Clair Krepps

American recording and mastering engineer (November 15,1918- December 15, 2017).

Originally a radio and electronics specialist in the US Navy, Krepps was hired by Capitol Records in 1946 and helped set up their New York mastering studio. He later went on to work for MGM Records and Atlantic. He built several mastering rooms for major labels before establishing his own studios, Mayfair Recording Studios (1963) and Knickerbocker Sound Studios. A charter member and governor of the Audio Engineering Society, he helped establish recording standards for the record industry and was anearly pioneer of multi-track tape recording and mastering.

Krepps worked for Capitol Records (he received a historic Grammy for mastering Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song"), MGM Records and others, and designed and built the country's first 8-track recording console for Mayfair with his brother Edgar. After selling Mayfair to United Artists Records, he served as Chief Engineer for Atlantic Records, receiving a Grammy award for mastering Robert Flack's "Killing Me Softly With His Song."