Behind the scenes of history

Bea Swedien, the widow of Bruce Swedien, who will celebrate her 91st birthday the middle of this month, poses with her new book, “My Life as a Studio Wife,” in the screening room at her home in northeast Ocala on Oct. 21. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette]

Home » Arts & Entertainment

Posted November 11, 2025 | By Susan Smiley-Height, [email protected]

Perhaps no one is more excited for the release of the biopic “Michael,” about the legendary entertainer Michael Jackson, in April of 2026, than Bea Swedien of Ocala. After all, the late “King of Pop” was her beloved friend. And, her husband, Bruce Swedien, was the renowned sound engineer who mixed several Jackson albums, including “Thriller.”

Jackson is played in the movie by his nephew Jaafar Jackson while David Michael Lewin plays the role of Bruce. The closeness of the two men, along with Bea and famed producer and composer Quincy Jones, is shared in abundance in her newest book, “My Life as a Studio Wife.”

In the book, Bea offers an insider’s look at being around some of the most notable names on the planet, along with reminiscences of things like tucking Jackson under a blanket in the back of her vehicle so she could whisk him away from adoring crowds huddled outside her husband’s sound studio.

One of the online promos for the book offers this: “Step behind the studio doors with ‘My Life as a Studio Wife.’ A musical memoir like no other, it’s a rare inside look at the golden age of recording.”

The nearly 200-page Westviking Press book, which has a forward from Jones, is filled with Bea’s recollections of well-known entertainers such as  Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Art Blakey, Herbie Mann, Woody Herman, Stan Kenton, Oscar Peterson, Sarah Vaughan, Muddy Waters, Dinah Washington, Keely Smith, Louis Prima, Buddy Miles, Lesley Gore, Chaka Khan, Stevie Wonder, Luther Vandross, Diana Ross, George Benson, Lena Horne, Roberta Flack, Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Lopez and many others, including bands and orchestras.

Jones and Bruce Swedien were longtime collaborators, including on many projects involving Jackson, and shared a deep friendship that lasted until Bruce passed away in 2020. Jackson died in 2009 and Jones passed away in 2024.

Over their 68-year marriage, Bea had a bird’s eye view to much of the action that garnered her husband five Grammy awards from 12 nominations. Although some advised Bruce to not allow his wife into the studio, he invited her freely and it didn’t take long before she captivated those around her with her charm, intellect and the best ever Swedish meatballs and sugar cookies.

In the forward of Bea’s new book, Jones writes, in part: “This book gives an insight into one of the most irrepressible, high-spirited people I know. There are not enough words to express how much Bruce meant to me. He was my dear friend and brother. He was without question the absolute best engineer in the business and for more than 50 years I wouldn’t even think about going into a recording session unless I knew Bruce was behind the board. Bea was Bruce’s north star. Without her in his life, none of his accomplishments would have mattered as much to him.”

“My Life as a Studio Wife” is Bea’s second book. Her first was “Under the Red Blanket,” which details her early life in India.

Bea and Bruce had three children, Roberta, David and Julie. David is deceased.

Roberta Swedien, who lives in Gainesville, has performed internationally for more than four decades in solo, chamber and orchestral concerts, and in television and radio appearances. In addition to her work in classical music, she did sound design for Jackson’s “HIStory” album.

According to Roberta, Ocala native Ryan Williams was Bruce’s loyal assistant engineer and friend in his last years.

“Ryan is the grandson of the notable Ocala resident, Bo Williams and has a state-of-the-art recording studio of his own in Gainesville,” she shared.

Ocala’s Mark Emery is an award-winning filmmaker, musician and photographer. He often collaborates on projects with entities such as the BBC, PBS, National Geographic and Smithsonian Network. He maintained a close friendship with Bruce, and they collaborated on some works together.

Both men have been honored with plaques on the Walk of Fame in front of the historic Marion Theatre in downtown Ocala. Mark and his wife, Mary Emery, remain close friends with Bea.

To learn more, the “Gazette” did email Q&As with Bea and Roberta and a phone interview with Mark.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bea Swedien

How did your family come to be in India?

“There were a number of Swedish-American missionaries from Minnesota who went to India and lived with the Naga tribes on the border of Burma. Hearing their stories of life and work there, my parents were inspired to go.”

When/where did you meet Bruce?

“We met in high school in Minneapolis. I was a junior, fresh from boarding school in the foothills of the Himalayas, and Bruce was a popular senior. He was active in music and was already recording.”

Was it love at first sight, or did it take a while?

“After our first date, he went home and told his parents, ‘I just met the girl I’m going to marry.’ We were married in Minneapolis in 1953.”

Do you have a musical background?

“No. But I appreciate good music.”

Why/when did you and Bruce come to Ocala?

