Barry Poss, co-founder and longtime owner of Sugar Hill Records, died just after midnight this morning at the Duke Medical Center in Durham, NC. He was 79 years of age at his passing from complications of multiple myeloma.
A native of Brantford, Ontario, Barry didn’t have much experience with traditional mountain music until he headed south to North Carolina to study sociology at Duke University. While finishing his studies, a chance visit to the Union Grove Fiddlers’ Convention about two hours west of Durham where he was living proved a turning point in his life.
The music captured the young man’s imagination, and he left Duke and a completed masters program in answer to an ad from County Records in Virginia for a graphic arts position. Poss worked for County and Rebel Records in Roanoke, VA, and after learning the business from owner Dave Freeman, he formed the then new Sugar Hill Records with him in 1978. In 1980 he took full control of the company, and moved it to Durham, where he operated the label until it was sold in 1998 to Welk Music Group. It is now controlled by Concord Music, the owners of Rounder Records.
During his tenure, Poss introduced a great many now top artists through Sugar Hill, including such stellar names as Chris Thile, Nickel Creek, Ricky Skaggs, Boone Creek, and many others. During his tenure, Sugar Hill collected five Grammy awards for Best Bluegrass Album, something that has continued for the company since his departure.
Skaggs’ Sweet Temptation album with Sugar Hill in 1979 was the first taste the music world heard of Ricky playing traditional country music, and was surely a big factor in him getting a contract with Epic Records, with whom he recorded many #1 hits.
Other influential bluegrass artists who recorded with the label included Doc Watson, The Seldom Scene, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Tim O’Brien, Hot Rize, David Parmley, Jerry Douglas, Dan Crary, Ronnie Bowman, Lonesome River Band, Larry Cordle, Infamous Stringdusters, Kenny Smith, John Starling, Bryan Sutton, Doyle Lawson, Sammy Shelor, Peter Rowan, Alan Bibey, Byron Berline, The Del McCoury Band, and many others.
It would be difficult to overstate the importance of Sugar Hill Records to bluegrass artists in the 1980s and ’90s. They were among the first bluegrass labels to utilize some of the newer distribution methods that became available during that time, a time when retail sales of LPs, cassette tapes, and audio CDs was still a very big part of the delivery of music to consumers.
But they did more than bluegrass at the label. Old time artists like The Red Clay Ramblers, Sarah Jarosz, Cathy Fink, Dirk Powell, Red Stick Ramblers, and Riley Baugus were signed, as were Americana acts like Chris Hillman, Robert Earl Keen, Guy Clark, Mike Cross, The Ducks, Townes Van Zandt, and Darrell Scott. There were country artists as well, with projects for Connie Smith, Lee Ann Womack, Willie Nelson, Sara Evans, and Wanda Jackson.
What Barry built, with a sterling team of music professionals, was an independent label of consequence in a crowded market. There have been few like it.
He is likewise remembered for his warm heart and terrific sense of humor, by friends, family, and co-workers.
Funeral services will be held on Thursday, May 15 at Beth El Synagogue in Durham, followed by burial at the Durham Hebrew Cemetery.
The family requests, in lieu of flowers, that donations be made either to Beth El Synagogue, the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, or any charitable organization you might choose in his name.
R.I.P., Barry Poss. A giant in our music industry.
