Slow Burn Records: Our Story
Beginnings
For several years, Mike and Dyan Colby often traveled from Texas to enjoy the rhythm of mountain living in Whitefish, Montana. Now they own the only independent record store in town, Slow Burn Records.
When the Colbys were in town, Dyan would stop into Spanky and Gus’s — the funky record store that was previously where Slow Burn is now. She enjoyed bringing her kids, telling them about music and sharing the thrill of looking for unique finds.
When she learned Spanky was closing her store, Dyan approached Mike with the idea of buying it; they purchased the store at the beginning of 2021. Slow Burn Records opened full of Spanky’s collection, about 3,000 albums. Since then, we’ve carefully curated our own collection, with input from the local community, customers, and staff.
A Place for Listening — and Performing
Music is the heart of the Slow Burn experience. The atmosphere is hip and breezy, with records displayed on both sides and in the center of the store. There’s a place to sit comfortably near the rear of the store and read liner notes, chat, or listen to performing musicians.
Slow Burn Records partnered with Eyehear Technology Group to create six listening stations in the store so customers can listen to albums before making a purchase. In addition to vinyl, the shop also offers a selection of high-quality turntables, speakers, guitars, and music accessories.
One of the Colbys’ major goals with the store has been to support up-and-coming artists in the local music community. The shop is a modular space, built to accommodate musical performances and events. Slow Burn Records is also a sponsor for the Whitefish Songwriter Festival, a three-day event that sees musicians from around the country come to perform live music at bars, restaurants, theaters, and coffee shops — and at Slow Burn, which serves as a gathering place and hosts the Musical Miles podcast during the festival.
The festival is a production of the Rocky Mountain Songwriter Festivals, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to promoting music education. Many of the proceeds from this festival go to promote music education in Whitefish and the Flathead Valley.
Why Vinyl?
According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), in 2020, vinyl sales outpaced CD sales for the first time in 34 years. Music buyers in the United States spent over $619 million on vinyl LPs and EPs.
Reasons for the resurgence of vinyl vary, depending on who you ask. Some mention the ritualistic type feel of placing the needle on the record while others note the scratchiness, the sound quality, or the time commitment of listening to an entire album.
“For the older generation, it’s like a trip down memory lane and for the younger generation, it’s a tactile experience,” according to original manager Madde Borg. “It’s totally different than popping in a cd or getting on Spotify. The sound is different, the experience is different, and I think that’s what a lot of people are attracted to.”
Immediately inside the front door of the store, a mission statement of sorts greets visitors. It echoes Borg’s words about the experience of listening to records.
“The slower you listen to an album the more you take it in . . . Come slow down with us, at the Slow Burn.”
