Kent Wells - Producer (Dolly Parton, Reba, Kenny Rogers)

Today’s guest is Kent Wells. A guitar player, producer, studio owner, and songwriter, Kent’s road case bumper sticker is “Enjoy the climb.” Over a 30+ year, he has summited the peaks of every aspect of the recording industry. 

Kent began his ascent after his available notice on the musicians union bulletin board caught the eye of Keith Whitley’s bandleader. After standing behind the spotlight of one of Nashville’s most exciting new acts at the time, he then went on to tour with legends like The Oak Ridge Boys, Kenny Rogers, Reba, and Dolly Parton.

Eventually, the thrill of playing some of the biggest stages in the industry began to dim. Kent had discovered a new passion for the challenging and competitive world of session playing, and set out on a new journey in the recording industry. While steadily climbing the ranks of the session guitar chair, he began producing demos and eventually opened a studio on Nashville’s music row. After an unexpected call from Dolly Parton placed him in the producer chair along side one of country musics biggest stars, his ascent reached new heights and has continued on over the decades.

In this episode Kent shares some incredible stories that highlight the challenges of navigating the journey, what a producer looks for in players, and how to survive the dream of making a living making records.