From Vinyl to Digital: Preserving a 1930’s Recording Artist’s Legacy

When this client reached out, they shared a fascinating piece of family history: “My grandmother was a touring and radio singer in the 1930s. I have vinyl records, photos, letters, and other documents that I'd like to digitize at least, possibly have organized or archived!” We knew this was a project we would love to help digitize and preserve.

What made this project especially meaningful was the mystery within the materials themselves. The family had no idea what stories or treasures were hidden in the collection which was contained in two old traveling cases.

What we found spanned over 40 years of her schooling, professional career, and personal life. These fragile items represented not only a remarkable musical legacy but also the chance to rediscover and preserve memories they had never fully known. This project is shared with permission from the client.

One of two travel cases filled with letters, newspaper articles, showing reels and various other items.

Second of two travel cases filled with letters, newspaper articles, showing reels and various other items.

The records were not vinyl as the client has indicated, but in fact they were pressed from a compound that used shellac as a primary binding material.

Creating An Inventory and an Archival Plan Before Digitizing

We began by carefully unpacking the vintage travel cases that had held her belongings for decades. Each item, whether a record, photograph, letter, or program, was examined and documented to create a detailed inventory.

We work on a large surface where we can lay the items out and we wear gloves while working. From there, we sorted everything into categories, grouping materials by type, era and the person related to the item.This not only protected fragile items during handling but also gave the family a clear picture of what they had before moving into the digitizing and archiving phase.

These are time-lapse video clips of me sorting through the items and looking for the client’s grandmother’s name, or her husband or children’s names in each item. All total it took me two hours to go through the items and group into the categories listed in the chart below.

These are all of the items after we finished sorting them into categories. They are now ready to be scanned, or digitized and then moved into archival storage boxes.

The chart shows the categories I sorted the items into so the client could review and make decisions on what to digitize.

Cleaning, Digitizing and Archiving the Collection

One issue we were not prepared for was cleaning records from this time period. Shellac records from the 1930s are physically delicate, so proper cleaning was essential before playback or digitization.

(Before and after example of a cleaned record) Each disc was gently brushed to remove loose dust and debris, then cleaned with a specialized, non-alcohol solution safe for shellac surfaces. This careful process not only preserved the grooves from damage but also helped ensure the clearest possible sound quality when transferring the recordings to a digital format.

After digitizing each item, every photograph, letter, document, and recording was carefully rehoused in archival folders and storage boxes to ensure long-term preservation. For the delicate shellac records, we went a step further: custom enclosures were constructed from archival-quality foam board to cradle each disc, preventing movement and reducing the risk of cracking or chipping.

Examples from the Digitized Family Collection

After we digitized all of the items, we created a clear and intuitive folder system on the hard drive that mirrors the organization of the archival boxes. Each folder corresponds to a specific category such as photos, letters, recordings, or memorabilia which makes it easier for the family to locate any item quickly.

This structure not only preserves the organization of the physical collection but also simplifies access to the digital files. Once the family has the hard drive, they can easily upload the folders to the cloud service of their choice, allowing them to securely share treasured memories with relatives and friends while keeping the originals safe.

A photo of Carol Wolfe early in her career.

Sheet music for 7up Theme Song

Script for 7up Radio Commercial.

Preserving Family Stories Ensures Memories Last for Generations

Every family has stories worth preserving, but few are as rare and fascinating as having a relative who was a professional recording artist in the 1930s. From fragile shellac records to personal letters and photographs, this collection captured not only a remarkable career but a rich tapestry of family life across decades.

While the legacy of a 1930s recording artist is extraordinary, the truth is that every family holds memories, voices, and moments that deserve to be preserved. Whether it’s music, letters, or everyday keepsakes, these treasures tell the story of who we are, where we come from, and what we leave behind. Archiving and digitizing them ensures that these stories—unique, personal, and timeless—can be shared, celebrated, and remembered for generations to come.