Preserving Music
for Future Generations

Our mission is to ensure the preservation and continued availability of historic and traditional American and international musical sound recordings and related media.

Our Impact

0
Years of Operation
Established as 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2011
0
Recordings Digitized
Rare and historic audio recordings preserved from extinction
0
Private Collections
Working with the world's most prominent collectors

Our Mission

To date, we have digitized more than 50,000 rare and historic audio recordings, safeguarding the legacies of artists from around the world. These recordings represent not only the artistry of the past, but the cultural narratives that shaped the music we listen to today.

"Bit by bit, byte by byte, Dust-to-Digital will continue to expose modern audiences to forgotten gems from the analogue era." - Glenn Fleishman, The Economist.

🎓 Exciting Partnership Coming in Fall 2025

Later this year, we will announce a landmark partnership with a leading university to make our preserved recordings accessible online to scholars, music lovers, and the public. Together, we are building a publicly available database that will serve as a cultural and musical resource for generations to come — a true Rosetta Stone of sound.

How We Preserve Music

👥

Discovery & Relationships

We locate historic and traditional recordings through trusted relationships with collectors, researchers, and communities, as well as through archives, estate collections, and private holdings.

💻

Digitization & Preservation

Using specialized equipment, we carefully transfer fragile media — including 78 & 45 rpm records, lacquer discs, reel-to-reel tapes, and cassettes — to high-resolution digital formats, ensuring their survival for future generations.

📚

Process & Documentation

Our process interweaves care, expertise, and a commitment to sharing sound recordings with the world. Preserving music is more than transferring sound from one format to another — it is about ensuring that voices and traditions are not lost to time.

🌐

Presentation & Access

We have shared preserved and restored recordings through curated albums, books, exhibitions, and, beginning in Fall 2025, a publicly accessible online database designed for scholars, music lovers, and the general public.

Preservation Success Stories

The Louisville Collection

The Dust-to-Digital Foundation partnered with musician-archivist Nathan Salsburg to digitize his rescued trove of 78-rpm records, originally salvaged from a Louisville dumpster. The digitization project transformed his discovery into a public resource, revealing early folk, gospel, and country recordings whose survival was a matter of chance — and whose endurance now reflects careful archival stewardship.

Cambodian Rock 'n' Roll

The Dust-to-Digital Foundation worked with Cambodian-American archivist Nate Hun to digitize his rare vinyl collection from Cambodia’s pre-1975 “Golden Era.” By preserving these fragile recordings — many nearly destroyed during the Khmer Rouge regime — the collaboration revived a silenced musical heritage, making it accessible globally and safeguarding a vital piece of Cambodian cultural memory.

Documenting Community Worship

Rev. Johnny L. “Hurricane” Jones was a pastor, gospel singer, and radio preacher. Born in Alabama and later leading Second Mount Olive Baptist Church in Atlanta, he recorded his services for decades on reel-to-reel tapes: documenting music, sermons, and the energy of his congregation. By digitizing this collection, we were able to preserve fragile tapes and make Johnny's voice and legacy available to future generations.

A Legendary Maryland Basement

With the help of Dust-to-Digital, Joe Bussard’s fabled basement collection — tens of thousands of pre-war 78s — were digitized and are being shared. Bussard, a tireless hunter of shellac treasures, preserved music once thought lost. Digitization extended his mission, letting global audiences hear the blues, country, and jazz recordings he so passionately protected.

A Trove of Country Music

Microbiologist Frank Mare brought his collection of old-time, bluegrass, and rare recordings to Covington, Georgia when his employer transferred him from New Jersey in the 1980s. By preserving Frank's archive of thousands of records, we safeguarded the scarce originals so we can share his love of music with future generations.

The Canadian Collection

The Dust-to-Digital Foundation collaborated to digitize Canadian, musical-enthusiast Roger Misiewicz’s renowned 78-rpm record collection, celebrated for its rare blues, ragtime, and gospel recordings. By preserving and releasing music sourced from his archives, we safeguarded fragile originals, expanded access to historically important tracks, and honored Misiewicz’s legacy as a generous contributor to reissue projects and music history.

Help Us To Continue To Share Artists' Stories

Every contribution — whether large or small — plays a critical role in ensuring that these invaluable recordings and legacies remain available for generations to come. Your support is a key part of this work.

💝 Donate Now 📖 Learn More About Us

Tax-Deductible Donations

The Dust-to-Digital Foundation is exempt from Federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to the Dust-to-Digital Foundation are deductible under section 170 of the Code.

EIN: 27-3076188