Pearl Jam Tapped for 2019 Record Store Day Ambassador

2019-02-14

Story by Charles Ken, photo by Anne Erickson

“Pearl Jam is honored to be Record Store Day’s Ambassador for 2019,” says guitarist Mike McCready

Record Store Day takes place annually on one Saturday in April, and each year, an ambassador is tapped to champion the legacy of vinyl records to the masses. Pearl Jam has been tapped to be Record Store Day Ambassador this year, following a long list of high-profile artists that have also served in the position, including Jack White, Metallica, Run The Jewels and St. Vincent.

“Pearl Jam is honored to be Record Store Day’s Ambassador for 2019,” Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCreedy said in a statement. “Independent record stores are hugely important to me, and have been ever since I was 12 years-old. Before I even really knew what they were — there was a certain feeling of ‘this is a dream come true,’ and it’s a wonderland and there’s so much to learn in here… and it’s still that way.”

He added, “Support every independent record store that you can. They’re really a good part of society. Know if you love music, this is the place to find it. And it helps people who work here and that’s important, too. And it kind of takes an effort, you have to look for something that you want; you have to talk to people. I had to talk to people to figure out which Aerosmith record to get first or anything back in the day. It’s a place to learn. It’s a place to have fun. And it’s a place to discover new music.”

This year’s Record Store Day will take place April 13. The event honors independent record stores around the U.S. with exclusive vinyl releases available only at locally-owned shops. Watch Pearl Jam discuss Record Store Day 2019 via the YouTube video below.

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Charles Ken

Meet the expert - Charles Ken is a graduate of Michigan State University where he studied writing and history. He's a longtime music buff and covers classic rock for Audio Ink Radio. Contact him at ken@audioinkradio.com.