{"id":64687,"date":"2026-04-13T14:51:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T19:51:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/?p=64687"},"modified":"2026-04-13T14:56:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T19:56:24","slug":"jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/","title":{"rendered":"JJ Blair, Mike Finnigan, and the Long Road to Finishing a Beautiful Record"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"produ-leaderboard-placement\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;margin-bottom: 30px!important;\" id=\"produ-3816100306\"><script async=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/securepubads.g.doubleclick.net\/tag\/js\/gpt.js\"><\/script>\n<script> var googletag = googletag || {}; googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || [];<\/script>\n<div id=\"gpt-ad-9930786670100-0\">\n  <script>\n\tgoogletag.cmd.push(function() {\n\t\t\t\tgoogletag.defineSlot( '\/21927241144\/728x90-Leaderboard', [728,90], 'gpt-ad-9930786670100-0' )\n\t\t.addService(googletag.pubads());\n\t\t\t\twindow.advadsGamEmptySlotsTimers = window.advadsGamEmptySlotsTimers || {};\n\t\tconst timers                     = window.advadsGamEmptySlotsTimers;\n\n\t\ttimers['gpt-ad-9930786670100-0'] = setTimeout( function () {\n\t\t\tconst id = 'gpt-ad-9930786670100-0';\n\t\t\tdocument.dispatchEvent( new CustomEvent( 'aagam_empty_slot', {detail: id} ) );\n\t\t\tdelete ( timers[id] );\n\t\t}, 1000 );\n\n\t\tif ( typeof window.advadsGamHasEmptySlotListener === 'undefined' ) {\n\t\t\tgoogletag.pubads().addEventListener( 'slotRequested', function ( ev ) {\n\t\t\t\tconst id = ev.slot.getSlotElementId();\n\t\t\t\tif ( typeof timers[id] === 'undefined' ) {\n\t\t\t\t\treturn;\n\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\tclearTimeout( timers[id] );\n\t\t\t\ttimers[id] = setTimeout( function () {\n\t\t\t\t\tdocument.dispatchEvent( new CustomEvent( 'aagam_empty_slot', {detail: id} ) );\n\t\t\t\t\tdelete ( timers[id] );\n\t\t\t\t}, 2500 );\n\t\t\t} );\n\t\t\tgoogletag.pubads().addEventListener( 'slotResponseReceived', function ( ev ) {\n\t\t\t\tconst id = ev.slot.getSlotElementId();\n\t\t\t\tif ( typeof timers[id] !== 'undefined' ) {\n\t\t\t\t\tclearTimeout( timers[id] );\n\t\t\t\t\tdelete ( timers[id] );\n\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\tif ( ! ev.slot.getResponseInformation() ) {\n\t\t\t\t\tdocument.dispatchEvent( new CustomEvent( 'aagam_empty_slot', {detail: id} ) );\n\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t} );\n\t\t\twindow.advadsGamHasEmptySlotListener = true;\n\t\t}\n\n\t\tgoogletag.enableServices();\n\t\tgoogletag.display( 'gpt-ad-9930786670100-0' );\n\t} );\n  <\/script>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><div class=\"flex-video widescreen youtube\">\n<div class=\"container-lazyload preview-lazyload container-youtube js-lazyload--not-loaded\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ivU4cpUvwBA\" class=\"lazy-load-youtube preview-lazyload preview-youtube\" data-video-title=\"Getting REAL with JJ BLAIR: Mike Finnigan\u2019s FINAL Album feat Bonamassa, Smokey, Stills &amp; Gadson\" title=\"Play video &quot;Getting REAL with JJ BLAIR: Mike Finnigan\u2019s FINAL Album feat Bonamassa, Smokey, Stills &amp; Gadson&quot;\">https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ivU4cpUvwBA<\/a><noscript>Video can&#8217;t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ivU4cpUvwBA\" title=\"Getting REAL with JJ BLAIR: Mike Finnigan\u2019s FINAL Album feat Bonamassa, Smokey, Stills &amp; Gadson\">Getting REAL with JJ BLAIR: Mike Finnigan\u2019s FINAL Album feat Bonamassa, Smokey, Stills &amp; Gadson (https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ivU4cpUvwBA)<\/a><\/noscript><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"ember60\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Hi everybody, I hope you\u2019re doing marvellously well.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember61\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Every now and then, you get to talk to somebody whose love of music runs so deep that it comes through in every sentence. That is JJ Blair. He is an incredible producer, engineer, mixer, musician, and one of those people who seems to understand not just records, however the human beings inside them.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember62\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Recently, I sat down with my old friend JJ to talk about a very special project, the completion and release of <em>Mike Finnigan<\/em>, the self-titled album by the legendary Mike Finnigan, who sadly passed away before the record was finished.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember63\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">This was not just another album release. This was a labour of love, a years-long journey, and in many ways an act of devotion.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"ember65\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-64690 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair.jpg 800w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-150x84.jpg 150w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-80x45.jpg 80w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-320x180.jpg 320w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-302x170.jpg 302w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-267x150.jpg 267w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-40x23.jpg 40w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-160x90.jpg 160w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-20x11.jpg 20w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-640x360.jpg 640w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-604x340.jpg 604w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-18x10.jpg 18w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-533x300.jpg 533w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-16x9.jpg 16w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finniganbonamassablair-385x217.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\">A friendship that became something deeper<\/h3>\n<p id=\"ember66\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">JJ and Mike Finnigan were close for more than 30 years. This was not some casual working relationship. Mike was one of JJ\u2019s dearest friends, and as JJ put it, the closest thing he had to a father after losing his own dad when he was young.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember67\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">That kind of bond matters, because it changes the way you hear the story. JJ was not simply producing a record for an artist he admired. He was carrying something precious for someone he loved.