Big Lon discovers obscure local vinyl one dusty crate of records at a time.

Lonnie Salyer has always had a love for music and history. By chance several years ago he saw a record that caught his eye, a record made in Kingsport, Tennessee. That discovery peaked his curiosity and sent him on the hunt for other records recorded locally in the Tri-Cities.

“There’s a whole range of music here that’s happened over the years and a lot of it’s lost in history because it wasn’t written down.”

—Big Lon

The Kingsport Records Story
History, Mystery and Lore of Lost Appalachian Label

Lonnie Salyer discovers the rich musical heritage of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia one dusty record at a time. He has combined his love of history and music to build a collection of local 45rpm and 78rpm records. Get on the watch list for his upcoming book which is currently underway.

Project Synopsis: This is the first book in a series featuring local and regional record labels.

Expected Release: November 2026

Join The Watch List

Big Lon with book cover mock up for The Kingsport Records Story.