Sound Takes Flight at Work It Bird Studios
From the Historic Former KLMO Radio Station Building
Passersby can’t hear the music at work inside Work It Bird Studios while walking past 614 Kimbark Street, but step inside, and the creative nest is alive with song.
Here, musician and sound engineer Christopher Wright has assembled a home where artists can hatch new ideas and let their music take flight within a dedicated sound room.
“I’m a musician foremost. I was in a touring band for quite a while, and that band ended in 2012. And I was like, ‘Oh God, what now?’” Wright said about his old band Meniskus. “So, I went back to school for recording, got my undergrad in audio production, and my master’s in Recording Arts and post-production for film.”
Work It Bird Studios is starting a new season in Longmont’s music scene, but the building itself carries a rich history. Originally constructed in 1969, it was home to the KLMO Radio Station, a space once dedicated to broadcasting for the Longmont community.
“I’m actually developing a relationship with the former owner, Mark Venezia, who built out the space,” Wright said of Wind Over the Earth, the previous studio at the location. “When he moved, he took all his equipment but left these incredible acoustic panels, which are probably the coolest things I’ve ever experienced.”
After serving as a radio station for decades, the building has, in recent years, functioned as a recording studio, featuring a towering two-story modular wooden north wall and massive, reinforced soundproof doors—nearly as thick as those on a submarine—ensuring complete sound isolation for both the studio and sound booth.
“Half of the room is designed for reflections, while the other side has absorption panels. As a drummer, I like a little of both, depending on what I’m recording,” Wright said.
With a studio built like a fortress, another big feature is the heavy-duty, massive soundproof doors.
“They block out everything. You can’t hear a damn thing once they’re shut,” Wright said.
For Wright, music runs in the family. His father was a full-time musician, and he was introduced to the industry at a young age.
“I grew up helping my dad haul gear into clubs. I was hanging out in bars when I was ten, just soaking it all in. The band members used to practice at our house, so they became like family. When I was a kid, my dad would call me on stage and say, ‘Come on, you know these songs.’ It was intimidating, but it shaped who I am today,” Wright recalled.
The name “Work It Bird” has its own story, inspired by Wright’s younger sister.
“One day, she was just doodling and came up with this logo,” Wright said, revealing an old tattoo of a stick figure bird on the inside of his wrist. “It had this playful feel, like you’re ‘working it’—effortless grace. She made me a T-shirt with it, and I thought, ‘This fits. This is me.’ So, I named the studio Work It Bird Studios.”
Beyond being a recording studio, Work It Bird Studios is a space where creativity thrives. Wright remains deeply involved in the local music scene, playing in bands like the Antonio Lopez Band, Mackenzie Rae & Buckshot Moon, and the Theresa Storch Band. Wright also collaborates with other studios, such as Coupe Studios in Boulder, and works on sound design for film and commercial projects.
Before opening the new recording studio, Wright had been recording out of his home basement.
“My wife and I moved from Denver in 2016, and I used the biggest room in the house as my recording space,” Wright shared. “She’s a photographer, so we had our work studios downstairs. I freelanced at different studios around town, but that was home base.”
For years, Wright built a name for himself as “some dude recording in his basement” through word of mouth, where he invited artists to record in his home studio.
“I recorded artists, did interviews, and put together electronic press kits for them,” Wright said. “But then COVID hit, and that put a little damper on everything.”
Wright’s flight in the Longmont music scene began long before he opened Work It Bird Studios. Years ago, he ran live sound at The Roost, a venue that once featured live music.
“I was really impressed with the talent that came through there. It was like a freaking goldmine,” Wright recalled. “I started cherry-picking musicians I wanted to play with. Like, I saw Antonio Lopez and thought, ‘I want to play with that guy.’ Same with Billy Shaddox and his bass player. Over time, I just worked my way into these scenes.”
Now, with a professional studio space, he’s continuing those recording sessions—only bigger and better. The new studio was never part of Wright’s plan—until an opportunity unexpectedly landed in his lap.
“I got a flyer in the mail that said Mark [Venezia] was selling this place. My wife and I went just to check it out, not thinking we’d actually go for it,” Wright said.
