The Shadow Knows: Stephen Mougin Shares the Ups and Downs of Dark Shadow Recording (So Far)

For Stephen “Mojo” Mougin, the name of his label, Dark Shadow Recording, symbolizes a small, passionate company with a big heart. “It was a last-minute decision. But the name stuck, and it represents what we do: shine a light on incredible talent, even in the shadows.”

Mougin's journey in the bluegrass world has been as multifaceted as the man himself. From musician to teacher, producer to label owner, Mougin has worn many hats—each with a passion that defines his work. As the founder and head honcho of Dark Shadow Recording, a full-service studio and record label perched atop a hill in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, Mougin has built a creative sanctuary for artists to thrive. The Bluegrass Standard sat down with Mougin to discuss his label, his artists, and the lessons learned along the way.

“The studio officially opened at the end of 2019,” Mougin shared as he reflected on the label’s first studio sessions in their new space. “The very first record that we cut in here was Rick Faris’s Breaking in Lonesome. It was his debut solo album. And literally, we started checking wires at midnight, which would be Sunday morning, and the session was supposed to start at 10 a.m. We started just a shade late, but everything worked. Yeah, it was down to the wire.”

The timing was fortuitous. “Yeah, it was a true blessing that the studio was finished in 2019 because that's where I spent most of 2020, out there. And it wasn't really doing anything productive. I totally shut down mentally. I just couldn't get any real great work done. I was able to finish my own record, and we released it in 2020. We also had just finished literally the day the world shut down; Becky and Jerry Douglas were cutting whatever song they cut for A Distance in Time.”

Dark Shadow Recording’s mission is deeply personal to Mougin, rooted in his background as a musician and teacher. “We’re not a label that signs folks that are massive mega stars already,” he said. “That’s just not …it’s not what we do. What I enjoy is helping people get better. That's part of teaching. And my hope is that each artist learns a little bit more about music and themselves and their own voice in the world with each project that we do.”

Mougin elaborated on one of his artists’ journeys, the trajectory of award-winner Becky Buller. “Becky had already made two records years ago before she started with the label. And I'm actually on her second one as a player. But we signed her and put her first record out in 2014, the ‘Tween Earth and Sky album. And she's now a ten-time IBMA winner across a variety of awards. Together, we've won awards for two collaborative events. It's awesome.”

When asked about the challenges of running a label during the pandemic, Mougin was candid. “And suddenly I realized that, yeah, I'm diverse, but it's all in the same basket. And suddenly none of that has any value for the 2020 thing. And that was just …that got me pretty hard.”

He also reflected on a poignant moment during the studio’s reopening. “I remember cutting the Rick Faris tracks for his second record and just standing here at the door, watching them all park and stand out in the front of the studio here, just giving each other huge hugs because they hadn't seen each other in forever and they, most of them, hadn't played a note with other humans in a long while. And I mean, it was just powerful stuff.”

Dark Shadow Recording’s release schedule boasts a vibrant roster, and Mougin excitedly detailed the upcoming projects. “Becky Buller’s next album is particularly exciting. It features songs that influenced her growth as an artist, and the collaborations are incredible—Alison Brown, Molly Tuttle, and others. Rick Faris has new music, the Henhouse Prowlers are dropping singles, and Laura Orshaw’s work is phenomenal.”

Mougin’s own projects also make the list. “The duo work with my wife Jana has been really fulfilling. Our single Frozen in Time did well, and it’s nice to create something personal amid all the label work.”

When asked about the most profound lesson, the one whose wisdom is front and center in his leadership, Mougin doesn’t hesitate to answer.

“Deadlines,” he said. “In the early days, we stressed and stressed about deadlines – in certain ways. But remembering that we're all humans and that our friendship, our interpersonal relationship with our artist, is more important than any deadline that's happening. The fact is, once you've released a bunch of music, which we have now, nobody remembers what day it came out. Nobody remembers what month it came out. You barely remember what year it came out.”

Mougin’s vision for Dark Shadow Recording remains steadfast in its clarity. “We’re small, and that’s intentional. I want to keep it music-centric. I am deeply invested in artists and their work. It’s about creating something lasting, something people will want to hear decades from now.”

With a thriving roster, a studio that feels like home, and an unwavering commitment to artistry, Stephen Mougin and Dark Shadow Recording are actually lighting the way for the next generation of bluegrass music.