In downtown Franklin, the Bennett house contains a lot of history, more than just its current state as an antique store. At one time, the home was owned by Norbert Putnam.
Where the carriage house sits, music was spilling into the streets of Franklin with familiar voices of Dan Fogelberg, Kris Kristofferson, Jimmy Buffet, and even Whitney Houston.
Putnam told us he even had a French chef come to make lunch for his star-studded client list that recorded in his studio. In fact, Putnam says that the Bennett house was the first recording studio in Franklin.
But before Putnam became a record producer, he began his music career in Muscle Shoals, playing the bass guitar. Â He was a member of the Nashville Cats.
If you are unfamiliar with the Nashville Cats, it’s a not a band but a collection of musicians who’ve played on some of the most iconic albums in music history. Made up of Pig Robbins, Kenny Buttrey, Buddy Spicher, and of course Norbert Putnam. The Nashville Cats performed on albums of Neil Young, Joan Baez, Steve Miller, as well as the Beatles, and Simon & Garfunkle.
There was a phone call one day that brought Putnam to pick up his guitar one more time. It was the opportunity to record with Elvis Presley.
“In June of 1970, I agreed to record with Elvis for one week.” Putnam continues, “He was the most amazing artist I’ve ever worked with.”
Putnam described his first meeting with Elvis. “as the biggest recording artist in rock history at that time, I imagined him to be ten foot tall.”
“Elvis walked into the studio that night wearing a black cape and carrying a walking cane, making a star entrance. After he entered the room, he pitched the cape to one of the Memphis Mafia who caught it. Then he also tossed the cane to another member of the Memphis Mafia.”
Although an accomplished musician, Putnam was still nervous about recording with the “King of Rock-n-Roll.”
“He was the most beautiful man I’ve ever met. I know that sounds crazy but I think he could’ve been a male model if he wasn’t an artist.”
After such a grand entrance in the black cape, Putnam says that Presley had a way of making everyone feel comfortable.
“Elvis came in about two hours after our designated start time but he sat on the dirty floor of the RCA Studio B in Nashville talking with all of us for about two hours. He shared stories of how fans tried their best to see him or meet him trying to bribe his guards. We were having some good laughs” said Putnam.
Putnam says  Elvis’s stories continued for hours and after that time, they felt as if Elvis was one of them, he had made them all feel more relaxed.
“He had convinced us in those two hours that he was a normal guy who just got lucky enough to make it, ” said Putnam.
In the next five days, they recorded 35 songs. That week is often to referred to as the “Nashville Marathon.”
“Elvis would almost always get the song right on the first take. We (the rhythm section) would take turns standing beside Elvis asking if we could run the song again because we didn’t always nail it the first time. As we would record the song again, Elvis would often do better than the first take.”
Putnam says he is credited for 120 songs he recorded with Elvis.
“He was truly one of the greatest purveyors of emotion,” said Putnam.
If you’re a fan of Elvis, don’t miss the Nashville Elvis Festival taking place this week, March 30-April 2. On Thursday evening at Paragon Mills studio, Putnam will recreate what a recording session was like with Elvis. Then on Friday afternoon, Putnam will take part in a panel at the Franklin Theatre. Buy your tickets online for the Elvis Festival.
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