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Troy Hightower has been a presence in the entertainment industry for more
than a
decade, rising through the ranks in music and television, wearing the various
hats
of intern, audio assistant, mix engineer, music producer, music studio owner,
and
internet pioneer. Residing in Westchester, music and sound have always been a
part
of Troy's life, starting with turntable mixing in his Bronx bedroom as a teen.
He parlayed that into working as a deejay at clubs, radio and special events in
Rhode Island and Massachusetts as he worked his way through culinary college.
After earning his food service management degree, he realized that his first
love should be his profession, and headed to Northeast Broadcasting School for
Radio and TV.
Upon Troy's return to New York in 1991, he began interning and assisting at
music studios. He had a chance to take over for a work-weary engineer one night
at the Apollo Theatre's studio and mixed Onyx's "Throw Ya Gunz". This first
single went Gold, and the album, on which he mixed several songs, went Platinum.
He was on his way. After working house engineer positions for several years, he
decided to step out on his own for freelance work. Hightower Productions, Inc.
was established in 1995. He worked extensively with major and indie music
labels, including traveling abroad to clients in countries such as France,
Australia, England and Portugal. His work earned many gold and platinum sales
awards.
In 1999, opening a small project studio gave Troy the ability to provide
services directly to his clients, building on his success in the following
years. After the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 resulted in a downturn of the
U.S. economy, and decimating music industry budgets, Troy knew he had to find a
new angle. Ever the mover and shaker, he hit upon the idea of making himself
available to clients who
don't have the resources or time to travel, but want Hightower quality. This
venture, trademarked "Mix By Mail", allows clients to send music files via the
internet to be mixed, without requiring the presence of the client in the
studio, and created a buzz in industry circles. Troy has further expanded his
offerings in
the last few years to include live sound reinforcement for broadcast events,
conferences, theater and the like, providing his own equipment and mixing
services to clients in the Hudson Valley.
Not satisfied with the action in one industry, Troy decided in 2005 to put his
talents and education to work in the field of television. Using his networking
skills, he began observing and training for TV audio positions. He made sure to
learn the art and science of TV audio from the ground up, so that he knew the
workings of today's equipment as well as the assistant's duties in order to be
more effective as an engineer. He then began working in A1, A1B and A2 positions
at networks such as Fox News, CNBC, ABC, MSNBC, and Court TV. His attention to
detail and conscientious attitude have made him a name among directors and
hiring departments. He is in his third successful year in the TV business, and
is in demand for both permalance and vacation coverage, working on such shows as
Fox & Friends, The View, Street Signs, The Fox Report, Geraldo, The O'Reilly
Factor, Squawk on the Street, Good Morning America's Summer Concert Series, and
The Strategy Room.
Troy is a self-described "workaholic" who craves the challenge and the
pressure-cooker environment of the TV industry. He has a talent for
understanding mechanics and technology, and is always learning and becoming
proficient on new equipment and programs. He also is married to an understanding
wife and has two daughters who idolize him. He continues onward and upward,
infusing the entertainment industry with his remarkable abilities and vibrant
persona.
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