Joe Bussard
Joe Bussard is an American collector of 78-rpm records. Based in Frederick, Maryland, Bussard maintains a collection of more than 25,000 records, primarily of American folk, gospel, and blues from the 1920s and 1930s, which is believed to be the largest such collection in the world. He was the subject of a documentary film, Desperate Man Blues, and his collection was mined for a compilation CD, Down in the Basement. He has gleefully shared his collection, which includes many only-known-copies of records with numerous reissue labels as well as with individuals for whom he has taped recordings from his collection for a nominal sum for decades. From 1956 until 1970, he ran the last 78 rpm record label, Fonotone, which was dedicated to the release of new recordings of old-time music. Among these were the first-ever recordings by guitarist John Fahey, as well as hundreds of other performers.
Joe Bussard is an American collector of 78-rpm records. Based in Frederick, Maryland, Bussard maintains a collection of more than 25,000 records, primarily of American folk, gospel, and blues from the 1920s and 1930s, which is believed to be the largest such collection in the world. He was the subject of a documentary film, Desperate Man Blues, and his collection was mined for a compilation CD, Down in the Basement. He has gleefully shared his collection, which includes many only-known-copies of records with numerous reissue labels as well as with individuals for whom he has taped recordings from his collection for a nominal sum for decades. From 1956 until 1970, he ran the last 78 rpm record label, Fonotone, which was dedicated to the release of new recordings of old-time music. Among these were the first-ever recordings by guitarist John Fahey, as well as hundreds of other performers.
