Today we’d like to introduce you to John Painter.
Hi John, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
The Kitchen Studios was started by John Painter in 1990 as a home studio set up in the kitchen of one of his first homes in Dallas. After building his client base and establishing himself as an up-and-coming audio engineer and producer in the Dallas music community, he opened his first commercial studio on Second Avenue in Deep Ellum, where he operated from 1995 to 2000. In 2000, the business expanded again into what is now our current studio in Northeast Dallas, located near The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.
JP grew up playing punk rock in various bands throughout his youth and early adulthood. He naturally gravitated toward the idea of being able to help others in their music creation journey.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
As the saying goes, nothing worth having comes easy. The music and recording industries are in constant flux, and JP feels truly fortunate to have stayed afloat for more than 30 years despite the inevitable ups and downs. The Kitchen Studios has grown almost entirely through word of mouth, and we are incredibly grateful for how things have unfolded, thanks to our wonderful clients and community. This didn’t happen overnight, but rather over decades of hard work, late nights, weekends in the studio, and very little separation between work, life, and creating.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We wanted to highlight a recent opportunity designed specifically for women that we launched at the end of 2025 called “Woman’s Audio Connection.” JP has always been passionate about women having the knowledge and confidence to take charge of their recording sessions and about creating equal opportunities for women in recording studio spaces—especially in such a male-dominated industry. With the help of his team—which includes two women who write, record, produce, and engineer music—we put our heads together to create something we felt was missing in the DFW music scene.
Last December, we closed our studio for a full day to host a hands-on event by women, for women. Led by our two female team members, participants had the opportunity to co-write, record, listen, and connect over their shared love of music and creativity. We weren’t sure what to expect at first, but it turned out to be a huge success. We plan to make this an annual event and are excited to see how it grows and who we can reach.
We’d also like to highlight our ongoing YouTube series, “Live From The Kitchen,” where we invite clients and friends to perform live in the studio, showcasing a wide range of artists, musicians, and their original songs or cover tributes. JP has a special love for live performances and all the imperfections and happy accidents that come with them. One of our goals this year is to prioritize more live recording sessions and, hopefully, put together a Kitchen compilation album.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Being altruistic. JP believes in helping others wherever he can, whether or not it’s “good for business.” At this stage in his career, he attributes much of his success to the support others have offered him and now finds fulfillment in being able to do the same. He is here for the love of music and to guide people across the finish line, first and foremost.
Pricing:
- Hourly Studio Time – 1 Hour A Room ($90)
- Hourly Studio Time – 1 Hour B Room ($75)
- Day Rate A Room ($690)
- Day Rate B Room ($590)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thekitchenstudios.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekitchenstudiosdallas/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekitchenstudios/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thekitchenstudiosdallas
Image Credits
Kayla Simone (Color Photos from W.A.C. Workshop)
Abigail Mueller (Event Photos of Employees)
