Profile of a man with dark hair, glasses, and facial hair, wearing a gray shirt, sitting in a dimly lit room with wood accents.

Gus Berry

Gus is a musician, producer, and engineer. He grew up in the Portland area, attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, and then worked in Nashville for a five years before moving back to the PNW. Before managing Thelma’s, Gus managed Jackpot! Recording Studio and often writes for Tape Op Magazine. His production/engineering credits include CAKE, Lizzo, Still Woozy, Faye Webster, Rayland Baxter, Sean Watkins/Matt Chamberlain, Jimmie Herrod, and many more. Gus loves to laugh and make every session a fun experience! 

Studio manager/head engineer
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Marena

Marena has always been drawn to both technical subjects and creative pursuits, finally finding her path as a studio engineer several years ago. After assisting different engineers at a variety of locations, she now works at Dead Aunt Thelma’s and Clackamas Community College. She has gained broad experience running recording sessions for alternative rock bands, acoustic singer-songwriters, hardcore kids, jazz combos, choirs, audiobooks, live events... But she’s actively in search of more loud, raw, angsty goodness under the broad rock umbrella. Local bands get in touch!

Studio Assistant/Engineer
Man with a beard sitting in a music studio surrounded by guitars, audio equipment, and speakers, with a computer monitor displaying audio tracks in the background.

Sam Plecker is an audio engineer, producer, and songwriter based in Portland, Oregon. After spending years working in professional recording studios on projects for artists like Roger Waters, Father John Misty, and Chicano Batman, he now focuses on helping musicians bring their songs to life. Whether it’s capturing an honest performance, shaping a record from the ground up, or adding the finishing touches to a mix, Sam believes the best recordings come from creating a relaxed, collaborative environment where artists feel inspired to do their best work.

Freelance Engineer

Sam Plecker

Adam has been engineering, mixing, and producing records in Portland for 15 years. He enjoys using all the analog gear at Dead Aunt Thelma's to get unique sounds quickly. He’s worked with bands like Built to Spill, Portugal the Man, Black Thought, Stephen Malkmus, The Decemberists, Red Fang, Quasi, Sleater Kinney, The Cribs, and Damian Lillard. Aside from rock music, he also has a lot of experience recording jazz, classical, and experimental music. He brings the many lessons he's learned from working in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Iceland, and London (Abbey Road) to the Dead Aunt Thelma’s.

Freelance Engineer

Adam Lee

A man with curly hair and glasses is operating audio equipment in a music studio with red and gray walls. He is leaning over a mixer and standing next to rack-mounted audio gear on wheels, with studio monitors and a chair visible.

Andy is an audio engineer, producer, and songwriter who has engineered in-studio for national artists that include Shakey Graves, Sir Woman, Buffalo Hunt, BNQT, and Sam Weber, and produced, engineered, and/or mixed for locals like Smile Pile, Portland Songwriters Guild, Jason Buchanan, and Quiet Hours. His hi-fi/low pressure approach and diverse influences adapt to any artistic vision. His productions have been featured on Bandcamp’s New and Notable, NPR, and AV Club. He is a Libra.

Freelance Engineer

Andy Jones

Woman in a recording studio surrounded by audio equipment, wearing a white shirt, colorful scarf, black pants, and black shoes.

Clara Baker is a songwriter, producer, audio engineer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Portland, Oregon. She specializes in producing and mixing artist-driven indie, folk, and pop records, with a focus on authenticity, collaboration, and exceptional sound. Her work has been featured on ABC, Netflix, The CW, Tubi, and more. In 2025, she was commissioned by Splice to create the original sample pack Rhinestone Radio, and in 2026, she studied with Tchad Blake at Mix With The Masters in Paris. Her favorite mic at Thelma's is the Neumann M149.

Freelance Engineer

Clara Baker

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Zach Bloomstein is a Portland, Oregon–based producer, engineer, and mixer, and the house engineer and studio manager at Jackpot! Recording Studio. He has worked with artists including Patterson Hood, Portugal. The Man, Modest Mouse, Searows, Squirrel Flower, Storm Large, Glitterfox,  Laura Gibson, Quinn Christopherson, Spoon Benders, Paul Gilbert, and many more. Originally from Boston, Zach worked out of 37ft Productions and as a QC engineer at Peerless Mastering before relocating to Portland. He has since worked as a freelance engineer in studios across Portland, Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, and beyond. 

Freelance Engineer

Zach Bloomstein