Sugarhill Records

In the late sixties, Barry Poss came to the United States from Canada with a fellowship and a student visa to obtain a doctorate’s degree of sociology from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. Coming within one chapter of completing his dissertation, Poss answered a classified ad for a graphic artist placed by a small Virginia-based record label, County Records. Though Poss didn’t know anything about graphic design, he applied for the job anyway, admitting his lack of experience in design but professing his love for the music. County hired him, and Poss gave up teaching to follow his main passion, music, at a record label he admired. Within the first few years Poss was immersed in the record business, learning everything from reissuing old 78s to producing traditional musicians to selling records at retail stores. Three years later, in 1978, Barry Poss launched Sugar Hill Records. Poss wanted a strong label identity with a “signature sound,” that stood for great artists and quality production. 30 years later Sugar Hill is one of the premier record labels for Bluegrass, Traditional Country and Americana Music with 14 Grammy Awards and countless other accolades to boot. Sugar Hill has released albums by such Legendary Artists as Nickel Creek, Dolly Parton, Marty Stuart, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Sam Bush, Guy Clark, and Ricky Skaggs. Now headquartered in Nashville, the company is now owned by the Welk Music Group who also owns the legendary folk label Vanguard records.