Lonnie Salyers
One could think that Lonnie Salyers’ record collection is similar to anyone’s, but they would be incorrect. Salyers is trying to preserve the musical heritage of the region with his collection of regionally produced vinyl records.
“I took Leadership Kingsport in 2012 which instilled supporting your local community, and I wanted to find something to impact quality of life or preserve local history as a brand ambassador for Southern Appalachia. I’ve been on several local boards and support charities but wanted to do something more. I love history and music, and this culminated into awareness of local music and an opportunity to be an advocate to preserve our local music history. I’m not a professional DJ or archivist. This is a hobby that grew inparallel to the recent development ofAppalachiancultural appreciation, and I’ve been drawn into thatcircle of eclectic andinteresting local efforts and organizations,” he says.
He primarily collects 45 rpm and 78 rpm records from the local independent recording studios and labels that popped up in this region after World War II and existed through the mid-1980s.They encompass about a 150-mile radius of Kingsport, including Knoxville toRoanoke and labels from Eastern Kentucky, Western North Carolina, etc. With the resurgence of vinyl as a music medium, he has begun to collect current local vinyl records as well.
His collection started almost by accident.
“In 2015, I was on eBay looking for a CD of Sticks McGhee, the renowned blues guitarist from Kingsport, and up popped this 78 rpm record on the Kingsport Records label. I’d never heard of the label, knew little about 78 rpm records and had not owned a record player since the early 1990s; yet I took a chance and bought it. Researching the artist and label led to finding information about other local labels in the Tri-Cities. This led to going out to thrift shops, yard sales and antique stores looking for local records. This was really a personal hobby for me as a weekend break to get some exercise and have fun.
“Eventually Istarted Big Lon’s Crateful Dig on Facebook to share pictures and stories, and it grew organically. I was asked to be part of a podcast by Clint Holley at The Earnest Tube (a Bristol, Virginia, recording studio). We hit it off as we share a similar passion formusic, and he invited me back to spin local 45 rpm records at an open house during Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion. I met Kris Truelsen at that event, and he invited me to spin records onRadio Bristol. In October 2016‘Diggin’ With Big Lon’ debuted on Radio Bristol which has led to other podcasts, guest blogs, published articles, a stint as President of the Appalachian Cultural Music Association, multiple live record shows, civic speaking engagements and my latest effort Big Lon’s Vinyl Record Expo for Kingsport Fun Fest,” he says.
This will be the second Annual Big Lon’s Vinyl Record Expo. It’s a Kingsport Fun Fest event that’s free to the public. This year the show is Sunday, July 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at The Kingsport Civic Auditorium. The event features more than 40 tables of new and used records, CDs, cassettes and music memorabilia. Radio Bristol will be doing a live remote broadcast, and there will be live performances on the radio from Chance Lawson, Lightin’ Charlie, Corbin Hayslett and Sarah Beth Lovell. Salyers will have 10 copies of a vinyl LP by Moose “Trainwreck” Roberts only available at the show. “Th’ Dang Expo LP 2023” is limited to first come, first serve and one per customer. There is also a freebies table where vendors donate records for people to find something new to try, and donations are accepted to support Petworks Animal Services and Adoption in Kingsport.
Salyers has several thousand records in his collection. He says that quality is paramount over quantity when collecting localized recordings. He has several 78 rpm records where only a couple or handful of copies are known to exist. He is working on building a total catalog of several local labels such as Kingsport, Rich-R-Tone, The Lonesome Ace, Blue Ridge and Twin-City on 78 rpm format andTrail,Spot, Shadow, Kings-Port, New Hope, Hometown, Salem, Mag, Champ, Edmac, True Gospel, Hutchins Sound, Transworld, Studio 1, The Unknown Artists, Al Homburg, Vibrant, Gotta Go, KYVA, Mayland and other regional labels on the 45 rpm format.
His, perhaps, favorite is Kenny Springs & The Scat Cats’, “Let Nobody Love You”/“Nobody Else But You” on the Johnson City, Tennessee Spot Records, label released in 1966. “Both sides are scorching soul songs. Thesongwriting, vocals and musical performances are stellar. This record was popular enough to have two pressings,I have both,” he says.
You can hear many of the records in his collection on his radio show, “Diggin’ With Big Lon.” The show airs Thursdays at 5 p.m. on WBCM 100.1 Radio Bristol. It replays Saturdays at 2 p.m. The show is streamed live vialistenradiobristol.org. The format consists of a variety of music from country, bop, honky-tonk, bluegrass, gospel, garage rock, surf, soul, disco, punk, blues, rap and jazz artists recorded at local studios andoccasionally local artists who recorded out of the region. Some shows have a theme, and some shows may just be a hodgepodge of recent finds.
“I tell people‘I’m preserving the musical heritage of Southern Appalachia one dusty old record at a time,’ and it’s more than a catchy tagline. As the studio owners, label owners and artists pass away, much of the history is lost and I’m working to preserve that oral history. One day the research along with the vinyl records will be donated to a local archive to preserve for future generations.
“If you have stories or local records to donate, preserve or sell let me know and I’ll help find them a home. I can be reached atbiglon68@gmail.com, on my Facebook page, @biglon68 on Instagram or atbiglonscratefuldig.com.”
