ATHENS, Tenn. — When musicians think of recording, Nashville usually comes to mind. But area bands are beginning to change that since Mark Hutchinson moved his Legacy Production’s studio from Lebanon, Tenn., to downtown Athens, Tenn.

Hidden in the back of a downtown mall, the large studio features separate rooms for recording vocals and instruments, the latest recording equipment , including software program Pro-Tools, digital computer components and mixing boards for mastering the final product.

Bands from a multi-state region are becoming familiar with Athens and Mr. Hutchinson said he is constantly updating equipment to keep up with the latest technology.

“I’ve played in bands since high school, but as I got older, the more I became involved in the technical side,” Mr. Hutchinson said.

In the 1990s, he was an officer with the Athens Police Department, but he loved to write songs and was invited to perform at the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington. His original song, “The Thin, Blue Line,” represented the line between good and evil and won an award.

“One of the things I’m most proud of is that song is used in funerals and programs all over the nation,” Mr. Hutchinson said.

His work took him to Atlanta, then Marietta, Ga., where he had studios. But his roots were in Athens, and now, so is his studio.

“We’ve been there recording since July, and it is a top-notch studio,” Dog and Pony Show drummer Tony Byers said. “It sounds great and he is very easy to work with.”

The band’s lead singer and guitarist Derrick Cook, a Chattanooga native, said many producers sit behind the glass, separating themselves from the artists. But Mr. Hutchinson works with the band, making musicians feel at ease, Mr. Cook said.

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