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember68\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">And Mike Finnigan was certainly worth carrying.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember69\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">For those who know the name, the r\u00e9sum\u00e9 is staggering. Mike played Hammond on Hendrix tracks like <em>Rainy Day, Dream Away<\/em> and <em>Still Raining, Still Dreaming<\/em>. He worked with Crosby, Stills &amp; Nash, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Raitt, Etta James and Dave Mason. He had a rich and storied career as a sideman, session player, band member, singer, and musical force of nature.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember70\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">However, for all of that history, JJ felt there was still one record missing.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember71\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">He knew what Mike could do. He knew the depth of his voice, the soul in his playing, and the sheer authority he brought to blues, soul, funk and country. In JJ\u2019s eyes, Mike had never quite made the definitive album that put him in exactly the setting where he could do what he did best.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember72\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">So JJ kept pushing him to make it.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"ember73\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\">The session that started it all<\/h3>\n<p id=\"ember74\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">The turning point came after Mike played a gig in town with a phenomenal band including James Gadson, Abe Rounds Jr. and others. Mike was on fire, and JJ finally said, let\u2019s stop talking and just do it.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember75\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">The idea was simple. Go into EastWest for a day, each pick a song, bring in the right musicians, and see what happens. If Mike loved it, they would keep going. If not, they would forget the whole thing ever happened.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember76\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">The very first thing they recorded, the first take, was magic.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember77\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">JJ described it as one of those performances you play for people and they just stare at you in disbelief. Live vocal, live feel, first take, the sort of moment you cannot fake and could never improve by overthinking it.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember78\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">That was enough. The project had begun.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember79\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Originally, there was a plan to shop the material for a label deal. Joe Bonamassa heard the early recording and wanted to put it out, which seemed like a natural path forward. However, after Covid and after Mike\u2019s death, things became far more complicated. Label terms, licensing issues, and the understandable wishes of Mike\u2019s family meant JJ ultimately had to carry the project forward himself.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember80\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">And that is where the story became even more remarkable.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"ember81\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-64691 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"651\" height=\"646\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan.jpg 651w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-76x75.jpg 76w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-272x270.jpg 272w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-227x225.jpg 227w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-171x170.jpg 171w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-320x318.jpg 320w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-151x150.jpg 151w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-40x40.jpg 40w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-18x18.jpg 18w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-160x159.jpg 160w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-544x540.jpg 544w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-16x16.jpg 16w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-611x606.jpg 611w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-14x14.jpg 14w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-343x340.jpg 343w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-10x10.jpg 10w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-640x635.jpg 640w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-20x20.jpg 20w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-302x300.jpg 302w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-9x9.jpg 9w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/finnigan-385x382.jpg 385w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 651px) 100vw, 651px\" \/><\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\">Finishing a record after loss<\/h3>\n<p id=\"ember82\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">JJ and Mike had recorded ten tracks, however only seven vocals had been completed before Mike passed away.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember83\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">At that point, this could easily have become one of those heartbreaking unfinished records that never sees the light of day. Instead, JJ found a way to honour Mike without compromising him.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember84\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">That meant patience. It meant giving Mike\u2019s family the time and space to grieve. It meant waiting until the moment was right. And it meant figuring out, very carefully, how to complete songs that had been left unfinished.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember85\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">One track had been intended as a duet with Mike\u2019s son, Kelly Finnigan, a phenomenal singer and frontman in his own right. JJ was able to build that performance using enough of Mike\u2019s scratch vocal to shape it into the duet it was always meant to be.