Walking into DJ’s Record Shop in Jacksonville is an ethereal step back to another era, when soul was king and live funky instrumentation was a standard. A time when labels like Motown, Stax and Philadelphia International Records were as much household names as the artists on their rosters. During a recent visit, proprietor and namesake for the store, Jerry “DJ” West shared with me that his store has been part of the community for 48 years. Operating for half a century is an immense feat for any small business, however, for a record store, it’s a testament that speaks volumes for an immeasurable cultural contribution.
To a lay-person not versed in the craft of crate digging, DJ’s Record Shop might seem like just a relic from a time when physical music reigned supreme. And, in that sense, they’d be correct; it is a remnant of the past. However, to those who relish the challenge of combing through cavernous mounds of sonic artifacts, there’s an unspoken understanding that patience can mean unearthing a rare aural masterpiece or two.
For the past several years, vinyl record sales have continued to climb. Ironically, this phenomenon is an unexpected byproduct of