But once they walked inside, they knew it was special.
“We loved it. It just felt right. We made it work, and now it’s home,” Wright said.
“Sometimes,” Wright said. “The best opportunities are the ones you aren’t even looking for. They just fall into your lap.”
Just like its name, the environment of Work It Bird Studios is designed to put artists at ease.
“I try to do things with as little stress as possible,” Wright said. “Recording should be about capturing the magic, not worrying about everything being perfect. This is a space where artists can just flow.”
With an inviting atmosphere, deep musical roots, and cutting-edge technology, the ‘work it’ vibe here fits. A recording studio should feel natural and relaxed, yet focused, and this place just feels right for Wright.
Since moving into the space in December, Wright has already worked with multiple artists, crafting a new wave of music within the studio’s walls. Coming from a home recording setup, the difference in sound quality was staggering.
“My basement was a square room, which means all sorts of weird frequency problems,” Wright said. “This place was built so that there’s no perfect squares—everything’s slightly angled. The way the walls are designed prevents sound buildup. It’s amazing.”
Even his recent recording sessions have proven the studio’s exceptional acoustics.
“We were recording Antonio Lopez last week, and we all just stopped and listened,” Wright recalled. “We were like, ‘Holy… this is something else.’ Even in other studios we’ve recorded in, there’s something special about this place.”
“There’s definitely good Juju in here. If you're into that kind of thing. I’m not sure if I ever was totally, but I am now,” Wright said.
Since opening the studio, Wright has been busy working with a variety of artists:
The Antonio Lopez Band – Currently recording singles for an upcoming album.
Venus Faye – Frequent collaborator and music partner.
Mackenzie Ray & Buckshot Moon – Tracking an album with four songs completed so far.
Brian Zoran – Recorded music, moved from Southern Colorado to Denver.
David Lawrence – Local singer-songwriter known for gypsy jazz and folk.
Wright broke down what a typical recording session looked like, using his recent work with Antonio Lopez as an example.
“Me being the drummer, me being the audio engineer, and this being my studio—I have to wear a lot of hats all at once,” Wright said. “But typically, everybody comes in, we discuss what songs we want to do first, and I set up the session in Pro Tools. I get everything patched—vocals, instruments, drums. Antonio’s band even has a marimba and vibes player, so he gets his own separate mix as well.”
Unlike some studios where musicians record their parts separately, Wright prefers to track as a full band whenever possible.
“We like to play at the same time,” Wright explained. “So, I’ll either have someone in the control room pressing record, or I’ll press record and go out there myself. We’ll do multiple takes until we get it right, and then I’ll edit in post-production.”
For Wright, juggling both musician and engineer roles adds an extra challenge—but one he enjoys. However, when he’s strictly engineering a session rather than performing, the process becomes a little more streamlined.
“If I’m just the engineer and producer, I set everything up, give everyone their own mix through the playback system, and handle the recording and mixing as we go,” Wright said. “I’d be in the control room, and they’d be out there.”
When it comes to studio technology, Wright takes a hybrid approach, blending analog warmth with digital precision.
“If money was no object, I’d have a full 24-channel analog console,” Wright admitted. “But for now, I’ve got analog preamps, compressors, and channel strips that I use on specific things, plus pristine digital workstations.”
This combination allows him to capture the best of both worlds.
“It keeps my sound from being too digital. I like turning knobs, seeing meters, and having that tangible feel,” Wright said. “I need to see the meters move. I need to feel like I’m doing something.”
“Clicking a mouse all day, I hate it,” Wright said. “I like options, I like analog, and I like having control over the sound.”
For Wright, Pro Tools is king when it comes to digital audio workstations (DAWs).
“Pro Tools is kind of my baby in a lot of ways,” Wright said. “I’ve used it for so many years, and I know it so well. It has a different sound than other DAWs, and I prefer it.”
For Wright, a hybrid setup—balancing analog and digital—offers the best of both worlds.
“I don’t want analog to disappear,” Wright said. “A lot of people are going back to vinyl, and that warm sound is something digital alone can’t fully replicate.”
