as Willie Nelson, where he engineered and recorded Willie in the 80's, before joining the team in 1993. The Engineers are not the only famous people to walk the studio; blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan has also recorded some of his most influential music at the Fire Station Studio. The Studio and program of the university has been doing great things for students interested in the field and shows no signs of slowing down.