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember86\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Another song had originally been planned as a duet with Smokey Robinson. JJ had Smokey sing part of it, then brought in James Gadson and Dorian Holley to complete the picture, with Dorian also handling harmonies.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember87\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">On another song, after plenty of complications and politics over who would sing it, JJ landed on Stephen Stills, who performed it as a duet with his son Chris Stills, another stunning vocalist.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember88\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">This is where the project reveals what it really was. Not simply a producer finishing a record, however a community of great musicians stepping in to help complete the final chapter of a friend\u2019s story.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"ember89\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\">Capturing magic, not perfection<\/h3>\n<p id=\"ember90\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">One of the most beautiful things JJ said was that when you are working with truly special musicians, the goal is not to avoid mistakes. The goal is to capture the moment.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember91\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">That is such an important distinction.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember92\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">We live in a time where so much recording can become about control, correction and endless refinement. However, JJ wanted something else for Mike. He wanted the electricity of live performance, the feel of musicians listening to one another in real time, the kind of chemistry that only happens when everybody is fully present.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember93\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">A perfect example is their version of <em>Sing Me Back Home<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember94\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">JJ had heard the Grateful Dead do a slower version of the Merle Haggard song and thought it revealed the true emotional core of the lyric. Mike, who was a huge Ray Charles fan, took that idea and reshaped it into something like a slow 6\/8 ballad, almost as if Ray might have interpreted it.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember95\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">The track was cut with a live vocal, with Mike playing Hammond and singing at the same time, while Pete Thomas, Davey Faragher and Val McCallum sang harmonies live behind gobos. That blend, that feel, that spontaneous chemistry, is right there in the record.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember96\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">JJ talked about Mike with his eyes closed, singing his heart out while working the Hammond drawbars and switches in real time. That is not just musicianship. That is a whole body performance. And when the right people are in the room, you do not try to sanitise that. You capture it.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember97\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">According to JJ, there are spine-tingling performances all over this record.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"ember98\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter  wp-image-64692 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/images.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"507\" height=\"383\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/images.jpeg 258w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/images-150x113.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/images-80x60.jpeg 80w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/images-225x170.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/images-198x150.jpeg 198w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/images-40x30.jpeg 40w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/images-160x121.jpeg 160w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/images-20x15.jpeg 20w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/images-13x10.jpeg 13w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/images-12x9.jpeg 12w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 507px) 100vw, 507px\" \/><\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\">Mike Finnigan, the singer<\/h3>\n<p id=\"ember99\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">It is easy to talk about Mike Finnigan\u2019s pedigree as a keyboard player and sideman, because that history is immense. However, one thing JJ was adamant about was Mike the singer.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember100\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">He did not speak in half measures. He called Mike one of the great blues singers of all time.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember101\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Not good. Not underrated. Not underappreciated. Great.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember102\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">And in JJ\u2019s mind, that is not hyperbole. He believes that when people hear tracks like <em>Don\u2019t Answer the Door<\/em>, they will understand exactly what he means.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember103\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">That says everything. This album was not just about documenting a respected veteran. It was about finally putting Mike Finnigan, the artist, fully in focus.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"ember104\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\">An album years in the making<\/h3>\n<p id=\"ember105\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Although the record only recently came out, this project actually began back in December 2018.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember106\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Like many great records, it did not begin with some grand business strategy. It started with a couple of songs, a little hope, and the willingness to break the piggy bank if necessary.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember107\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">At a certain point, JJ stopped waiting for outside momentum and simply decided to make the album properly. He locked out EastWest, brought in some of his favourite musicians and Mike\u2019s closest musical allies, and committed to building the record the way it deserved to be made.