Mixed and Mastered
Mixed and Mastered is the podcast where the untold stories of the music industry come to life. Hosted by Jeffrey Sledge, a veteran music executive and former VP of A&R at Atlantic Records and Jive Records, each episode dives deep into the journeys, challenges, and triumphs of the people shaping the sound of today. From label executives and producers to artists, songwriters, and managers, Jeffrey brings you behind the scenes to meet the minds driving the industry forward. There’s a gap in the marketplace for these voices, and Mixed and Mastered is here to fill it—one conversation at a time. Because the best stories are told by those who lived them.
Mixed and Mastered
Extra Credit: Whitney-Gayle Benta
Class is back in session! In this bonus episode, we hit Whitney-Gayle Benta with three rapid-fire questions. From the tracks that first lit her fuse to the wildest “you-had-to-be-there” label moments, Whitney pulls back the curtain on the soundtrack of her life and the lessons she’s learned shepherding superstar careers.
Craving the whole story? Queue up our earlier full-length convo with Whitney for the deep dive on breaking artists, building bridges, and surviving the music biz with style.
Mixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by Merrick Studio, and hosted by music industry veteran, Jeffrey Sledge. Tune in to the discussion on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you catch your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram @MixedandMasteredPod to join the conversation and support the show at https://mixedandmasteredpod.buzzsprout.com/
This is Mixed and Mastered. Extra Credit with girl Whitney Gail Bento. Okay, Whitney, so tell me three of your favorite artists and why, oh gosh.
Speaker 3:Eric B and Rod Kim. Okay, just love the Paid in Full album. My favorite artist, stevie Wonder.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 3:Because I think he is amazing. I can't say enough about him. Had the music playing at the birth of both my kids in the hospital Erykah Badu, okay, yeah, funny enough. I don't know Something about that Mama's Gun album.
Speaker 1:Yeah, mama's Gun album is dope. Yeah, super dope. I don't know Something about that. Mama's Gun album. Yeah, mama's Gun album was dope.
Speaker 3:Yeah, super dope, super dope. Yeah, my senior year, just yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, okay, all right, tell me three of when you were on the label side. Tell me three of the favorite songs you worked on, and why.
Speaker 3:Favorite songs on the label side tell me three of the three of the favorite songs you worked on, and why favorite song? Well, I can say one of the projects, uh, the ashanti album that was uh the first one the very first one, because it was also the very first time that uh beyonce was coming out with her, her debut album and so it was like we had to be number one.
Speaker 3:You know, it was like we got to kill and we killed it and so it was like that was. I remember the pressure of feeling like, okay, we got to be you know, beyonce. She's, you know, leaving destiny's child and we got ashanti and she's hot in these streets and stuff, you know rip or goddy, and I just remember like the pride of just working on that. So that was really cool, jay-z's, the Blueprint and, dare I say, it was also.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I remember.
Speaker 3:And I remember coming to the office, in the office, because he had an in-store, and being like because you're so trained to not think, just do. I was like so are we still having an in-store? And they're like so we're doing like because you're so trained to to not think, just do. I was like so are we still having to in-store? And they're like no, you jackass Like the world is ending. I'm like you know, are we still yeah so, yeah that, yeah so give me one more.
Speaker 1:Give me one more.
Speaker 3:Probably Music Soulchild. Yeah, I really enjoyed one. I loved his management team, mama's, mama's boy entertainment and shout out to to mike and hips, and so I really. It was also, you know, launching deaf soul, and so I really loved it.
Speaker 1:It was just so different yeah, tell me one concert that you went, went to that changed your life.
Speaker 3:Actually, I would say it was pretty recently too. It would be the Missy Elliott concert. Ah yeah, that was awesome. I went in with no expectations and I was just blown away by her command. I felt like I was a kid in a candy store. There was just so much to look at.
Speaker 1:A lot going on.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, that like I'm like man, I need to like see more. You know what I mean. So, yeah, that was. That was incredible yeah. For me yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, she killed it, she killed it, she killed it, that's my girl yeah. All right, now you got the questions out of the way. Now you can go play with the kids Ready to launch your podcast.
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Speaker 2:Like that extra credit moment. There's plenty more where that came from. Catch the full conversation of Mixed and Mastered with our host, Jeffrey Sledge.
Speaker 1:You can catch Mixed and Mastered on Apple Podcasts, spotify, iheart or wherever you get your podcasts. Hit that follow button, leave a review and tell a friend I'm your host, jeffrey Sledge. Mixed and Mastered is produced and distributed by merrick studios.
