In this post, I celebrate Record Store Day, an annual event held each April specifically to celebrate vinyl record enthusiasts and the popularity of vinyl records.

This Saturday, April 12, is Record Store Day 2025, an annual event dedicated to celebrating the culture of vinyl record enthusiasts. My sons, Derek and Dylan, both musicians, count themselves among those who prefer vinyl music albums, and that reminds me of buying records beginning in the 1970s at Joe Nardone’s Gallery of Sound independent record stores in Northeastern Pennsylvania. 

The incredible mainstream comeback of vinyl records is something I didn’t see coming. Collectors would always be interested in vinyl, but I was happy when compact discs became available beginning in 1982. No more scratchy static from worn and dirty vinyl records. No more holding the record player’s needle shakily above the spinning vinyl record and placing it at the beginning of a certain song. No more needing to go out and buy a replacement needle. Despite all of that, vinyl records are definitely back.

I didn’t think too much about it until my sons became interested in my old album collection. In those days, it was filled with the Beatles, Elton John, the Rolling Stones, Cat Stevens, and others. My older brother, Carl, worked at Capitol Records, so I often got advance copies of Capitol’s new releases. That included Apple Records, and I was thrilled when Carl brought me Apple’s original releases, including the Beatles, of course, but also a young James Taylor, Mary Hopkin (Those Were the Days, My Friend), and Jackie Lomax. I was quite popular when I told friends and classmates about new albums – long before they were available for sale and could be found in the stores. 

I remember friends gathered around me as I played The Beatles White Album. Many believed my advance copy did not have what they thought would be creative and colorful cover art to rival that of the band’s Sergeant Pepper album. No, I told them, the release would simply be solid white with The Beatles title. And so it was.

Gallery of Sound was our favorite record store, and many years later, Joe Nardone and his store are still going strong. Joe, a musician and performer himself, led the popular group, Joe Nardone’s All-Stars. We knew we were in for a great show when the All-Stars played. Our area had numerous talented musical groups; Eddie Day & TNT, The Buoys, and before that, Mel Wynn & The Rhythm Aces, among others.

I was partial to The Whazoos, who later became known as Great Bear. Led by my Courtdale, PA, neighbor and friend Paul Metzger – who was also a talented studio musician and played on many of the popular records of the day – I had a personal connection to them. My friends and I went to the high school dances, walked in with the band, carried an amplifier or instrument, and helped them pack the equipment up after the dance. Those were great days for sure; my limited experience as a “roadie” until much later when I was the driver for my sons’ bands before they were old enough to drive themselves.

I still shop at Gallery of Sound and the store’s longtime employees remember me from my teenage days. The store has an extensive inventory of albums, CDs, books, and more. It’s a fun place to browse, shop, and at times, to chat with Joe and his team. That’s a tremendous advantage independent record stores like Gallery of Sound have over the big box stores.

Record Store Day has been held annually since 2008 in independently owned record stores around the world. Wherever you are, be sure to visit your local record store, especially on Record Store Day, but also throughout the year. Great guys like Joe Nardone will be sure to welcome you and make you feel at home. 

REMEMBER…

◊ The Record Store Day organization is managed by the Department of Record Stores and organized in partnership with the Alliance of Independent Media Stores (AIMS), the Coalition of Independent Music

◊ The organization promotes independent record stores year round with events, special releases, and other fun things. Keep an eye out so you can take advantage of these special offers. Visit www.galleryofsound.com for the store’s latest news. 

◊ Typically held on the third Saturday in April, Record Store Day 2025 is moved up one week because the third Saturday this year falls on the Easter holiday weekend.

◊ Visit www.davidajolley.com for additional blog posts, other interesting content, and updates on future book releases.