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember108\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">The cast is extraordinary. David Goodstein, Tony Braunagel, James Gadson, Pete Thomas, Davey Faragher, Val McCallum and others all contributed. These are not just hired hands. These are musicians with touch, personality, taste and deep musical vocabulary.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember109\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">That matters, because this is exactly the kind of record where feel is everything.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"ember110\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\">Getting it released<\/h3>\n<p id=\"ember111\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Even after the album was finished, the hardest part still remained, finding a label.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember112\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">JJ discovered something that makes perfect sense, however is still sobering to hear. Labels are often reluctant to take on a record by an artist who is no longer here to promote it.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember113\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">That is the business reality.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember114\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">However, JJ believed the album still had a chance, because although Mike had passed, the music was alive, the collaborators were alive, and the audience was there. He knew there was a story, a community, and a musical lane this record belonged in.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember115\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Eventually, Eric Corne at Forty Below Records understood the vision and helped bring it home.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember116\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">And the music found its way out into the world.<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"ember117\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-64694 lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" data-src=\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"275\" height=\"425\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257.jpg 275w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-97x150.jpg 97w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-49x75.jpg 49w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-175x270.jpg 175w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-146x225.jpg 146w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-110x170.jpg 110w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-272x420.jpg 272w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-226x350.jpg 226w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-40x62.jpg 40w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-12x18.jpg 12w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-160x247.jpg 160w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-10x16.jpg 10w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-9x14.jpg 9w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-220x340.jpg 220w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-6x9.jpg 6w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-17x26.jpg 17w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-194x300.jpg 194w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-14x21.jpg 14w, https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/A-274060-1176845257-20x31.jpg 20w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px\" \/><\/h3>\n<h3 class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\">A record built with love, taste and ears<\/h3>\n<p id=\"ember118\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">There was another lovely detail in our conversation that says a lot about JJ as a producer.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember119\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Some of the songs, particularly those with Pete Thomas, Davey Faragher and Val McCallum, were mixed by Bob Clearmountain. That alone is enough to make any recordist smile. Bob is, quite simply, one of the greats.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember120\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">JJ laughed about how pleased he was that Bob liked his snare sound enough not to replace or radically reshape it. In engineer terms, that is a proper badge of honour.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember121\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">However, what is even more telling is that JJ listened carefully to what Bob did, noticed the extra excitement and punch in the kick and snare, asked questions, learned from it, and then went back and remixed his own songs so the whole album would sit together at the same standard.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember122\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">That is the mark of a great producer and mixer. No ego, just ears. Just commitment to making the record better.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"ember123\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\">Why this album matters<\/h3>\n<p id=\"ember124\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">There are albums that arrive with huge campaigns and endless noise around them. Then there are albums like this, records that carry a human story inside them.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember125\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">This one matters because it is about friendship. It matters because it is about finishing what you started. It matters because it gives a great artist one more chance to be heard in the way he deserved. And it matters because JJ Blair did not let the project disappear when things got difficult.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember126\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">He stayed with it.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember127\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">For eight years, through grief, delays, unfinished vocals, label complications, shifting plans and the sheer emotional weight of the material, he stayed with it.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember128\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">That kind of commitment is rare. And beautiful.