Ever heard of Record Store Day? It happens twice a year, once in April and once on Black Friday. Record Store Day began in 2007 as a way for artists and record labels to support independent record stores. Musical artists put out exclusive editions and work to promote the importance and value of indie record stores.

Friday morning, my son and I headed to Dr. Music in Fairhope to check out the Black Friday Record Store Day releases. I visited briefly with Wade Wellborn who owns both Dr. Music Records and Dr. Music Audio in Fairhope. For 26 years, Wade has operated Dr. Music Records and has witnessed the resurgence of vinyl and a renewed demand for vintage audio and turntables.

On this early morning, there was a crowd waiting for the store to open and it was busy throughout the day.  Wade and I decided to catch up later to hear his story and learn more about the world of the independent record store and its impact on the music scene. But first a little bit about Wade and how he has transformed his deep love and appreciation for music into a career of helping others better understand their own musical journey.

Born in Mobile but moving to Fairhope the summer after the 8th grade, Wade went on to graduate from the University of Alabama with a degree in English and worked for an electronics company for 5 years; “I was planning to return to law school.  I was also thinking about opening a record store and I had been selling records at flea markets and yard sales.”  At one of the sales, Wellborn met a local surgeon that shared his passion for music.  The surgeon admitted that he had dreamed of opening a record store in Fairhope. Wellborn remembers, “His words spoke to me, and I knew that I had to follow my dream.  A short time later I found out that he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer; I named my store Dr. Music in honor of him.” 

Dr. Music Records operated nine years on South Greeno Road before moving into downtown Fairhope to share space with Over the Transom Books on Church Street. Wade had lost track of the doctor friend but about five years ago he came by to visit the new location on Section Street; “It had been more than 20 years since I’d seen or heard from him.  He said that his survival was simply a miracle.”  

The record store is thriving, and, in 2022, Wade decided to open a second store, Dr. Music Audio to sell vintage audio equipment and offer repairs. We began a discussion about music and Wade’s passion begins to rise. “Loving music is a journey that is bettered by side streets and getting lost,” he says.  “Many times, music that challenged me became my favorite stuff.  Jazz was a tough one for me.  Knowing where to start is important, and I persevered; my son is named, Cole Trane.   Music can speak to you in many ways and can get you through a tough time.”

“Independent record stores are important places to advance your musical journey and we strive to share our passion for music with others,” he says. “Our selection is varied, and our customers love to discover new music that they may not have experienced in the past.”  

For Wade, trying to describe music is like trying to dance to architecture. “The power of music is indescribable,” he says. “I’ve tried and I always feel the words are inadequate. I don’t think people realize how vast music is. It’s impossible to grasp how much music is out there, but there is something for everyone; it may take a bit of digging.”

Wade believes the musical journey is much richer today. There are so many ways to discover music with streaming and the ability to hear things before you buy it. Before today, you had to purchase an album to see if you liked it. It was a different path to discovering music. 

“The resurgence for vinyl came back for us in 2010,” he says. “It began out of nostalgia, but today’s generation doesn’t care about nostalgia. They know more about music because they have access to all kinds of music for free. It’s a more worldly understanding. It’s a beautiful thing.”

“I spend a lot of time debunking misconceptions about what people think about the vinyl trend.” First, not every record is collectible, and the cover is not worth more than the record itself. New vinyl is not inferior to old vinyl, and not every old album is valuable as a collector’s item. “We buy and sell records, CDs, vintage stereo equipment and we pay fairly,” says Wade. “So many people don’t care about the music, they just want to collect for money.”

Wade will talk nuts and bolts with his customers. “Older people want to tell their stories. Tell me about the record that got you through a tough time.” His advice: collect music that you love and that makes you happy. “We do deal in collectibles but really it’s the passion for the music that we care about.” Dr. Music has bargain bin albums, high-quality premium used records, and new release albums as well. Older releases that have been re-released on new vinyl, like Led Zeppelin, are popular.

Record Store Day releases include some “really interesting stuff’” says Wade. “We try to carry what we think our customers want.” Dr. Music Records and Dr. Music Audio has everything you need to play your favorite music. “Music from the 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s is a big part of our lives, and is still being discovered by the youngest generation who are just beginning their musical journey.”

“It's all about getting to the power and beauty of music,” says Wade. Stop by Dr. Music, check out the Sonic Suitcase, and see where your musical journey will take you!

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