“After the horrible 1994 earthquake in Los Angeles, we decided to leave California. Michael and Bruce were just getting ready to start recording the ‘HIStory’ album and moved the project to New York. We bought a beautiful horse farm in Roxbury, Connecticut. It was wonderful and we loved New York City, but the winters were too icy for us. Ocala Judge Ray McNeal and his wife Marilyn had come to Connecticut to visit her sister, and they told us wonderful things about Ocala. We came down and found a 28-acre property here, packed up the menagerie and moved down. It was 2003.”

What are a few of your favorite memories?

“Sitting in on recording sessions with Bruce and our times with all of those amazing musicians. When Bruce and I were with Michael, just being friends. Going back to Nagaland 40 years after I had left and seeing my beloved ayah (nanny) Tsungkumla.”

 

Roberta Swedien

When/where were you born?

“Minneapolis in 1953. I was the first grandchild of Ellsworth and Louise Swedien and inherited a life of music at a very early age.”

Where did you grow up?

“I grew up in Chicago around some of the greatest music and musicians in the world, sitting in on recording sessions with my dad. I moved to India in 1991 to head the music department at my mom’s boarding school in the Himalayas. I fell in love with India and stayed there for 16 years, in Delhi and in Pune near Bombay, where there is a great interest in western classical music. I came back to the States in 2007 to be near my parents and have been living in Gainesville ever since. I travel to performances in the States, Canada and Europe. My last concert overseas was in Stockholm. I teach in person and online.”

What is your career/background?

“I am a classical pianist. I have been performing and teaching around the world for my entire life. I was very lucky and had many stellar teachers with a ‘teaching tree’ that goes all the way back to Beethoven, Mozart and Bach. I also did sound design on Michael Jackson’s ‘HIStory’ album, which was an amazing experience. What a sincere and talented man.”

What are some of your favorite life memories?

“Performing for audiences around the world; the language of music needs no translation. Playing Bach for Michael Jackson. Getting off the plane in New Delhi to that magical, ancient world. Watching my students grow. I come from three generations of musicians; my grandparents were music teachers and sharing the gift of music has always been an essential part of life.”

Why should people buy your mother’s book?

“‘My Life as a Studio Wife’ is a beautiful, fascinating memoir that appeals to so many people: music enthusiasts, fans of the artists, people who are curious about the inner workings of the music industry — it is a serious slice of music history from the ‘50s to the 2000s. It’s also a story of travel and adventure. And it is the story of an enduring love, a marriage that lasted 68 years and was an inspiration to so many people.”

 

Mark Emery

How did you meet Bruce Swedien?

“I went to the Anthony post office and there was a lady reading a book and I said, ‘What are reading that I can’t buy a stamp from you?’ and she said, “Well this guy lives near here…’ I looked at the book… Bruce Swedien… and I said, ‘You mean the engineer for Michael Jackson?’ And she goes, ‘Yeah, yeah, he did 14 albums for Quincy Jones… that’s him.’ I said, ‘He lives in Ocala?’ She said yes, so I said, ‘Well here, give him my card and tell him we do soundtracks for Geographic and many others and I would love to talk to him sometime.”

What is an example of your work with Bruce?

“Bruce had won a prestigious award and was looking for footage and music no one had seen before. He invited me over to his original recording studio, which was well concealed in a horse barn. I had a piece we had shot all in slow motion on bears and the music was fast so originally you think it was shot fast … he liked that and we talked a little bit and he said the mix on this is really good. I didn’t tell him it was the drummer for Paul McCartney and the guitar players were some of the best in the country. I said if you want to remix it, go ahead. And he said there’s a few things we could do. He did 25 cuts until he got it the way he wanted and that is ‘The Bears of Summer.’”

What are some of your favorite recollections of Bruce and Bea?

“They have just been so gracious to some of the people she talks about in the book. Like the gal who wrote for ‘The Man in the Mirror.’ They had her at their house several times and we had dinner with them and got to hear the stories about how some of those things were recorded and all the different things that went on. They were really gracious people to share their company with you.

“Bea was the support for Bruce, who would work crazy hours, and he made sure she was there. And I think she is so understated, like talking about her time in India, or mentioning having dinner with someone like Ingrid Bergman.

“I’d sit with Bruce to watch him mix and he doesn’t like to compress the sounds so it will all fit. So, he would learn the song musically, to figure out what instrument is going to play when and then raise and lower levels manually on a 24-track board like he’s playing a keyboard. When you listen to one of his songs, you hear every single instrument. You go in his studio and let him play something for you, you’re stunned, like a Michael Jackson song you listen to on the radio. You listen to it there and you go, ‘Oh, my God!’”

 

“Love Michael”

“My Life as a Studio Wife” is filled with photos from Bea’s vast collection, including a candid shot of Jackson with her, Bruce and Mick Jagger. In one of the autographed images, the “King of Pop” writes: “To Bea thanks for taking care of Bruce your sweet, Love Michael Jackson.”

The book is available through many online book sellers and at Barnes & Noble in Ocala.

To learn more, go to studiowifebook.com and find Bea, the book and Roberta on social media.