FollowRecord Store Day
Record Store Day is April 18th. Nowadays, I do not think that there are many record stores left, but boy does this day certainly bring back fond memories. I remember taking a trip at least once a month with my dad, downtown to the record store, when I was a kid. The store was humongous and carried all the latest record labels from around the world.
Dad, of course, would saunter on over to the country music section, flipping through the albums looking for the most current releases for some of his favs. Johnny Cash, Hank Snow, Gene Autry, and Hank Williams are to name a few. After he was finished looking through those, he would head over to see what the latest imports were brought in from the old country.
I, was perhaps around 8 or 9 years of age and loved music of all genres. Some of my favorite artists recorded under the Motown label, so I would look through those first. I also loved to listen to blues, jazz, and rock n roll. Songs like Monster Mash, Build Me Up Buttercup, Oh Donna, If You Were My World, Blueberry Hill, and so much more.
Dad would get the long playing records. They were called lps for long playing records. Occasionally he would get one or two 78’s which featured hits from the old country. Pipe and drums as well as bagpipe music. Oh and we usually picked up those disk centers so the records would play on the gramophone.
Listening to records was a favorite pastime in our home. Of course this was before the digital age, computer, gaming systems, and other technical devices. We would head home and once in the door, rush to open the bags that held our newly bought treasures. We had two floor model record players in our home and a portable one as well.
After Mom, Dad and I ate dinner, we would head into the living room to see what was on our black and white television. Sometimes there would be sports on. Dad only like watching a couple of them. Hockey and baseball. So if that was on, we watched it. Channel 4 used to have Strikes, Spares, and Misses on Saturday afternoon. This was one of our favorite shows. Mom and Dad played on a bowling league.
If there was nothing on the telly, I would don my strap on roller skates or get out my turquoise blue banana seat bike and head out the front door. Dad would make himself a tea and sit on the front porch watching me and all of the neighborhood kids going up and down the asphalt road in front of our homes. Mom did come outside to watch sometimes, but most times she was inside crocheting, knitting, watching tv, or doing the ironing for the next day.
In the early evening the gramophone would be plugged in. New records went on the spindle first, followed by old favorites. We would listen to the records while having a bedtime snack. Saturday afternoons were for laundry and listening to sports on the radio. We would listen to this in the front room or out in the backyard.
While I was playing my music, I remember my parents yelling upstairs to tell me to turn it down. With only being able to hear out of one ear, I was prone to turning the record player up to full blast. Teeny bopper music they used to call it. But I loved it.
The old record store lasted for many years after Mom and Dad passed. I think it was torn down about 5 years ago to make way for a new store or condo. I am sure that many of my blog readers remember their local record store of long ago.
There are still a few record stores still in existence. However, they are few and far in between. I certainly do miss going to the record store on Saturdays.
Do you have any memories of visiting a record store and will you be visiting one today?
