This is a brief story, but the experience was one I will never forget.

In the mid 1980’s I often did service calls for Indigo Ranch Studios. Founded by Richard Kaplan and The Moody Blues in the 70’s, Indigo was high in the hills above Malibu. You reached the rustic facility by turning off Pacific Coast Highway and following a narrow winding road past the ranch owned by actress Mary Crosby (Bing’s daughter). After leaving the ocean’s edge it was a long steep climb. I usually glimpsed rabbits and deer on that road, and driving it in a heavy rainstorm could be quite an experience.

The 60 acre studio property included “Little El Capitan”, a massive rock formation similar to the Yosemite landmark, at its northwest edge. There was a small stream, an 80 foot waterfall, and fruit orchards. When the weather was clear you could see Catalina Island. The property had been a hunting lodge in the early 1900s, and it was said that John Barrymore lived there at times in the ’30s – likely a true story, since the road to the studio was named after him.

Digital recording was still unknown and the word “vintage” hadn’t yet entered the audio lexicon, but even then, the Ranch was known as a treasure trove of classic gear. The racks were filled with Pultec, Fairchild, and Teletronix models including an LA-2 (without the “A” suffix), and even an ultra rare LA-1. The tape machines were 3M and the console was a custom Aengus, designed by Deane Jensen, founder of Jensen Transformers.

I always enjoyed working up at the Ranch. The skies were usually deep blue, the sun kissed ocean air was a delight, and the views were awesome. Indigo had an amazing client list, and you never knew whom you might see up there. Besides the Moody Blues, Neil Diamond, Van Morrison, The Beach Boys, and Neil Young recorded there. Olivia Newton-John’s Totally Hot was mixed there.

One afternoon I was in the main control room repairing an LA-2A, with my tools and test gear spread out on the producer’s desk. With my mind occupied by test voltage numbers and fault finding thoughts, I didn’t really pay attention when someone quietly stepped into the room and took a seat at the back. Like a mechanic in an auto shop, I often found myself being observed by curious strangers as I worked, and usually I tried to ignore them. The room remained silent as I probed test points to troubleshoot the unit. I was grateful that instead of bothering me with questions the spectator had the sense not to disturb a focussed soul at work, and watched without making a sound.

As I closed up the LA-2A and got up to reinstall it in the rack, I caught a glimpse of my silent visitor – none other than Bob Dylan! He shyly smiled, but I was dumbstruck – totally at a loss for words. Luckily, Richard Kaplan stepped into the room just then and, taking in the scene, calmed my nerves by introducing me to Mr. Dylan, who shook my hand.

That’s the end of the story, but I want to add a comment. My parents were “folkies” in the 60’s and I was a big fan of rock and soul while growing up but somehow, though he was an icon for my generation, I knew little about Dylan’s music and owned few of his records. Writing this story at the age of 55, I find myself a recent covert to his discography, amazed at the depth, genius, and sheer quantity of songs the man wrote and recorded. Though I’ve been lucky to meet many artists and celebrities over the years, few have affected me in the way that this brief encounter did. Meeting Bob Dylan was a real honor and it gives me pleasure to think that for a short while, my small repair task somehow captured the man’s interest.

(Indigo Ranch closed in about 2005 and sadly, the original building was destroyed by big fires that ravaged Malibu in 2007.)