"Desperate Man Blues" movie about record collector Joe Bussard

Thanks for the reminder, just added this to the Netflix queue. That article is really great.

It's a fun film to watch -- as you said, he's still so into the music itself this many years later. As much as I loved the Indian Jones stories of rescuing these treasures, I felt a little torn when he'd mention giving some unaware farmer a buck for some impossibly rare (and now impossibly expensive) record. Though I suppose much of that music wouldn't be around if he hadn't preserved all of it.

The movie also shows him making a few trips to homes in search of records

The part that threw me for a loop in seeing these old home movies of his scavenging was a young John Fahey popping up as a hunting companion.

That film of Son House was amazing! Where was that from?

I also swear by dish soap and a soft brush.

Gotta netflix this, thanks for the reminder.

That film of Son House was amazing! Where was that from?
It was filmed in 1968, although where I do not know. I had assumed that maybe Bussard filmed it himself, since it's used so prominently. But maybe not.

I'd love to see this. Some of his records, and some great stories, are on this:

http://music.barnesandnoble.com/search/results.asp?qsrch=T&WRD=joe+bussard&z=y

Yup, I've got that compilation. It's great. I really hope they come out with more volumes.
The movie's soundtrack is also available on CD.

Joe passed away yesterday, RIP. The stories he told in the documentary (and the one Dust-To-Digital did later) are great, digging for 78s with John Fahey in rural Appalachia in the 50s and 60s, as is the music he preserved.

This old long Washington City Paper article by Eddie Dean on Joe Bussard is worth a read

https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/274356/desperate-man-blues/

many years ago i got to go to his house once and listen to records for a couple hours, he didnt know me from adam but he was just wildly excited for any chance to share his records with someone who was interested in them. i'll never forget him sitting there just exuding pure happiness, as if he couldnt believe how lucky he was to be there in that moment listening to this or that song he loved. rip.

I lived in Frederick for 21 years and would have loved to hear some of his records—I didn’t know you could just ask lol.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md-va/2022/06/05/joe-bussard-record-collector-78s/

Asked what he would like to happen to the collection, Bussard again deflects.
“Oh, I don’t care much about that. I’ll be gone,” he says.
His temper rises, though, when asked whether he would donate them to the Library of Congress or a university.
“Now why in the hell would I do that?” Bussard says. “If I give ’em to a university, you know what they’d do? Throw ’em in the basement ... Nobody ever sees them again. It’s like a black hole.

thanks curmudgeon, that city paper article is great so far!

I didn’t know you could just ask lol.

ha it was basically like that. i lived in dc and somehow found his phone number, i dont remember how or why, but i called him with the idea of talking to him about his radio show, and after talking for a few minutes he was just like "do you want to come over and listen to some records tomorrow???" and i was like "uhh yes. yes sir indeed i do."