Kevin Gray 2026

In our annual check-in with renowned mastering engineer Kevin Gray, he reflects on a very busy 2025 that included his Rhino High Fidelity versions of Fleetwood Mac and Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks’ long-out-of-print Buckingham Nicks. How did Gray and fellow mastering engineer Chris Bellman feel about Rhino releasing separate versions of Buckingham Nicks mastered by each of them? Gray also discusses the Rhino High Fidelity John Coltrane: 1960-1964 Mono box, for which he revisited some albums he’d previously mastered in stereo. Gray's RHF version of T. Rex’s Electric Warrior followed the label’s reel-to-reel tape release of that album—which should sound better? Of course, we had to address the hullabaloo sparked by Gray’s comments on Caropop a year ago criticizing the One Step pressing process. Was he surprised? Does he feel vindicated? Other topics covered: Gray’s Blue Note Tone Poet work with producer Joe Harley; the jazz albums Gray is recording and releasing on his Cohearent Records label. What’s in store for 2026?