After booking a June trip to Philadelphia in 2013, I knew I wanted to go see the famous Sigma Sound Studios. On one June early morning I took my jetlagged-self over there to see who I could meet and it most certainly paid off...

Waiting outside the Studio, I took in the sights of the building itself and the sounds of the city. Considering myself a bit of a sneaky soul, I waited to see who I could see. And my patience paid off, as I spotted a lady arriving with her morning coffee.

I knew this was my moment. I introduced myself, let my Scottish dulcet tones do the talking and asked if I could come in to the Studio for a sneak peek. She kindly said yes and she offered me a tour. As I've learnt over the years, it always pays to ask.

The lady introduced herself as the studio Receptionist and took me on a tour of the building. She was an enthusiatic guide and took me everywhere. I saw the composing area, mixing area and the main studio. The mixing desks were huge and so impressive to see in person. It was incredible seeing the glass screens where the artists would be performing behind.

I had always wanted to go to Sigma Sound studios because it was a great influence for me. 'Sophisticated Soul' made it's way to the UK, and  became very popular. For example 'Backstabbers' by The O'Jays became a huge hit and that is how Philadelphia International Records came into being, because of this increased love of this type of music.

This unique sound resulted in the creation of Sigma Sound Studios, which ignited the love from fans in the UK in particular and all around the world. And my love for the label grew and grew as a result of this incredible unique sound. So I was thrilled to visit there on this 2013 trip.

And so imagine my joy, whilst on my impromptu studio tour, that I was introduced to the studio owner, who then offered me tickets for the 'How I Wrote That Song' panel event on June 8 2013. 

It was sheer luck that I experienced all of these serendipitous moments, from asking a cheeky question and using my journalistic skills. However I was extremely lucky to have been given these opportunities on that visit, as not long after, the studio was bought over and emptied. Plans are for it to be restored into a Sigma Sound Museum thankfully.