Vinyl Gems At Building 520

06/11/2026

Started in Bristol, TN-VA, Twin-City Records has held a legendary place among collectors of early country and bluegrass music. In this blog, musician and historian Matt Ringressi and local record aficionado Lonnie Salyer uncover the origins of the label, tracing its roots through radio pioneer Cuzzin Don, record producer Jim Stanton, and a remarkable roster of regional artists.

Featuring new research, rare discoveries, and an expandable discography, Part 1 explores the history behind one of Appalachia’s most fascinating postwar record labels. You can read the blog now at the link in our comments. 🔗

Stay tuned for Part 2 coming next week!

06/11/2026

06/08/2026

06/03/2026

With June Carter Cash – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉

05/24/2026

HE WROTE THE #1 HIT OF 1961. 15 DAYS ON A NEW PILL, AND HE WAS GONE. In 1961, Del Shannon recorded "Runaway" with that eerie Musitron solo nobody had ever heard before. Straight to number one. He was 26, and the world was his.

What came after wasn't kind. Depression. Alcohol. Decades of it. Then Tom Petty — a devoted fan — stepped in, produced a comeback album, brought the Heartbreakers to back him up.

Del started sounding like himself again. By late '89, he was deep into another album with Jeff Lynne and Mike Campbell. Almost finished. Everything pointed upward. Then on January 24, 1990, a doctor prescribed him Prozac.

Fifteen days. That's all it took. Del shot himself at his home in Santa Clarita. He was 55. His wife LeAnne testified before the FDA.

She said he became someone else within days — staring into space for hours, unable to sleep. No note. No goodbye. She sued Eli Lilly, the company behind the drug. The man who sang about running away eventually did. Just not the way the song meant it.
▶️Listen this song in the 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 👇

12/22/2025