The NAMM TEC (Technical Excellence and Creativity) Awards committee has announced recording engineer Dave Pensado and record industry veteran Herb Trawick, the creative duo behind the weekly web series, Pensado’s Place, as recipients of the 2020 TEC Hall of Fame award. The pair will be inducted into the NAMM TEC Hall of Fame at the 35th Annual NAMM TEC Awards, Saturday, Jan. 18, in Anaheim, CA.
Pensado’s Place was launched by Pensado and his manager in 2010 and is co-hosted and executive produced by Trawick. The show features expert audio guests who have worked with a mix of artists such as Coldplay, Kanye West, Keith Urban, Tool, Bruno Mars and Post Malone. Each week, audio professionals join Pensado and Trawick to discuss technical tips, the dissection of popular music, and viewers’ questions.
With multiple GRAMMY wins and nominations under his belt, Pensado’s diverse list of artist projects includes Michael Jackson, Christina Aguilera, Will I Am, Frank Ocean, Kelly Clarkson, Afro Jack and Beyoncé. Pensado has also authored two books, regularly speaks as an educator at schools and conferences globally, and just launched his first product, the Pensado EQ.
As a manager, Herb Trawick helped launch Brian McKnight into an R&B superstar with 20 million albums sold, global tours, and more than 30 GRAMMY, American Music, Billboard, Emmy and Image Awards nominations. Trawick was also a partner with Maurice White, the legendary creator of Earth, Wind & Fire, and as a producer, took the EWF catalog to Broadway for the play Hot Feet.
Trawick’s long career has also included consultancies with top imprints like Interscope, RCA, Mercury, Capitol, Motown, Island and Def Jam, while creative shops like the 1500 Sound Academy, The Blackbird Academy, and Musicians Institute have also tapped Trawick for his expertise.
Together, along with the team, Pensado and Trawick have built Pensado’s Place into a source of pro audio education with 6 million viewers annually and as a resource curriculum at over 100 colleges and universities.
Upon presentation of the award, Pensado and Trawick will join previous TEC Hall of Fame inductees including Leslie Ann Jones, Jack Douglas, Skunk Baxter, Geoff Emerick, Ed Cherney, Hal Blaine, Nathan East, among others.
