Steve Brown

Producer Steve Brown lent his skills to Elton John's early-'70s sessions, operating the console himself and positioning the piano so it seemed to sit just inside the listener's room. Enduring studio craftsmen like him have stayed in demand no matter how often rock and pop tastes shift, provided they keep their hands on the faders. His association with John never tagged him as lightweight, even though he also guided folk-rock sessions for artists such as Joan Armatrading. Brown handled multiple projects with The Cult and earned admiration from psychedelic listeners for his early work on a prized Roy Wood album with Wizzard. He later ventured into country music through a collaboration with the flamboyant Lee Greenwood.