For years now, Elevated Basement has been a fixture in the local music community, providing a state-of-the-art recording experience for local artists spanning a number of genres. Owner Kevin F. Rose has been running the space for over 15 years, and has worked with the likes of Gregg Allman and Stewart Copeland along the way.

Rose has seen firsthand the ups and downs of the music industry and how that has impacted the role that recording studios play, but Elevated Basement continues to thrive while other studios across the country have disappeared. He attributes that in part to a growing music scene in Savannah over the last few years.

“It’s kind of been this cross delta that has happened,” he says.

“There used to only be a couple of bands in town, and we used to rely on a lot of out-of-town work. We still do. But at the same time, I was just speaking with a guy from London who worked with Geoff Emerick and bunch of guys at EMI, and he’s just thrilled with the scene here. It’s funny to hear a guy from a big city like that speaking highly of the scene here.”

Elevated Basement has become a go-to space for artists who value the studio experience, particularly in a landscape where it’s easier than ever to record remotely regardless of expertise or knowledge of recording.

“When I worked with Gregg Allman, he said, ‘We all started wanting to put our fingers on the faders, and before long it was just mush. I realized that I needed to be a songwriter and a blues singer. That’s what I do,’” Rose says.

“That’s why he hired people to do the rest for him. I actually love the fact that recording has spread out, and I think that a lot of bands miss out on the opportunity to use the inexpensive stuff to develop their songs and arrangements rather than learning to get a snare sound. Because an artist should be an artist first, and a technician later.” – Sean Kelly

Runner-up: The Garage