How I took a hobby....

I decided I would tell the stories behind the albums and explain why I believe vinyl albums are such a great piece of history to own.

I would start when I was a teenager (I was 15 here in 1959) and make the connection between my vinyl records, old friends and my take on growing up in the fifties.   I would place oldies music on my site and if folks did not care to read about my past and my vinyl records they could at least enjoy the music and videos.  One thing was for sure.      

I didn't want a "sales pitch" site.

All the vinyl record sites I viewed online really didn't do much but sell albums and items related to vinyl records. 

Nothing wrong with that I may do that in the future, but there was very little information about the albums, the singers, or the musicians on these sites. Just sales pitches.

When I say I am a vinyl record collector I should point out that I have always collected vinyl records for personal interest and not their value. I know which albums and records may be of value, but record appraisal is not what I do.        

I would be delighted if you would step into my vinyl record world and share with me the same excitement I have as I tell my stories about those early teen idols and musicians I grew up with.

And to experience what it was like to hold a vinyl record album in your hands and arms, read the material on the front and back of the album then make a decision, as I would do at times, to buy the album without first listening to what was inside.

That's the  excitement and enjoyment I experienced from all those beautiful LP album covers over 50 years ago.                  

My most memorable time was growing up as a teenager in Hamilton, Ohio just north of Cincinnati.  

My mother was the coolest mom during those times.  She enjoyed our music when some parents would turn off the radio when ever "Rock & Roll" was played. 

I will always be grateful to my mom for allowing me and my two sisters to have a great childhood and  teenage life.  She and my wonderful dad got us all started in the right direction.

Mom could do all the new dances better than most teens and never looked down on our music.  She was simply a 32-year-old teenager at heart, and I truly believe she really enjoyed her kids during that time more than most parents.

I will always admire my parents for their patience with three teens during the early years of that new music era called rock-n-roll. Truly an unbelievable experience and fascinating time to live in.           

Who would have believed that well over a half century later I would be able to share my teenage music experiences with anyone in the world simply by typing my thoughts into a small TV screen.

Some of you reading this know where Hamilton is located, some may not and some may not even care. But I'll bet you can't forget, if you are old enough, what it was like growing up during that wonderful period of history in your hometown.

I'll go back in time, grab your favorite songs and put them right in front of you.  Pick out the ones you grew up with and relive your favorite memories all over again.          

It would be hard for today's teens growing up in a digital world to vision what a really great time it was to be a teenager.

One of my goals is that my Vinyl Record Memories will give the younger generation an opportunity to listen to music and read about what it was like to be a teenager in a much different world.

Imagine growing up in the fifties when Elvis, Ricky Nelson, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino, The Platters, Little Richard, and all the cool Doo-wop groups were just getting started. 

This is what I write about, this is my passion and for me it never grows old. It was a remarkable time growing up as a teenager in the fifties. 

A time when you could hear all the new artists number one songs being played on the radio.  This was a time when #1 songs were not oldies but Top 10 hits each week.

Without her suggestion the light would not have come on and my vinyl record collection would have remained in a box in the corner.

Thank you so much, Susie, for all your support and for allowing me to keep my collection so others can enjoy these magical songs with the classical sounds and share my vinyl record memories from the past.

And all I have to do to make all this happen is do what I love. Write about my passion.