democastmedia.com David Gold's Gold Star Studios was the venue for hundreds of chart-topping recordings by scores of leading pop and rock artists including Ritchie Valens, Eddie Cochran, The Chipmunks, The Cascades, "Route 66" composer Bobby Troup, Phil Spector, Brian Wilson, Sonny & Cher, The Rose Garden, Zane Ashton, Buffalo Springfield, Duane Eddy, Jimi Hendrix, Neil Young, The Ronettes, Dick Dale, The Righteous Brothers, Iron Butterfly, Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, Jan and Dean, Joan Jett, Cherie Currie, Meat Loaf, The Champs, The Baja Marimba Band, Bobby Darin, The Cake, The Who, The Monkees, Tommy Boyce, The Band, The Go-Go's, The Ramones, The Association, Art Garfunkel, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Tina Turner and Maurice Gibb. Founded by David S. Gold and Stan Ross, and opened in October 1950, Gold Star Recording Studios was located at 6252 Santa Monica Boulevard near the corner of Vine Street in Hollywood,[1] the studio name was a combination of the names of the two owners -- (Dave) GOLD and STA(n) R(oss). The studio was renowned for its unique custom-designed recording equipment, which was designed and built by Gold, as were its famed echo chambers. In the early 1960s, Spector used Gold Star as the recording venue for most of his famous "Wall of Sound" recordings. It was also the venue for many important recordings by The Beach Boys, including portions of their 1966 LP "Pet Sounds," the international #1 hit "Good Vibrations", and recordings for the aborted "Smile" project.
Chris Morris writes in Variety on Stan Ross' passing in March 2011:
Stan Ross and his partner David Gold founded their studio at 6252 Santa Monica Blvd., near Vine Street, in 1950. Known for its resonant echo chamber and its owners' imaginative approach to recording, it was the site of many fabled rock 'n' roll recording sessions, including the majority of Phil Spector's gale-force "Wall of Sound" hits and the Beach Boys' 1966 magnum opuses "Pet Sounds" and "Good Vibrations."
Spector cut his first session at Gold Star in 1958 with his own group, the Teddy Bears. The producer, who was mentored by Ross, later recorded such memorable sides as the Ronettes' "Be My Baby," the Righteous Brothers' "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" and Ike and Tina Turner's "River Deep, Mountain High" at Gold Star, cramming enormous backup units into the cramped studio.
Ross also had a long history with the Beach Boys and recorded the group's first demos.
Gold Star also witnessed sessions for Ritchie Valens' "La Bamba," Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues," Buffalo Springfield's "For What It's Worth," Sonny & Cher's "I Got You Babe" and the Runaways' debut album. Toni Fisher's 1959 hit "The Big Hurt," engineered inhouse, featured the first use of a whooshing flanging effect on record.
The studio also saw plenty of film and TV work and was the house facility for the weekly ABC rock show "Shindig!" during the '60s.