Stephen Shirk -

Studio Owner - Engineer - Producer

Stephen got his start in music at an early age singing in choirs and playing guitar in Bloomington, Illinois. He began playing in bands in junior high school and continued through his time at Miami University where he earned a degree in Business and Marketing. In 1998 he moved to New York City to chase his dream of working in a recording studio. Between 1998 and 2004, Stephen was employed at The Hit Factory, Pink Noise and Three Tree Productions as well as assisting on sessions at many legendary NYC facilities like Avatar (Power Station), Clinton, Right Track, and Sound on Sound. Stephen says his time in New York was perhaps the best education he ever received. Working in New York also exposed Stephen to a unique artistic community beyond that of music. His collaboration with Nadine Robinson would ultimately land one of his sound designs in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in 2002.    

In 2004, Stephen relocated to Chicago with a plan to continue producing and recording bands, creating sound for art installations, as well as providing audio services for the advertising community. This was the beginning of SHIRK studios. Through a chance meeting at SXSW in 2006, Stephen partnered with the music blog, HearYa.com, and began recording and filming HearYa live sessions. The video series featured potent live in studio recordings of artists like Alabama Shakes, Delta Spirit, Other Lives, Patterson Hood, White Denim, Strand of Oaks, Rayland Baxter and many more.  

In 2013 he acquired the building that now houses SHIRK studios in Chicago’s West Town neighborhood. Firmly planted in Chicago, Stephen records, produces and hosts sessions with some of Chicago’s most celebrated artists as well as those just getting their start.