John Prine, Jimmie Allen, Willie Nelson & Johnny Paycheck Among Special Record Store Day Releases This Summer

After an underwhelming list of country music and Americana vinyl releases on Record Store Day last year, it's good to see that this year's list, while still lighter than it should be, has some big names on it that music collector's will be excited about.  Record Store Day will be over two different days this summer (in an effort to spread folks out and keep semi-socially distanced) on June 12th and July 17th. An early list of releases include some of the following roots music names:

Hazy-O! - Jimmie Allen - Stoney Creek Records - Vinyl - RSD Drops Jun 12th

The Windows of the World - Bobbie Gentry - Capitol Nashville - LP - RSD Drops Jul 17th

Right Now - Willie Jones - The Penthouse/EMPIRE - LP - RSD Drops Jul 17th

I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For/my future - Sarah Jarosz - Rounder Records - 12" Vinyl - RSD Drops Jun 12th

Undercover - The Infamous Stringdusters - Americana Vibes - LP - RSD Drops Jul 17th

Stay Independent: The Oh Boy Years Curated By Indie Record Stores - John Prine - Oh Boy Records - LP - RSD Drops Jul 17th

Live At The Other End, December 1975 - John Prine - Atlantic - 4 x LP - RSD Drops Jul 17th

Uncovered: The First Recordings - Johnny Paycheck - Lightning Rod Records - LP - RSD Drops Jul 17th

Willie Nelson American Outlaw (Live At Bridgestone Arena / 2019) - Various Artists - Blackbird Presents - RSD Drops Jun 12th

Vinyl has made a massive comeback and is poised to surpass dollar sales in CD's this year or next. Vinyl records earned $224.1 million (on 8.6 million units) in the first half of 2019, closing in on the $247.9 million (on 18.6 million units) generated by CD sales. Vinyl revenue grew by 12.8% in the second half of 2018 and 12.9% in the first six months of 2019, while the revenue from CDs barely budged. If these trends hold, records will soon be generating more money than compact discs.

With that mindset, RSD works with labels, artists, managers and distribution companies who feel the same, and puts together a list of titles for that season that are available at participating record stores. 

Historic Live at Austin City Limits Willie Nelson Recording To Be Released As Special Record Store Day LP On Black Friday

Artist: Willie Nelson

Album: Live at Austin City Limits 1976

Label: Legacy

Release date: November 27, 2020

Willie Nelson and Legacy Records are releasing a vinyl LP release on Black Friday for Record Store Day that marks the first release for a historic recording of Nelson's landmark album on one of music's most hallowed stages. The result is the release of Live at Austin City Limits 1976. 

Willie Nelson has appeared on Austin City Limits more than any other artist, performing on the pilot and seventeen subsequent episodes of the Texas Public Television institution that debuted in 1976 and is still going strong as the longest running music series in American television history. This performance was captured in 1976 and aired as the premiere episode of the second season the following year. It found Willie and The Family performing his classic album Red Headed Stranger front to back in an amazing performance and this RSD Black Friday edition marks its first audio release. 

The RHS LP arrived on May 1, 1975. Nelson drew inspiration for the album from a similarly named song he used to spin as a disc jockey in Fort Worth. The concept effort is famous for its sparse arrangement — Rolling Stone compared the music to Ernest Hemmingway’s masterfully concise prose — and traces the narrative of a fugitive on the lamb after killing his wife and her lover.

The record’s lead single, Fred Rose’s “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain,” would become Nelson’s first No. 1 as a performer. While much of Red Headed Stranger features Nelson’s interpretations of older country and traditional songs, it also boasts stellar originals like “Time Of The Preacher,” “Denver” and the instrumental composition “Bandera” which serves as the album’s ride off into the sunset.

The October 4, 1976 Austin City Limits performance of Red Headed Stranger — marking Willie’s second ACL outing after appearing on the pilot episode in 1975 — aired as the second season opener in 1977.

