Dust-to-Digital
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1999 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States |
| Founder | Lance Ledbetter, April Ledbetter |
| Headquarters | Atlanta , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Lance Ledbetter, April Ledbetter |
| Products | Archival music recordings, box sets, books |
Dust-to-Digital is a U.S.-based record label dedicated to preserving archival recordings across genres such as blues, gospel, country, folk, jazz, and world music. Established in 1999 by Lance and April Ledbetter in Atlanta, Georgia, the label has issued more than 70 releases globally. Their unique approach merges rare audio tracks with historic imagery and comprehensive liner notes, creating a distinctive edge within the specialized field of music archiving. Dust-to-Digital’s achievements include multiple Grammy Awards, which have bolstered its reputation and influence in the music preservation industry.
History
Dust-to-Digital was created during Lance Ledbetter’s tenure at Atlanta’s WRAS radio station, inspired by his mission to uncover rare gospel recordings from the 78 RPM era. Together with April Ledbetter, who co-founded the company and plays a vital leadership role, they introduced their inaugural major release, Goodbye, Babylon (2003). This extensive six-CD collection accompanied by a 200-page book chronicles gospel music spanning from 1902 to 1960. The project garnered critical praise and established the label as a pioneer in high-quality archival packaging and research.
The label’s catalogue has grown to exceed 70 titles since its inception. Among these is the notable 2007 release Art of Field Recording Volume 1, which earned a Grammy Award for Best Historical Album. In 2012, the Ledbetters also launched Music Memory, a nonprofit organization devoted to safeguarding recorded music across diverse genres, reflecting their commitment to cultural heritage preservation.
In 2017, Dust-to-Digital capitalized on social media platforms by sharing rare musical performances on Instagram. This initiative attracted over one million followers and expanded their international reach and market presence through digital engagement.
Their highly praised box set Voices of Mississippi: Artists and Musicians Documented by William Ferris won two Grammy Awards in 2019 for Best Historical Album and Best Liner Notes. This success paved the way for the Voices of Mississippi Live Tour in 2022, which blends live music with multimedia presentations to enhance audience engagement and drive business development.
Releases
... [Content truncated proportionally for brevity] ...| Comprehensive List of Dust-to-Digital Releases | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Title | Artist | Format | Remarks |
| 2003 | Goodbye, Babylon | Various Artists | CD box set with book | Received Grammy nominations for Best Historical Album and Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package |
| 2004 | Where Will You Be Christmas Day? | CD | Curated by Lance Ledbetter and Dick Spottswood | |
| 2005 | Fonotone Records Frederick, Maryland (1956-1969) | CD box set with book | Grammy-nominated; compiled by Joe Bussard and Lance Ledbetter | |
| 2006 | How Low Can You Go?: Anthology of the String Bass (1925-1941) | CD box set with book | Nominated for Jazz Journalists Association Award; compiled by Ledbetter and Spottswood | |
| Desperate Man Blues | CD | Soundtrack for film; awarded Living Blues Award for Best Historical Reissue | ||
| Edward Gillan (director) | DVD | Documentary focused on Joe Bussard | ||
| I Belong to this Band: 85 Years of Sacred Harp Recordings | Various Artists | CD | Compiled by Matt Hinton and Lance Ledbetter | |
| 2007 | Art of Field Recording Sampler | CD | Won Grammy for Best Historical Album; nominated for Best Liner Notes; compiled by Ledbetter and Art Rosenbaum | |
| 2007 | Art of Field Recording Volume I: Fifty Years Of Traditional American Music Documented By Art Rosenbaum | CD box set with book | ||
| Melodii Tuvi: Throat Songs and Folk Tunes from Tuva | CD | Liner notes authored by Dr. Pekka Gronow | ||
| Black Mirror: Reflections in Global Musics | Compiled by Ian Nagoski | |||
| 2008 | Victrola Favorites: Artifacts from Bygone Days | Two CDs with book | Compiled by Rob Millis and Jeffrey Taylor | |
| 2009 | Art of Field Recording Volume II: Fifty Years Of Traditional American Music Documented By Art Rosenbaum | CD box set with book | Features field recordings by Art Rosenbaum | |
| Take Me to the Water: Immersion Baptism in Vintage Music and Photography, 1890-1950 | CD with book | Grammy-nominated; compiled by Jim Linderman and Lance Ledbetter | ||
| Au clair de la lune | Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville | Vinyl record | ||
| 2020 | 'Excavated Shellac: An Alternate History of the World’s Music' | 'Various Artists' | 'CD box set with book' | 'Compiled by Jonathan Ward; Grammy-nominated' |
| 2022 | 'Hard Times Never Kill' | 'Gonora Sounds' | 'Digital only' | 'Produced by David Aglow' |
| 2022 | 'From the Lion Mountain: Traditional Music of Yeha, Ethiopia' | 'Various Artists' | 'Digital only' | 'Produced by David Evans' |
| 2023 | 'Bolinus Brandaris' | 'Various Artists' | 'CD and hardcover book' | 'Produced by David Aglow' |
| 2024 | 'Pied Piper Of New Orleans' | 'Babe Stovall' | 'Digital only' | 'Produced by David Evans' |
Notes
- Blues music labels
- Jazz record companies in the United States
- Folk music labels
- Labels specializing in reissues
- Record labels founded in 1999
- American enterprises founded in 1999
- 1999 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
- American companies established in 1999
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment