- Dru Castro
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Andrew Castro 
Dru Castro in AtlantaBackground information Birth name Andrew Luis Castro Also known as "Dru" Castro Born December 14, 1976
Manhattan, New YorkGenres Pop/R&B/Hip Hop Soul Occupations Music Engineer/Producer Instruments Piano/Bass/Tuba Years active 2003-present Associated acts India Arie, Keyshia Cole, Jamie Foxx, Young Buck Website musichousestudios.com Dru Castro (born Andrew Luis Castro on December 14, 1976) is a Grammy Award Winning recording engineer, producer and songwriter in Atlanta, Georgia. He has produced or engineered songs for artists such as Ciara, Keyshia Cole, Usher, R.Kelly, T-Pain, Trina, Jamie Foxx and India.Arie. Recently, Dru produced and wrote songs with the Grammy award winning singer/songwriter India.Arie on her recently released album Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics.[1] Her 2006 album, Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship, for which Castro recorded and/or produced seven songs, debuted and peaked at number one on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including "Best R&B Album". To date Dru has worked on 9 Grammy nominated projects. In 2010 Dru won a Grammy with India.Arie as a Producer/Engineer for Best Urban Alternative Performance on the song "Pearls".
Contents
Biography
Early years
Dru Castro was born in Manhattan, New York and was raised in the Lower East Side. His father and mother, who are both of Puerto Rican descent, were also born in Manhattan. From an early age Castro grew up in a musical home, where his father played piano and was the musical director of a local church. This musical influence lead Dru to start playing piano at age 5. In 1990, Dru was sent to study at Suncoast Community High School, a magnet school in Riviera Beach, Florida. While there, he was active in the Jazz, Concert and Marching bands, where he played bass and French horn respectively.
Recording and mixing
Dru moved to Atlanta in 1999, where he worked at Magic Audio (now Atlanta Pro Audio) selling and installing studio equipment for local studios and producers. In 2001, Dru left Magic Audio and began engineering full time in the booming Atlanta R&B and Hip-Hop music scene. Many of his former Atlanta Pro Audio clients, including Bryan Michael Cox, Anthony Dent, and Tricky Stewart offered him his first break. Dru has recorded, amongst others, Usher, Keyshia Cole, Ciara, T-Pain, Jamie Foxx, India.Arie, Trina, Raven Symone, Joe, Kelly Rowland, Stacie Orrico, and Keri Hilson. Dru has also worked on nine Grammy nominated albums.
Music House Studios
On May 23, 2006, Dru Castro opened Music House Studios with fellow Atlanta engineer and friend Alec Newell. The opening of "The Music House" was the fulfillment of a life-long dream. In addition to state of the art recording equipment, the two room 6,800 sq ft (630 m2) facility features four fireplaces, two complete kitchens and a swinging coffee table. Many artists including Keyshia Cole, Usher, Ciara, New Kids on the Block and Nelly have worked at the Music House.
Production
Beginning production work in 2003, his first major release as a producer came in June 2006 on the US #1 Debut Album Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship for India.Arie. He produced and co-wrote the upbeat "I Choose" and a more reflective "This Too Shall Pass". This was followed in July 2008 with the production of the single entitled "Radio" on Musiq Soulchild's fifth album release "On my Radio". In February 2009 India.Arie's Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics was released. Castro produced and recorded 12 songs with .Arie, including the singles "Chocolate High" and "Therapy". Dru continues to produce and record in Atlanta.