Live at Austin City Limits 1976 Tracklist:

Time Of The Preacher
I Couldn’t Believe It Was True
Time Of The Preacher Theme
Blue Rock Montana / Red Headed Stranger
Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain
Red Headed Stranger
Time Of The Preacher Theme
Just As I Am
Denver
O’er The Waves
Down Yonder
Can I Sleep In Your Arms
Remember Me (When The Candle Lights Are Gleaming)
Hands On The Wheel
Bandera

Brothers Osborne, Hank Williams, Willie Nelson and Patsy Cline Among Black Friday Record Store Day Releases

After an underwhelming list of country music and Americana vinyl releases on Record Store Day earlier this year, it's good to see that the Black Friday version of the same day coming up in November, while light on quantity, has some big names on it that music collector's will be excited about.  An early list of releases include some of the following roots music names:

Live at the Ryman - Brothers Osborne - EMI Nashville - 2 x LP - RSD Exclusive - 2500 qty
Sweet Dreams: The Complete Decca Masters 1960-1963 - Patsy Cline - Third Man Records - 3 x LP - 1000 qty
New Year's in New Orleans - Roll Up '78 and Light Up '79 - The Marshall Tucker Band - Ramblin Records - 2 x LP- 1000 qty
"Red Bows For A Blue Girl" / "Holly, Carol, Candy and Joy" - JD McPherson - New West Records - 7" Vinyl - 1500 qty
"Sometimes Even I Can Get Too High" b/w "It's All Going To Pot" (w/ Merle Haggard) - Willie Nelson - Legacy - 7" Vinyl - RSD Exclusive - 4000 qty
Early Songs and Rarities - The Record Company - Concord Records - LP - 1000 qty
"Western Stars" b/w "The Wayfarer" - Bruce Springsteen - Legacy - 7" Vinyl - RSD Exclusive - 4750 qty
North Carolina Songbook - Steep Canyon Rangers - Yep Roc Records - LP - 1000 qty
The 1940 Recordings - Hank Williams - BMG Rights Management - 7" Vinyl - RSD Exclusive - 2500 qty

Vinyl has made a massive comeback and is poised to surpass dollar sales in CD's this year or next. Vinyl records earned $224.1 million (on 8.6 million units) in the first half of 2019, closing in on the $247.9 million (on 18.6 million units) generated by CD sales. Vinyl revenue grew by 12.8% in the second half of 2018 and 12.9% in the first six months of 2019, while the revenue from CDs barely budged. If these trends hold, records will soon be generating more money than compact discs.

Record Store Day was held on Saturday, April 13, 2019 earlier this year and has this second large album release date to coincide with the largest shopping day in the country. According to the site: 

"Traditionally, Black Friday was about super-cheap prices on mass-produced goods and primarily took place in mails and big box stores. In some places, that's what this is still about. But we really like the idea of a shopping season, especially when that shopping is, at its heart, a way to show the people you like that you like them. (And a way for them to show you. Gift-getting is awesome, too.)

With that mindset, RSD works with labels, artists, managers and distribution companies who feel the same, and puts together a list of titles for that season that are available at participating record stores. They come out on Black Friday (11/29 this year) but may be available at record stores throughout the rest of the year based on availability. 

An Underwhelming List of Country Music Releases For Record Store Day 2019

C'mon, Nashville... Where are you, Texas? With a phenomenally underwhelming list of roots-related music releases in the upcoming Record Store Day, country music fans should be left wondering if those in charge are asleep at the wheel. If you haven't heard, vinyl is back- generating more dollars in sales in 2018 than CD sales. And fervent music fans are packing record stores in record numbers on this special day in April each year, buying up special releases by the handful. And yet, the only current major playlist artist doing any release is Kip Moore. Where oh where are all the major and mid-major labels and players in these releases?  Don't they recognize this as an incredible opportunity to build anticipation with their fanbase and release something special for superfans?

Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 at a gathering of independent record store owners and employees as a way to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding nearly 1400 independently owned record stores in the US and thousands of similar stores internationally. Today there are Record Store Day participating stores on every continent except Antarctica.

