Many know Floyd as one of the premier destinations for Appalachian arts of all varieties. However, Floyd is also known globally as the long-time home of County Sales. Since 1973, County Sales has been the world’s premier bluegrass and old-time music record store and distributor. Multiple generations of musicians and music enthusiasts would eagerly await their County Sales mailer to check out the latest in traditional music albums. They would also plan their pilgrimage to Talley’s Alley in downtown Floyd to scour the musical goldmine located under the old Pix theater.
County Sales is now located at 117 South Locust Street, on the town’s main thoroughfare, diagonally from The Floyd Country Store. From this location, County Sales continues to serve not only the local community, but also far beyond as the world’s premier bluegrass and old-time music record store.
County Sales was initially opened in 1965 as the distribution arm of County Records, a storied record label formed by Dave Freeman in New York City. Freeman, like so many urban youths during the American folk music revival, was enthralled with the traditional and rural music styles captured on 78 RPM records from the pre-World War II period. To share his passion for these old discs, especially those of early string-band music, Dave began compiling and releasing long-play albums of those old 78 RPM recordings. Freeman noted during his travels through the mountain south in search of music and music-makers that bands seemed to have their own endemic sound in nearly every different county. Hence the name of his fledgling label, County Records.
In the 1960’s, County Records also began releasing new recordings by a range of bluegrass, gospel, and old-time artists such as E.C. Ball, The Shenandoah Cutups, Larry Richardson, Curly Seckler, Tommy Jarrell, and many more.
In 1973, at the encouragement of Floyd County resident and long-time postal worker, Maurice Slusher, Dave Freeman moved operations for County Records, as well as his family, to downtown Floyd, Virginia. Only a stone’s throw from the county’s one stop-light, County Sales found a home and forged a legacy.
For forty-five years, ‘the basement’ on Talley’s Alley was a destination for traditional music enthusiasts the world over. Generations of musicians and collectors alike knew County Sales as the place to have their music available for sale and the place to find old songs and new sounds alike.
In 2018, due to the ever-growing digital era of music-sharing, the decision was made to shutter the doors of County Sales. In 2019, however, Dylan Locke, owner of the Floyd Country Store, saw the value in continuing this long-time staple of the town. Along with friends and other supporters, Locke reopened County Sales under new ownership in its current location on Locust Street.
For many independent artists and bands today, it is difficult and very expensive to distribute their albums beyond their home communities and live performances. County Sales, however, has been shipping Appalachia’s music around the globe for over fifty years. With that long history and loyal customer base, County Sales works to serve both independent artists and labels as a key resource for sharing the music with a wider audience. Traditional music masters like Jeff Little, Larry Sigmon, Bruce Molsky, Sammy Shelor, Ronnie Reno, and many more rely on County Sales as a key outlet for sharing their releases with the world.
As the world moves further into the digital era, County Sales works hard to help those preserving and passing on traditional music to connect international listeners and learners to their art. County Sales also faithfully serves the often-forgotten demographic of people who do not have technological access to digital music streaming. For many older or geographically isolated people, ordering a physical CD is still a necessity if they want to enjoy new and classic recordings alike. For many, physical CDs are also the preferred method of learning music. Having an album of any kind in-hand allows the listener to take in the full project as the artist intended, with images, graphics, and the full palette of an album’s outlay.
With an album in-hand, listeners get the full liner notes where the artist shares the history and their personal connection to the songs. It’s like the conversation and personal connection someone would have with the artist when purchasing their music in person.
The resurgence in the popularity of vinyl, long-play albums, or LPs, has County Sales working to connect folks to both new and old stock, previously loved and newly issued, or repressed vinyl albums of bluegrass and old-time music. County Sales also specializes in processing record collections of traditional music for countless more people to enjoy. Folks coming to visit County Sales will also find a hearty selection of traditional-music related books, DVDs, cassette tapes, and 78 RPM records. Now, as part of the 501c3 non-profit Handmade Music, County Sales is working to help traditional artists share their music abroad. They also help to preserve, provide, and reissue classic cuts and unreleased material.
For decades, Floyd has been a key musical destination in Virginia’s Blue Ridge. On warm Friday nights, both music-makers and music-lovers gather on the streets of downtown Floyd to share and learn about Appalachia’s musical traditions. Founded in 2016, the Handmade Music School specializes in passing on Appalachia’s traditional music through in-person and virtual instruction for all ages. County Sales now serves as the archive from which students and enthusiasts alike can dive deep into their styles and instruments. They are the vessel through which music that hasn’t been heard publicly in years can be shared.
As it takes the first steps of its next fifty-year journey in serving and preserving traditional music, County Sales is excited to announce new initiatives as a 501c3 non-profit. A series of new recordings from local music masters will be launched during 2023. There will also be reissues, like the classic 1973 County Records album, “Kenny Baker Country”, which has been long out of print. This album is an invaluable document of one of the fiddle’s key masters, and it will be available on vinyl through County Sales this year.
Just as County Records began doing more than half a century ago, along with serving largely as a distribution arm for musicians and music lovers, they are working to continue documenting and making music available that would otherwise go unheard.
To celebrate its fiftieth anniversary as a staple of both the Floyd and traditional music communities, County Sales will hold a fiftieth anniversary celebration August 4 through August 6 of 2023. The half-century bash will continue throughout the weekend, including, among other things, listening sessions, live performances, artist meet-and-greets, in-store and online discounts, refreshments, and jam sessions. County Music invites everyone to mark their calendars and to join them for a weekend filled with good friends and great music!
Through public friendship and support, County Sales plans to serve Floyd and far-beyond for decades to come! As a 501c3 non-profit they are now accepting tax-deductible donations of all kinds to help support not only County Sales, but also Handmade Music School. If anyone has an instrument they’d like to pass on to other musicians, they are encouraged to consider donating to Handmade Music School. Likewise, they encourage anyone with a collection of traditional music on 45, 78, or 33 1⁄3 RMP LPs they wish to rehome to consider donating to County Sales, where it is sure to find its way into the hands of those who would appreciate it most.
Finally, for anyone looking for a worthy cause to support that will ensure the longevity of the region’s cultural heritage, County Sales encourages dropping by and visiting the location in Floyd, or visiting online at www.CountySales.com.
Dylan Locke • County Sales • www.CountySales.com
540-745-2001 • Info@CountySales.com