Discography
Artist Album Credit 2003 Loon Loon Engineer Stacie Orrico Stacie Orrico Engineer 702 Star Engineer 2004 Allure Chapter III Mixing Young Buck Cashville: G-Unit Edition Engineer Young Buck Straight Outta Cashville Engineer Raven-Symoné This Is My Time Engineer Shawnna Worth tha Weight Mixing 2005 T-Pain Rappa Ternt Sanga Engineer Maceo Straight Out da Pot Engineer, Mixing Original Soundtrack Diary of a Mad Black Woman Engineer Jamie Foxx Unpredictable Engineer Jamie Foxx Unpredictable [DualDisc] Engineer 2006 Paulina Rubio Ananda Engineer Young Buck Buck the World Engineer Avant Director Engineer Fergie The Dutchess Engineer Eminem Eminem Presents: The Re-Up Engineer Ciara Ciara: The Evolution Engineer Jagged Edge The Hits Piano Engineer Jagged Edge Jagged Edge Piano Engineer Lloyd Banks Rotten Apple Engineer Sammie Sammie Engineer Stacie Orrico Stacie Orrico [Korean Tour] Engineer India.Arie Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship Producer, Engineer, Vocal Engineer 2007 Joe Ain't Nothin' Like Me Engineer Various Artists Def Jam Sessions, Vol. 1 Engineer R. Kelly Double Up Engineer Mary J. Blige Growing Pains Engineer Keyshia Cole Just Like You Engineer Kelly Rowland Ms. Kelly Engineer Rich Boy Rich Boy Engineer 2008 Stacie Orrico Best of Stacie Orrico Engineer Raheem DeVaughn Love Behind the Melody Engineer Algebra Purpose Bass Trina Still da Baddest Engineer Musiq Soulchild OnMyRadio Producer, Engineer 2009 India.Arie Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics Album Producer, Album Engineer Keri Hilson In a Perfect World... Engineer K Jon On The Ocean Mixing Singles Recorded/Mixed by Dru Castro
Artist Song Album 2005 India.Arie "Purify Me" Diary of a Mad Black Woman 2006 R. Kelly, Usher "Same Girl" Double Up Eminem "Smack Dat" Eminem Presents: The Re-Up Fergie "London Bridge" The Dutchess Lloyd Banks "Help" Rotten Apple 2007 Keyshia Cole "Shoulda Let You Go" Just Like You Kelly Rowland, Eve "Like This" Ms. Kelly Young Buck "Get Buck" Buck The World 2008 India.Arie "Heart of the Matter" Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics Keyshia Cole "Heaven Sent" Just Like You Keri Hilson "My Energy" In a Perfect World... Musiq Soulchild "Radio" OnMyRadio India.Arie, Musiq Soulchild "Chocolate High" Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics Singles Produced by Dru Castro
Artist Song Album Notes 2008 Musiq Soulchild "Radio" On My Radio India.Arie, Music Soulchild "Chocolate High" Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics 2009 India.Arie "Therapy" Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics K'Jon "On The Ocean" On The Ocean Mixing/Additional production[2] Grammys
Artist Song Album Category Result Credit 2006 India.Arie Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship Best R&B Album Nominated Engineer India.Arie "I Am Not My Hair" Testimony: Vol. 1, Life & Relationship Best R&B Song Nominated Engineer 2007 Keyshia Cole Just Like You Best Contemporary R&B Album Nominated Engineer R. Kelly, Usher "Same Girl" Double Up Best R&B Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals Nominated Engineer 2008 Mary J. Blige Growing Pains Best R&B Album Won Engineer Keyshia Cole "Heaven Sent" Just Like You Best Female R&B Vocal Performance Nominated Engineer Keyshia Cole "Heaven Sent" Just Like You Best R&B Song Nominated Engineer 2009 India.Arie "Pearls" Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics Best Urban/Alternative Performance Won Producer/Engineer India.Arie Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics Best Contemporary R&B Album Nominated Engineer India.Arie, Musiq Souldchild "Chocolate High" Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics Best R&B Duo or Group with vocals Nominated Engineer References
- ^ Mitchell, Gail (Jan 24, 2009). "India.Arie aims for hearts and minds on new album". Reuters UK. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE50N09M20090124. Retrieved Dec 21, 2010.
- ^ "Joe D'Ambrosio Management Have Producers And Engineers In Studios All Over The World". Music Industry News Network. http://www.mi2n.com/press.php3?press_nb=124181.
Categories:- 1976 births
- Living people
- American musicians
- Songwriters from New York
- People from Manhattan
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