Includes never before seen photos. Available to ship August 9th, 2025
Very few buildings in America can claim to have shaped the sound of a generation, but this one did. The Church Studio played a pivotal role in the evolution of American music, giving birth to the Tulsa Sound and attracting some of the most iconic artists of the 20th century.
This book tells the story of a humble building in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that became something greater than its bricks and mortar. Built by working-class citizens over a century ago, it served as a neighborhood church, offering a welcoming community space. Through good times, hard times, economic prosperity, dust storms, world wars, and cultural disruptions, the sanctuary remained a constant source of hope. It welcomed people through its doors for baptisms and funerals, for music and prayer, for comfort and celebration.
In 1972, one of America's top performing artists, Leon Russell, walked through its doors and saw a different kind of possibility. Along with his business partner, producer Denny Cordell, Leon converted the aged and empty church into The Church Studio—a recording studio and the offices of Shelter Records. The Church Studio became a magnet for musical legends including Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, Freddie King, J.J. Cale, Kansas, Eric Clapton, and Willie Nelson, among others, who recorded, collaborated, and created a music-oriented community.
After Russell's ownership, the building changed hands multiple times. Its essence endured, even as the building fell once more into disuse. When another visionary Tulsan began restoration in 2016, the work revitalized a connection to the very community that had given it life.
Today, The Church Studio stands again as a gathering place. It welcomes music lovers, artists, tourists, students, and volunteers. It's a top-notch recording studio with extraordinary acoustics and impeccable vintage gear, but the space also hosts shows, private functions, and training sessions. It honors its past while looking forward, alive with the same sense of purpose that shaped its earliest days.
Told through nine thoughtfully curated chapters, Sanctuary of Sound combines rare photographs, personal recollections, and historical artifacts to trace the building's journey from a sacred space to a historic music landmark.
The Sanctuary of Sound is The Church Studio's story of vision, revival, and the enduring faithfulness of people.
