Staff Engineers

PHIL AUSTIN (now in retirement). Phil joined Trutone in 1975 at a time when Trutone was transitioning from a part time venture to a full time entity. During his first year with Trutone, Phil worked part-time evenings out of Trutone’s home-based mastering studio. In 1976 he moved with us to our first commercial facility in Bergen County N.J., to a small town known as Haworth. After leaving his position as mastering engineer with Mercury Records, where his career began in the late 1960’s, (mastering such classic hits as, “Maggie May”, “Only the Strong Survive” and “Things I’d Like To Say” to name a few), he joined Trutone full time and began cutting such legendary hits as Salt n’ Pepa’s “Hot, Cool, and Vicious” and Paperboy’s “Ditty”. Phil is noted for cutting the first 12” Rap record at Trutone, “Rappers Delight” by The Sugar Hill Gang, for which he received a double platinum record from Sugar Hill Records in Englewood N.J. The second platinum 12” for Sugar Hill was “White Lines (Don’t Do It)” by Grandmaster Flash & Melle Mel.

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Lionel Richie "Just For You" Isl./Def Jam

In 1990, Phil moved with us to Hackensack, New Jersey where he occupied Mastering Suite 1 and became the engineer of choice for numerous Latin artists such as Tito Puente, Celia Cruz, Fulanito, Marc Anthony, Brenda K. Star, Tony Vega, Johnny Rivera, and Oscar DeLeon. Many of these albums achieved gold and platinum status. In 2003 Phil moved with Trutone once again to their “ultimate” mastering studios located in Midtown Manhattan (at the site of the former Record Plant Studios), where Phil continued his legacy of mastering great music. In 2005 after 37 years of contributing to music history, Phil formally retired. Phil lives with his wife Carol in upstate New York and they have recently become proud grandparents. Carl and Adrianne Rowatti and the staff of Trutone Mastering Labs Inc., wish to thank Phil for the wonderful years, the memorable moments and all the fabulous records he has mastered for Trutone’s many clients. We wish Phil and Carol all the best in their retirement years!!