Perfect Duluth Day’s attempt to chronical the works of local musicians begins with this list of 20th century recordings.

Duluth East High School A Cappella Choir
1965
Directed by Robert D. Mix; includes the “East High Alma Mater.”

The Duluth Accordionaires
Music to Eat Pizza By
1967

Don Yoder
Because He Lives
Year not listed, Word Records

The Moose Wallow Ramblers
The Moose Wallow Ramblers
1976, Half Moon Records
Engineered by John Berquist.

Gene Hill
That’s Just His Way
1976
Recorded and mastered at Sound 80 in Minneapolis; directed by C. Edward Thomas.

Various Artists
Trackin’ Up the North
1982, KQDS 95FM Radio
Features bands from the KQDS Miller High Life Rock to Riches Talent Search Contest.

Kim Solem & the Electric Spurs
In Just One Night
1993, Divine Bovine
Engineered by Jeff Nelson and Tom Heinonen.

Low
I Could Live in Hope
1994, Vernon Yard Recordings
Produced by Kramer at Noise New Jersey. Assisted by Steve Watson.

Puddle Wonderful
Sweetly Unnecessary
1995
Recorded by Tim Mac at Amphetamine Reptile in Minneapolis.

Low
Long Division
1995, Vernon Yard Recordings
Produced and engineered by Kramer at Noise New Jersey. Assistant engineering by Jed Rothenberg.

Flux Skapacitor
Flux Skapacitor
1995
Recorded at Wind Songs Studio in St. Louis Park; engineered by James Schmidt.

Charming Snakes
Charming Snakes
1996
Recorded and mixed by Todd Behrens at Danger Studios in Minneapolis.

Low
The Curtain Hits the Cast
1996, Vernon Yard Recordings
Produced by Steve Fisk and engineered by John Goodmanson. Recorded in Seattle.

The Pirates
Replay

The Busters North Coast Blues Band
Waiting for the Tide
1997
Recorded and engineered at Inland Sea Studios by Dave Hill.

Gild
Belief
1997, Spinout Records
Produced by Bernie Larsen at Suburban Exchange Studio in Houghton, Mich.

Port Authority
Serving Up Stuff
1998, North Coast Records
Recorded and engineered at Inland Sea Studios by Dave Hill.

Jerree Small
Sleeping Giant
1998
Engineered in Minneapolis by Kendall Karsh and at Doghouse Studios by Steve Bonkoski.

Stuart Davis
16 Nudes
1998, Panacea Records
Recorded by Rob Genedek and John Pemble at the Maintenance Shop and Brewhouse.

Low
One More Reason to Forget
1998, BlueSanct Records
Live album recorded Nov. 6, 1997 at the Church of Phillip St. Neri in Louisville, Ky.

Various Artists
Random Acts of Radio
1998, Random Records
Produced by D.J. Starfire and recorded in his basement.

Paul Imholte
Red Wing
1998
Recorded and engineered at Doghouse Studio by Steven Bonkoski.

Mel Sando
Walking Alone
1998
Recorded in Sando’s dining room on a 4-track cassette recorder.

John Ward and Lori Hatten
Live at the Amazing Grace Bakery & Cafe
Circa 1998
Recorded at Amazing Grace and mixed at 58th Street Studio.

Delta Resonators
Juke Joint Junkie
1998
Recorded and engineered at Inland Sea Studios by Dave Hill.

Low
Secret Name
1999, Kranky Records
Produced by Steve Albini; recorded at Electrical Audio Studios in Chicago.

Ballyhoo
I’m a Pretty Ballerina
1999
Recorded and engineered at 20 Below Studios by Alan Sparhawk.

Giljunko
Gaspump Graveyard
1999, Shaky Ray Records
Recorded at Flowerpot in Minneapolis by Rich Mattson and at Shaky Ray by Mark Lindquist.

Low
Christmas
1999, Chair Kickers’ Union
Recorded by Low at 20 Below Studios. Mastered with Tom Herbers at 3rd Ear.

Sara Thomsen
Fertile Ground
1999

Big Time Jazz Orchestra
The Big Time Jazz Orchestra
1999
Available on bigtimejazz.org

Of course, every list requires some guidelines, so here we go:

• What makes an album a “Duluth album” can be vague, so there is little choice but to determine it on a case-by-case basis. In general, if the band is from the Twin Cities and the bassist is from Duluth, for example, that doesn’t quite cut it. And we’re not counting Bob Dylan, but here’s a link to his discography.
• We’re not including seven-inch records or other singles on the list. If you want to comment about your favorite 45, please do, but it won’t make the master list.
• Even qualified albums won’t make the list until a suitable image of the cover art is available. We like things neat and pretty around here. So don’t pull a tiny graphic off the web and call it good. Scan your album covers or do whatever you have to do so the image is a decent size, like 800 pixels if you can manage that.

Let the digging through your collection to help this list out begin!