Tom Coyne (music engineer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tom Coyne
Tom Coyne at Sterling Sound
Background information
Birth name	Thomas J. Coyne
Born	(1954-12-10)December 10, 1954 Elizabeth, New Jersey, United States
Died	April 12, 2017(2017-04-12) (aged 62) United States
Occupation(s)	Mastering Engineer
Associated acts	Adele, Backstreet Boys, Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Bruno Mars, Demi Lovato, D’Angelo, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Marc Anthony, Sam Smith, Shila Amzah, Taylor Swift

Thomas J. Coyne (December 10, 1954 – April 12, 2017) was an American mastering engineer.

Early life and career

Coyne was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and grew up in nearby Union, where he graduated from Roselle Catholic High School in 1972. He attended Kean College where he received a degree in Commercial Design. Following college, Coyne's first job was at Dick Charles Recording where Lee Hulko, former owner of Sterling Sound, got his first job in the states after arriving from Thunder Bay, Ontario. In the six months Coyne worked at Dick Charles, he watched Dick master records on the lathe and soon began cutting his own after hours. Coyne then was hired at Frankford/Wayne Mastering Labs, assisting under Dominic Romeo, known for cutting 45s for The Rolling Stones, The Four Seasons, Frankie Valli and Dionne Warwick among others. For the next ten years, Coyne primarily cut records for dance bands with his first big record being "Ladies Night" by Kool & the Gang. In 1989, Coyne was hired by The Hit Factory where he spent another five years mastering mostly Hip-Hop and R&B records by artists such as Black Box, Billy Ocean, A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. In 1994, Coyne was offered a job by Lee Hulko who now operated Sterling Sound. In 1998, Coyne, Ted Jensen, Greg Calbi, Murat Aktar (Absolute Audio co-founder) and the UK based Metropolis bought Sterling Sound from Lee Hulko.

Death

Coyne died on April 12, 2017, from multiple myeloma at the age of 62.

Awards and recognition

During his career, Coyne won ten Grammy Awards and one Latin Grammy Award and had over 35 category nominations.

Grammy Awards

Latin Grammy Awards

Studio

Sterling Sound is located in New York City, occupying the top floor of the Chelsea Market in the Meatpacking District. It was designed by Fran Manzella, FM Design.

List of works mastered by Tom Coyne (selected)

1970s

1980s

1990s

A vinyl record mastered by Coyne

• 1999 - Walking Off the Buzz - Blessid Union of Souls
• 1999 - A Prince Among Thieves - Prince Paul
• 1999 - There’s a Poison Goin’ On - Public Enemy
• 1999 - Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter - Jay Z
• 1999 - Beneath the Surface - GZA
• 1999 - Chyna Doll - Foxy Brown
• 1999 - Coming of Age - Memphis Bleek
• 1999 - ...Baby One More Time - Britney Spears
• 1999 - Venni Vetti Vecci - Ja Rule
• 1999 - Millennium - Backstreet Boys
• 1999 - Imajin - Imajin
• 1998 - Bobby Digital in Stereo - RZA
• 1998 - Dearest Christian, I'm So Very Sorry for Bringing You Here. Love, Dad - P.M. Dawn
• 1998 - Embrya - Maxwell
• 1998 - The Love Movement - A Tribe Called Quest
• 1998 - Foundation - Brand Nubian
• 1998 - E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front - Busta Rhymes
• 1998 - Soul Survivor - Pete Rock
• 1998 - Make It Reign - Lord Tariq and Peter Gunz
• 1998 - Last Time Around: Live at Legends - Buddy Guy

2000s

2010s