EP13 – Corporate Audio Design with Billy Walsh

The Production Channel Podcast

We’re all ears this week at The Production Channel as Clem Harrod interviews long-time audio designer, Billy Walsh. Billy is an industry staple in the corporate event world with almost 40 years of audio experience, and due to his positive energy and solid work ethic, everybody knows when Billy Walsh is in the room.

Billy got his start in the entertainment world as a young guitarist and secured professional gigs at the age of 15. At a turning point just after high school, he went to an Army recruiter who got him an audition for the West Point Jazz Band. Long story short, Billy aced the audition and became the West Point Jazz Band guitarist for 12 years. Due to his frustration with cutbacks in the Army, he realized he needed to make a change, and in 1988, he connected with a friend who had the AV contract for IBM. Billy made the big jump into the AV world–and he’s been doing corporate audio ever since.

When asked about his longevity in the live event production industry, he says, “I just think it’s the caliber of the people that I’m working with that…I mean, I still love traveling and walking into this room that’s got nothing in it and turning it into a theater and having this amazing thing happen from nothing.” Billy realizes mentoring aspiring audio designers is important to the future of the industry so he takes the time to share his knowledge out of the passion of the business. One of his key pieces of advice is, “If you don’t like what you’re doing, get out because you’re that angry guy. You’re that angry guy in the ballroom that nobody wants to be around.” So far, Billy still loves his job and has future hopes of making a living from his basement studio.

Listen in as Clem and Billy share lots of laughs philosophizing on the creation of corporate shows, the trials of staying connected to family while on the road, and how learning new technology keeps a seasoned audio guy on his toes.