What a fun afternoon! The weather could not have been nicer and we even had a dance floor going. Thanks so much to Al Johnson’s, Bryn, Chase, and everyone who came out to hear me spin some classic sixties soul 45s on August 6th at The Stabbur at Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant, one of my favorite places in Door County -- or anywhere! I hope the goats enjoyed it as much as. I did.
I was delighted to give a talk and demonstration on the history of 78 rpm records at the Sister Bay/ Liberty Grove Library in Door County, Wisconsin on July 6th. We listened to some rare records from my collection (including Blind Lemon Jefferson on Paramount!) as we learned about the history of recorded music from the first half of the twentieth century. Thanks so much to Christina for inviting me and all the great folks at the library!
What a blast to open the season with an outdoor gig in front of a beautifully restored vintage trailer! I got to spin an all 45s set on May 6th for the open house and flea market at Heather Weasler’s gorgeous Drömhus office and event space in Sturgeon Bay, WI. Drömhus is a lovingly remodeled church in the heart of Sturgeon Bay. You can see pictures of the interior here. Thank you Heather and everyone who stopped by!
Over the last 20 years I’ve created complications of rare and rocking vintage Christmas cuts for friends, as well as for Charles Phoenix’s Holiday slideshow and amazing retail stores such as Artel in Prague and Amoeba Music. This year I created three playlists of some of my favorites on Spotify for all to enjoy! Wassail!
Since moving to beautiful Door County, Wisconsin last September I’ve enjoyed getting to know the people of this wonderful community. I especially love learning about Door County history. I also got to spin some vintage pop, soul, and R&B sets on 45rpm and 78rpm records for several fun private events and the grand opening celebration for the newly revamped Fish Creek Beach. See photos below, with more to come!
Seasons Greetings, friends!
Anything new with you? Oh, everything? Me too! First off, I hope this finds you safe and well. 2020 brought lots of changes, including a big move for my family. We now live in beautiful and historic Door County, Wisconsin.
I spent the first part of the pandemic spinning online, including at the Quarantuned Music Festival, on Instagram Live, and on Facebook. It was a great way to connect with friends and share my collection while staying safe at home. Then we moved more than halfway across the country and I’m still digging boxes of records out of storage. I did find my Christmas records, just in time. I hope you’ll join me on Facebook Live next Saturday, Dec 19th and Thursday, Dec 24th (8pm CST/6PM PST), for two sets of rare, weird, and wonderful holiday tunes. Please visit here to watch. Warning: watch live if you want to see the full sets.
I’ve really missed DJing for you, and I hope you enjoy these sets! I’ve saved up some of my very best records to bring a little holiday cheer into a difficult year.
Ho ho ho,
DJ Wassail Watkins