This is a day for the people who make up the world of the record store—the staff, the customers, and the artists—to come together and celebrate the unique culture of a record store and the special role these independently owned stores play in their communities. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day. Festivities include performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, parades, DJs spinning records, and on and on. In 2008 a small list of titles was released on Record Store Day and that list has grown to include artists and labels both large and small, in every genre and price point. The list continues to include a wide range of artists, covering the diverse taste of record stores and their customers.

While there’s only one Record Store Day a year, the organization works with both independent and and major labels throughout the year to create contests, special releases and promotions in order to spotlight the benefits of supporting these independent, locally owned stores with music purchases throughout the year. This year, the event will be held on April 13, 2019 and there are a number of country music releases including the following:

Title – Artist – Label – Format – Release Type - Quantity
Anderson East – Alive in Tennessee – New Elektra – 2xLP- RSD exclusive - 1500
Kip Moore – Room To Spare – MCA Nashville – LP – 1500
Emmylou Harris – The Studio Albums – 1980-1983 – 5xLP – 1000
Mumford & Sons – Delta Acoustic Sessions/Live From Electric Lady – Glassnote – 10” Picture Disc -RSD Exclusive – 3500
LeAnn Rimes – Live From Gruene Hall – Everle Records – LP – RSD First – 1000
Marty Stuart – ICON – Mercury Nashville – LP – RSD First – 1500
Tedeschi Trucks Band – High and Mighty – Mercury Nashville – LP – RSD First – 1000
Jeff Tweedy – Warmer – dBpm Records – LP – RSD Exclusive – 5000
Townes Van Zandt – Best of Townes Van Zandt – Fat Possum Records – 2xLP – RSD First - 2000

Record Store Day Limited-Run Vinyl Releases Include Cash, Church, Parton, Clark, Isbell, Cadillac Three & More

Record Store Day was conceived in 2007 at a gathering of independent record store owners and employees as a way to celebrate and spread the word about the unique culture surrounding nearly 1400 independently owned record stores in the US and thousands of similar stores internationally. Today there are Record Store Day participating stores on every continent except Antarctica.

This is a day for the people who make up the world of the record store—the staff, the customers, and the artists—to come together and celebrate the unique culture of a record store and the special role these independently owned stores play in their communities. Special vinyl and CD releases and various promotional products are made exclusively for the day. Festivities include performances, cook-outs, body painting, meet & greets with artists, parades, DJs spinning records, and on and on. In 2008 a small list of titles was released on Record Store Day and that list has grown to include artists and labels both large and small, in every genre and price point. The list continues to include a wide range of artists, covering the diverse taste of record stores and their customers.

While there’s only one Record Store Day a year, the organization works with both independent and and major labels throughout the year to create contests, special releases and promotions in order to spotlight the benefits of supporting these independent, locally owned stores with music purchases throughout the year. This year, the event will be held on April 22, 2017 and there are a number of country music releases including the following:

Eric Church - Caught in the Act (Live) - 2x LP (2,500 limited red vinyl run with t-shirt)
The Cadillac Three - Live at Abbey Road - 10" (1,500 run)
Johnny Cash - Children's Album - LP (3,000 run)
Brandy Clark - Live From Los Angeles - LP (2,500 run)
Brantley Gilbert - The Devil Don't Sleep - LP (1,500 run)
Sam Hunt - Drinkin' Too Much - 7" (2,000 run)
Jason Isbell and the 400 - Welcome To 1979 - 12" EP (4,000 run)
Pokey Lafarge - Riot In The Streets/Better Man Than - 10" (1,500 run)
Old 97's - Terlingua/Off My Mind - 12" (2,530 run)
Dolly Parton - Puppy Love - 7" (1,500 run)
Townes Van Zant - Live at Austin City Limits - LP (2,500 run)
Johnny Mathis - Wonderful! Wonderful! - 7" (500 run)
Emmylou Harris - Queen of the Silver Dollar Studio Album - LP (1,000 regional run)
Waylon Jennings - Waylon Forever - LP (250 regional run)
John Paul White & Donnie Fritts - John Paul White Sings Donnie Fritts, Donnie Fritts Sings John Paul White - 7" (975 run)
Shooter Jennings and Waymore's Outlaws - Live - LP (500 regional run)