Even beyond his own studio, Wright is working to connect and promote local musicians.
“Doug Gaddy over at Absolute Vinyl and I have been talking about getting the bands I record to do performances at his shop,” Wright said. “We’re trying to bring more awareness to the local music scene and make it more present.”
With a prime location in downtown Longmont, Wright feels more connected to the local music community than ever before.
“At my old place, I was a bit more removed,” Wright said. “But here, I’ve been able to attend community meetings, host an opening event, and connect with other business owners.”
Work It Bird Studios is even set to join Longmont’s Winter Walkabout Music Showcase next year, giving even more people the chance to experience the studio’s “juju” and unique acoustics.
“I just want to be part of the community,” Wright said. “And I want this studio to be a space where great music is made and shared.”
With so much momentum, Wright sees Work It Bird Studios continuing to grow—not just as a recording space but as a community hub for musicians.
“I want to bring back Work It Bird Sessions and really highlight local artists,” Wright said. “This space is bigger, better, and designed to help artists make their best work.”
History of Music at 614 Kimbark Street
A huge thank you to the Longmont Archives at the Longmont Museum, Elizabeth Beaudoin, Curator of History, and the archival staff for their help in gathering the information for this article. Their knowledge and support made this research possible, and we at the Longmont Herald truly appreciate their time and effort.
Radio has long been a cornerstone of American communities, providing news, entertainment, and local programming. For Longmont, KLMO played a significant role in this tradition. Established in 1949, the station has undergone various transformations, culminating in a major milestone in 1969 when it relocated to 614 Kimbark Street from its previous location at 301 Main Street.
According to a Longmont Times-Call article published on December 5, 1969, KLMO first went on the air in December 1949 from its original location in the Imperial Hotel. The station was founded by a group of Texas-based owners, with Jack Dubberly serving as the manager and Reed Walker as the sales manager. Over its first decade, KLMO changed hands multiple times, with owners such as Grady Franklin Maples, Irving Ludlow, Arlene Steinbach, and Judson Rosebush taking control before the station was purchased by William Stewart on July 1, 1959 (Longmont Times-Call, December 5, 1969).
A pivotal development occurred in August 1966 when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved an increase in KLMO's power to 10,000 watts and a frequency shift to 1060 on the AM dial. This adjustment made KLMO the second most powerful station in Colorado at the time (Longmont Times-Call, December 5, 1969).
By early 1969, KLMO embarked on an ambitious project: constructing a brand-new facility at 614 Kimbark Street on a property that had previously been a residential home. A Longmont Times-Call article dated March 22, 1969, reported that the new two-story building would house both KLMO AM and KLMO FM under the ownership of Radio Longmont, Inc. Led by William Stewart, the project was contracted to Faith Contracting and was scheduled for completion by May 15, 1969 (Longmont Times-Call, March 22, 1969).
The modern facility was designed to accommodate KLMO’s growing operations, featuring state-of-the-art studios, office space, and a downstairs meeting room. The move to this new location marked a major transition for KLMO, providing enhanced infrastructure for its broadcasting services (Longmont Times-Call, March 22, 1969).
As FM radio gained popularity, KLMO expanded its operations, launching an FM station in 1964 at 104.3 FM. Initially broadcasting at 28,000 watts, the station later received authorization to increase its power to 100,000 watts, significantly broadening its reach (Longmont Times-Call, December 5, 1969).
By July 1969, KLMO began separately programming its AM and FM stations, effectively giving Longmont two radio outlets. KLMO-AM focused on popular music, national and local news, and women’s programming. Meanwhile, KLMO-FM catered to an audience that preferred light, easy-listening music and carried ABC news from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., as well as high school and college sports events (Longmont Times-Call, December 5, 1969).
In addition to its historical significance, the building at 614 Kimbark Street continued to serve as a building for broadcasting companies in Longmont. KLMO Radio Station operated at this location until 2006, after which it became home to KCRN in 2007. By 2011, the property housed the Colorado Radio Network, maintaining its role in local and regional broadcasting. By 2015, the site later converted to Wind Over the Earth studios (Yellow Pages).