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 id=\"ember129\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__heading-3\">Final thoughts<\/h3>\n<p id=\"ember130\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Talking to JJ reminded me of something I love about great record makers. The very best of them are not just technically gifted. They are custodians of feeling. They understand songs, performances, people and moments. They know when to push and when to get out of the way.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember131\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">JJ Blair is one of those people.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember132\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">And with <em>Mike Finnigan<\/em>, he has done something very special. He helped bring a remarkable album across the finish line, not by forcing it, however by protecting what made it meaningful in the first place.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember133\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">That is a wonderful gift to Mike\u2019s legacy, to his family, to his friends, and to all of us who get to hear the result.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember134\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">The album is available now on all major streaming platforms, with CDs available through Forty Below Records, and digital copies through the usual outlets.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember135\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Go and listen to it.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember136\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">Mike Finnigan was the real deal.<\/p>\n<p id=\"ember137\" class=\"ember-view reader-text-block__paragraph\">And thanks to JJ Blair, this record proves it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ivU4cpUvwBAVideo can&#8217;t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Getting REAL with JJ BLAIR: Mike Finnigan\u2019s FINAL Album feat Bonamassa, Smokey, Stills &amp; Gadson (https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ivU4cpUvwBA) Hi everybody, I hope you\u2019re doing marvellously well. Every now and then, you get to talk to somebody whose love of music runs so deep that it comes through in every&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":64688,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40,1,62,39,444],"tags":[11637,14206,14207,13694,13173,581],"class_list":["post-64687","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-audio-engineer","category-audio-engineering","category-interviews","category-producing-a-song","category-production","tag-audio-engineer","tag-jj-blair","tag-mike-finnigan","tag-music","tag-music-producer","tag-producer"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>JJ Blair, Mike Finnigan, and the Long Road to Finishing a Beautiful Record - Produce Like A Pro<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"JJ Blair, Mike Finnigan, and the Long Road to Finishing a Beautiful Record - Produce Like A Pro\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ivU4cpUvwBAVideo can&#8217;t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Getting REAL with JJ BLAIR: Mike Finnigan\u2019s FINAL Album feat Bonamassa, Smokey, Stills &amp; Gadson (https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ivU4cpUvwBA) Hi everybody, I hope you\u2019re doing marvellously well. Every now and then, you get to talk to somebody whose love of music runs so deep that it comes through in every&hellip;\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Produce Like A Pro\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/producelikeapro\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-04-13T19:51:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-04-13T19:56:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/maxresdefault-12.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"608\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Warren Huart\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Warren Huart\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Warren Huart\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8dfc15fcc5cd192b928e9795f45430d4\"},\"headline\":\"JJ Blair, Mike Finnigan, and the Long Road to Finishing a Beautiful Record\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-13T19:51:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-13T19:56:24+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/\"},\"wordCount\":1968,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/maxresdefault-12.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Audio Engineer\",\"JJ Blair\",\"Mike Finnigan\",\"Music\",\"Music Producer\",\"Producer\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Audio Engineer\",\"Audio Engineering\",\"Interviews\",\"Producing A Song\",\"Production\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/\",\"name\":\"JJ Blair, Mike Finnigan, and the Long Road to Finishing a Beautiful Record - Produce Like A Pro\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/maxresdefault-12.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-04-13T19:51:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-04-13T19:56:24+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/maxresdefault-12.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/maxresdefault-12.jpg\",\"width\":1080,\"height\":608},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Interviews\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/category\/interviews\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"JJ Blair, Mike Finnigan, and the Long Road to Finishing a Beautiful Record\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Produce Like A Pro\",\"description\":\"Blog\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"alternateName\":\"Create radio worthy and professional sounding music in your home studio.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Produce Like A Pro\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/PLAP-Logo-Small.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/PLAP-Logo-Small.jpg\",\"width\":192,\"height\":192,\"caption\":\"Produce Like A Pro\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/producelikeapro\/\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/producelikeapro\/\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/WarrenHuartRecording\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8dfc15fcc5cd192b928e9795f45430d4\",\"name\":\"Warren Huart\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a625b2f18dae6798c91631e0f781b741c8759aa2c4554218b5acdbbcbe065c15?