AI Technology Helps Americana Duo Unlock Lost Album for Sync Licensing, Film & TV Placements
AI Technology Helps Americana Duo Unlock Lost Album for Sync Licensing, Film & TV Placements
CHICAGO, IL, UNITED STATES, December 2, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- For years, the master tapes for Wonderwheel (ASCAP), the landmark 1999 debut album from Americana duo Utah Carol, were lost to time. Recorded on 4-track tapes in a tiny West Loop Chicago loft, the original multitrack files were buried in archives, seemingly gone forever. Now, thanks to a groundbreaking AI technology, the band has not only recovered their lost work but has given it a new life, releasing the full instrumental version of the album that first put them on the map.
This is a story about the intersection of art and artificial intelligence. Faced with the impossible task of manually separating vocals from their original stereo mixes, the husband-and-wife duo of Grant Birkenbeuel and JinJa Davis after experimenting with several musical AI tools that were discovered using Manus’ deep research tool, they landed on LALAL.AI, a next-generation AI-powered stem separation service. The technology allowed them to do what was previously unthinkable: flawlessly extract the vocals from their decades-old recordings, leaving behind pristine, sync-ready instrumentals.
“It was a jaw-dropping moment,” says Grant Birkenbeuel. “We were hearing our songs in a way we never had before. The AI didn’t just separate the tracks; it unearthed all these hidden layers and textures that we had poured our hearts into back then. It was like a musical time machine.”
Wonderwheel was a critical success upon its release, earning Mojo Magazine’s “Americana Album of the Month,” Amazon.com's "Americana Album of the Year," and drawing comparisons to The Beach Boys, LOW and Belle & Sebastian. Its songs found their way into Sundance award-winning films like All the Real Girls, a Microsoft ad and an ESPN documentary about LA Raider’s coach Al Davis, but the band always knew the instrumental arrangements had a cinematic quality of their own. Without the master tapes, however, that potential was locked away.
“This technology has been completely transformative for us,” adds JinJa Davis. “It’s not just about recovering lost files; it’s about rediscovering our own art. We’re falling in love with these songs all over again, and we’re so excited to share that feeling with a new generation of filmmakers, music supervisors, and fans.”
The story of Utah Carol and Wonderwheel is a testament to how AI is not replacing artists, but empowering them. It’s a story of how technology can bridge the gap between past and present, allowing musicians like Grant Birkenbeuel and JinJa Davis to unlock the hidden potential in their own work and share it with the world in ways they never thought possible.
The instrumental singles of Wonderwheel are now available on all major streaming platforms. For all licensing inquiries, please contact Utah Carol through their official website at utahcarol.com.
About Utah Carol: Utah Carol is the Chicago-based, husband-and-wife duo of Grant Birkenbeuel and JinJa Davis. They own and control 100% of their master recordings and publishing rights through their label Stomping Ground (ASCAP), making them a one-stop shop for music licensing.
Contact: JinJa Davis at [email protected]
Listen to the instrumentals of Wonderwheel:
YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/browse/MPADUCe7Qjt9aTYQ4gHmn1AyTYIA
Apple Music https://music.apple.com/us/artist/utah-carol/137984081
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/2AqQrX3R3HkBE8l7Rmr4aH
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