“When I met Bruce Swedien, I didn’t know that I was not only going to have the most rewarding experience with the most amazing recording engineer I’d ever met but I was also getting one of my best friends in life. Bruce and his beautiful wife Bea became part of our lives and Gracinha and I have only the best memories of the wonderful times we’ve spent together through the many years of our cherished friendship.”
SÉRGIO MENDES
creator of Brasil ‘66, composer, keyboard player, singer
“[Bruce was] a guy who never started a mix without first taking out of his well-guarded briefcase half a dozen candy bars and three photographs: one of his beautiful wife Bea, one of his Great Dane Max, and one of the three of them on a golf cart riding around his beloved horse ranch. He would display them proudly on the desk before beginning. So you see, Bruce always had an ample supply of funk, grease and love to inject into those amazing mixes.”
ROD TEMPERTON
composer of “Thriller,” “Off the Wall,” “Rock With You” and “Give Me the Night”
“Bea and Bruce were a team, and what a privilege it was getting to know them both. Bea’s smile has the warmth of sunshine, and she always brought a real ‘home feeling’ (and some tasty food) to every session I worked on.”
CHUCK WILD
keyboardist, composer, producer for Michael Jackson, Missing Persons, Liquid Mind
“Whenever Bea was in the studio, everyone—and I mean everyone— was happy to see her. Bea always brightened up the vibe of the studio. She knew how to blend in when she needed to and when she could add to the conversation in her unique way, with witty jokes and making everyone smile.”
BRIAN VIBBERTS
recording engineer for Michael Jackson, Mariah Carey, Eric Clapton, Elton John
“No matter how serious the session was, Bea would regularly bring laughter and a ray of sunshine into the studio with her.”
SIEDAH GARRETT
singer/songwriter for Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, The Pointer Sisters, Madonna, co-composer of “Man in the Mirror”
“Think of the character Annie in Annie Get Your Gun, think about Scout in To Kill A Mockingbird, and imagine Mae West. Bea is an amalgamation of them and many, many others. She can tame a horse, teach a dog how to speak (honestly), catch and cook crayfish, climb trees to pick walnuts, write a book, cook, take shots in a bar with the guys, and equally she can dust herself off, comb her blonde tresses, put on her party clothes, and charm everybody at the Grammys. Thank you, Bea, for all the fun and for teaching me to be as fearless as you are.”
KATHY BUCKLEY TEMPERTON
wife of Rod Temperton
“Bea is a gem of a woman. As if her mere presence and company weren’t enough, she would occasionally bear her second greatest gift: Swedish meatballs.”
GREG PHILLINGANES
keyboard player, composer, musical director for Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Toto
“Bruce was like a father to me. He took me under his wing and taught me everything I could absorb. However, behind every good man is a remarkable woman, Bea. They made such a cute/gorgeous couple.”
JOHN ROBINSON (JR)
drummer for Michael Jackson, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Rufus
“Seeing Bruce light up at the mere mention of her name told me everything I needed to know.”
ED ECKSTINE
former president of Mercury Records and son of jazz singer Billy Eckstine
“She was one of us.”
MATT FORGER
recording engineer/technical support for Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, Burt Bacharach