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a625b2f18dae6798c91631e0f781b741c8759aa2c4554218b5acdbbcbe065c15?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Warren Huart\"},\"description\":\"Warren Huart is a Los Angeles-based British music producer who has played a fundamental part in the creation of platinum winning and billboard-soaring albums; as well as the development of many of today\u2019s successful artists\u2019 careers. Warren Huart is known for his hard work ethic, positive attitude and respect for the artist\u2019s vision. Many of his long term work relationships have turned into close friendships. With over 20 years of experience in the ever expanding music industry (record production, engineering, mixing and song writing), as well as his extensive knowledge of musical equipment used yesterday and today, Warren manages to create the most diverse sound around.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/author\/warren-huart\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"JJ Blair, Mike Finnigan, and the Long Road to Finishing a Beautiful Record - Produce Like A Pro","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"JJ Blair, Mike Finnigan, and the Long Road to Finishing a Beautiful Record - Produce Like A Pro","og_description":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ivU4cpUvwBAVideo can&#8217;t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Getting REAL with JJ BLAIR: Mike Finnigan\u2019s FINAL Album feat Bonamassa, Smokey, Stills &amp; Gadson (https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ivU4cpUvwBA) Hi everybody, I hope you\u2019re doing marvellously well. Every now and then, you get to talk to somebody whose love of music runs so deep that it comes through in every&hellip;","og_url":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/","og_site_name":"Produce Like A Pro","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/producelikeapro\/","article_published_time":"2026-04-13T19:51:24+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-04-13T19:56:24+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1080,"height":608,"url":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/maxresdefault-12.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Warren Huart","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Warren Huart","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/"},"author":{"name":"Warren Huart","@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8dfc15fcc5cd192b928e9795f45430d4"},"headline":"JJ Blair, Mike Finnigan, and the Long Road to Finishing a Beautiful Record","datePublished":"2026-04-13T19:51:24+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-13T19:56:24+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/"},"wordCount":1968,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/maxresdefault-12.jpg","keywords":["Audio Engineer","JJ Blair","Mike Finnigan","Music","Music Producer","Producer"],"articleSection":["Audio Engineer","Audio Engineering","Interviews","Producing A Song","Production"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/","url":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/","name":"JJ Blair, Mike Finnigan, and the Long Road to Finishing a Beautiful Record - Produce Like A Pro","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/maxresdefault-12.jpg","datePublished":"2026-04-13T19:51:24+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-13T19:56:24+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/maxresdefault-12.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/maxresdefault-12.jpg","width":1080,"height":608},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/jj-blair-mike-finnigan-and-the-long-road-to-finishing-a-beautiful-record\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Interviews","item":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/category\/interviews\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"JJ Blair, Mike Finnigan, and the Long Road to Finishing a Beautiful Record"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/","name":"Produce Like A Pro","description":"Blog","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#organization"},"alternateName":"Create radio worthy and professional sounding music in your home studio.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Produce Like A Pro","url":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/PLAP-Logo-Small.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/PLAP-Logo-Small.jpg","width":192,"height":192,"caption":"Produce Like A Pro"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/producelikeapro\/","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/producelikeapro\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/WarrenHuartRecording"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/8dfc15fcc5cd192b928e9795f45430d4","name":"Warren Huart","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a625b2f18dae6798c91631e0f781b741c8759aa2c4554218b5acdbbcbe065c15?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/a625b2f18dae6798c91631e0f781b741c8759aa2c4554218b5acdbbcbe065c15?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Warren Huart"},"description":"Warren Huart is a Los Angeles-based British music producer who has played a fundamental part in the creation of platinum winning and billboard-soaring albums; as well as the development of many of today\u2019s successful artists\u2019 careers. Warren Huart is known for his hard work ethic, positive attitude and respect for the artist\u2019s vision. Many of his long term work relationships have turned into close friendships. With over 20 years of experience in the ever expanding music industry (record production, engineering, mixing and song writing), as well as his extensive knowledge of musical equipment used yesterday and today, Warren manages to create the most diverse sound around.","url":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/author\/warren-huart\/"}]}},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64687","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64687"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64687\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64695,"href":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64687\/revisions\/64695"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64688"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64687"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64687"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/producelikeapro.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64687"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}