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Joe Bussard & Fonotone Records

NOTE: This blog entry originally appeared in August of 2008

Today’s Bob Edwards Show features a trip to Frederick, Maryland to visit the basement of Joe Bussard. 

Joe is utterly dedicated to the preservation of early 20th century music.  He is a musician, a radio host, founder & owner of Fonotone Records, and he’s probably best known as a voracious record hunter and collector.  

Joe is certainly a lover of music, but when you bring up Rock n Roll, you quickly discover that the term “music” doesn’t necessarily have a universal definition.  Joe is quick to dismiss modern music as “bangin’ and thumpin’” filled with “moanin’ and groanin’”…and by modern music, he means post-depression.  String bands, jug bands, family groups of singers and players… real blues, real jazz…to Joe, that’s the definition of music.

In the age of the random playlist and the mix CD, listening to Joe speak so lovingly about his records and the music carved into them makes me think about the overlooked power of music and how we take the listening experience for granted.

-Dan Bloom

 

The Fonotone box set is released by Dust to Digital 

Fonotone Records homepage 

Joe Bussard on Myspace

 

6 Replies to “Joe Bussard & Fonotone Records”

  1. Enjoyed Bob Edwards visit with Joe….enjoyed Joe, and getting to hear about his passion. Only thing that scared me is—I was listening on an iPod, and just in the interview when I was thinking: I wonder if he ever heard of John Fahey—well just at that second, he mentioned John Fahey….I thought that earbuds could transmit thoughts or something !!

    I live across the street from the house where John Fahey grew up and knew his father. Joe would have reminded John of his father, without a doubt. Wonder if he ever told him that ……

    Okay, now faithful listeners, let’s get Joe Bussard on iTunes for the whole universe to hear.

  3. I thoroughly enjoyed the Joe Bussard interview, complaints and all. My son is a musician and has a deep appreciation for the music from earlier times, particularly the music that flourished before the advent of "corporate" music, He observes the big business music world sacrifices originality and variety for the dollar-making formula that predominates on and through public media,. I agree with him on this, and I’m sure you know we are not alone.

    I will be ordering the CD-Set and would like to thank you for the wonderful variety of interviewees from week to week (I listen on WABE Atlanta). Whether actors, writers, musicians, public figures, or whomever, your interviews are educational, entertaining, unhurried and enjoyable.

    Please also convey my thanks and appreciation to Joe Bussard for his diligent preservation of times past and wonderful music as it was performed many years ago.

  4. This was an entertaining segment — for the first five minutes. But most of it was a lot of complaining and squawking about the types of music out there and the state of the music industry. Joe B doesn’t seem to like anything except one genre that was popular in the 40s. Ultimately, I think I could have listened to the same types of ranting and raving from some bitter old geezer at the corner bar. That’s why I don’t go to bars, preferring to listen to the radio. But I’m no longer so sure I’ll be listening to many more Bob Edwards’ shows if this is typical. It was a decdent five-minute interview that lasted a whole half-hour. Joe B might consider getting out of his basement and attending some of the interesting roots-oriented music festivals with an abundance of string bands — performed by young people keeping the genre alive. He might learn something.

  5. It was simply one of the best segments I have ever heard. I listened to it three times-the wonder of XM. If you could ever expand this to a longer piece I would love to listen to this man’s knowledge or just his life.

    Thank you Bob, you cannot imagine how great it is to hear someone with real passion talk to that subject.

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