Learn the secrets of self-improvement with vintage instructional records
Jon Moshier takes us on a tour of the more offbeat section of his vinyl collection with a look at the mysterious and eccentric world of vintage instructional records.
Back before the internet became a one-stop shop for DIY tutorials, instructional records could teach you everything from square dancing to astrology.
If you’re a collector of vintage vinyl records, chances are you’ve seen a few strange ones. There truly was a period when just about anything could make it onto a pressing. And there’s a mysterious and eccentric world of releases that came out roughly during the ’50s through the ’80s that exemplify this – generally classified as the instructional record.
For decades relegated to moldy cardboard boxes stuffed beneath more desirable products at used record stores, these albums can still be found lurking on a shelf at a flea market or at an estate sale next to that ancient Hi-Fi set.
Whether you wish to master the art of ventriloquism or teach your kid about sex education (without your ventriloquist skills), these dusty old records hold the key. And who knows, they might even be able to help you launch a career in radio.
Listen: Learn how to play the bongos, lose weight and more through instructional records.
Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.
WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.
