Kingdom Sound Studios, located in Syosset, Long Island, was one of the most influential and storied recording studios in the region’s musical history. Founded in May 1976 by Clay Hutchinson, a guitarist who had performed with disco icon Gloria Gaynor (“I Will Survive”), Kingdom Sound began as a modest yet fully professional recording facility that quickly earned a reputation for high-quality sessions and major-label output. Hutchinson’s technical ambitions and musician’s ear helped position the studio at the intersection of Long Island’s vibrant music scene and the broader New York recording industry. According to a firsthand recollection shared by a longtime Syosset resident, Hutchinson’s studio soon became a creative hub that attracted both rising and established stars.
The studio’s early days were marked by enthusiasm and innovation. One of the first sessions at Kingdom was reportedly a demo recording of “Can’t Smile Without You,” a song that would later become a chart-topping hit for Barry Manilow. As its clientele grew, Kingdom Sound distinguished itself by being one of the first Long Island studios to install a Harrison-brand mixing console, a high-end system used by top New York producers of the era. Its first major client was Meco Monardo, famed for disco reinterpretations of blockbuster soundtracks like Star Wars and The Wizard of Oz. By the late 1970s, Kingdom Sound had established itself as one of Long Island’s premier recording studios—proof that the suburbs could rival Manhattan in professional quality and musical output.
Throughout the late 1970s and early 1980s, Kingdom Sound hosted an impressive roster of artists spanning genres and generations. Local legends The Good Rats, Zebra, Blue Öyster Cult, and Blue Angel (fronted by a young Cyndi Lauper) all recorded within its walls. National and international stars such as Jimmy Ruffin (“What Becomes of the Broken Hearted”), Robin Gibb of The Bee Gees, jazz saxophonist Bill Evans, Rainbow, Aldo Nova, Gary U.S. Bonds, Melanie (“Brand New Key”), Eddie Jobson (Frank Zappa, Jethro Tull, Roxy Music), and The Ramones (“I Wanna Be Sedated”) also tracked material at the studio. This period firmly positioned Kingdom Sound as a powerhouse of creativity—where Long Island’s homegrown talent mingled with globally recognized acts.
Arguably, the studio’s greatest triumph came with Joan Jett & The Blackhearts’ 1981 smash hit album I Love Rock ’n’ Roll. Recorded entirely at Kingdom Sound, the song became an enduring rock anthem—noted as spending seven consecutive weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the #3 song of 1982, selling over two million copies, and later earning induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2016. The record’s success catapulted the studio’s reputation to new heights and demonstrated how a small, suburban space could produce a defining moment in American rock history.
Following that success, Clay Hutchinson recognized the need for a larger facility to handle the studio’s growing demand. Partnering with Richie Cannata, saxophonist for Billy Joel, Hutchinson closed Kingdom Sound and co-founded Cove City Sound Studios in Glen Cove—a new, state-of-the-art complex that continues to operate under Cannata’s direction today. Sadly, Hutchinson passed away shortly thereafter, but his legacy endures through both studios’ continuing influence on Long Island’s musical identity.
Looking back, the story of Kingdom Sound Studios reveals how an unassuming building on Underhill Boulevard in Syosset—now part of the New York College of Health Professions—served as the birthplace of music that shaped global popular culture.
Researched by Darren Paltrowitz on November 2, 2025.