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2022 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 360
Commending Don Zientara.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 8, 2022
Agreed to by the Senate, March 9, 2022

 

WHEREAS, Don Zientara, the owner of Inner Ear Studio, served local punk rock bands and other independent musicians from the studio’s iconic location on Oakland Street in South Arlington for more than 30 years; and

WHEREAS, in the 1970s, Don Zientara created a studio in his basement to provide space for his band to record a demo tape; he later decided to use his equipment to help other local artists, either by hosting them in his basement or traveling to their homes to make recordings; and

WHEREAS, Don Zientara officially established Inner Ear Studio in 1979 and ran the business as a part-time venture until 1985, when it became successful enough to run as his full-time career; the studio moved to Oakland Street in 1989; and

WHEREAS, the first album produced by the Arlington-based Dischord Records, “Minor Disturbance” by Teen Idles, was recorded at Inner Ear Studio, and Don Zientara has organized recording sessions for the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area’s leading punk rock bands, including Bad Brains, Minor Threat, Fugazi, and Rites of Spring; and

WHEREAS, Don Zientara previously worked with Springfield native Dave Grohl, a former member of Nirvana and founder of the Foo Fighters, and in 2014, Inner Ear Studio was featured in the HBO documentary miniseries Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways; and

WHEREAS, with his calming presence, professionalism, and humility, Don Zientara created a casual, comfortable space for people to record music, and his strong commitment to the artistic aspects of recording helped Inner Ear Studio become known as one of the most creative studios on the East Coast; and

WHEREAS, Don Zientara closed Inner Ear Studio’s Oakland Street studio in October 2021 with plans to reopen in new location to continue serving the local music community; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Don Zientara for his decades of contributions to punk rock and independent recording artists in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Don Zientara as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for his achievements and legacy of service to generations of local musicians.