WUOT's Chrissy Keuper spoke with ETSU Department of Appalachian Studies professor Dr. Ted Olson of ETSU about James Hobart Stanton, the owner of Rich-R-Tone Records. It was one of the state's earliest record labels, the first in East Tennessee, and the first bluegrass label anywhere, in operation from 1946 to 1955. On Friday November 4th, the state of Tennessee will dedicate an historical marker in honor of Rich-R-Tones Records and musicians will celebrate the music later that evening.
Dr. Olson is working with Bear Family Records to release a box set of recordings from Rich-R-Tone Records from 1946-1955, as well as other recordings from James Stanton's other record labels. For information or to contribute funding for the project, you can contact Dr. Olson at olson@etsu.edu. He and Dr. William Turner also host a podcast called Sepia Tones: Exploring Black Appalachian Music, which can be found here.
