Jack Lightfoot knows a lot about music. He’s been promoting the Metro Chattanooga Record Show for seven years.
Lightfoot, the owner of Jax-Wax: Quality LP Records, is getting ready for the next show on Sept. 13, 2025, at the Colonnade in Ringgold. He said the event has been around for roughly 35 years.
“I took it over from Greg Neal and before him there was Mike Pottorff,” he said. The former promoters eventually stepped aside. Jack, who has collected records since 1969 and has attended shows for almost 50 years, took over promoting the show and seeks to continue growing the fan base.
Jac said the previous Metro Chattanooga Record Show held in July drew in double the number of visitors of the previous show a possible indication that people are ready to peruse through the collections in person after the pandemic took its toll.
“It was an obstacle,” Jack said about the COVID years. “We had to get people back because a lot of people didn't want to come out for it. We want to encourage people to come out and support the community. It is a smaller mid-market show, but a lot of cities this size don’t even host shows. We want to build that sense of community. It's a great way to not only meet some of the local dealers but also meet dealers from around the southeast and around the country. Buy or trade from dealers you get to know and develop those relationships. Vendors tend to vary depending on what their schedules allow so it’s not the same vendors every time.”
Jack said the show at the Colonnade is only 15 minutes from downtown Chattanooga, 15 minutes from Hamilton Place Mall, right off I-75 making it easily accessible to all.
True vinyl and LP collectors and vendors are encouraged to make a weekend trip. Attend the Metro Chattanooga Record Show Sept. 13 and then drive down to Stone Mountain for their record show Sept. 14.
Jack knows how to run a great show. He was the vendor director for Rocki-N-Pod 2025. “It's devoted to rock and roll podcasters, primarily heavy metal, and we had a lot of guests in from literally all over the world.”
Jack said the metal community is a tight-knit group and the most loyal community of record buyers. He added that some of the vendors at Rock-N- Pod were in bands from the early 60s, 70s and 80s and continue to influence today’s music scene.
"When you look at punk and the iconic influence it's had on things, and then you look at electronic and ambient,” he said enthusiastically. “Brian Eno is 75 years old and he's still going strong. He puts out a lot of music and produced tons of bands. He produced Devo, he produced U2. “A lot of these bands were really a big influence on things today.”
Jack has also hosted record shows in Knoxville and Murfreesboro and hopes to expand into other small cities. He recently participated at Farley-Con at Camp Jordan Arena and while Farley-Con primarily draws in Science Fiction lovers, Jack said they also tend to love vinyl records and LPs.
“Also, there are a lot of famous soundtracks written by famous people,” he said. “Mark Mothersbaugh from Devo, for instance did the Rugrats movie soundtrack and he does tons of TV and movie scores. So does Danny Elfman who was with Oingo Boingo. So, there is a natural a natural crossover.”
Jack said he wants to see today’s generation be more enthusiastic about vinyl records and music, in general. “When I talk to younger people, high schoolers, college age, I ask them, what are your hobbies and music is not generally in the top five,” he said. “Gaming is number one.”
He said records and LPs has been the most consistent thing in his life. Parents should share music with their kids and bring them to record shows so they can learn to appreciate good music.
“We have good customers coming in and I’m trying to provide something that's entertaining,” he said about the show. “And what I'm hoping to do over time, is help build a community. I work with a number of record store owners around town, and I always invite them to our shows and if they have something they tend to invite me. So, I'm trying to build that reciprocity as well.”
The Colonnade is located at 264 Ringgold Catoosa Circle in Ringgold, Georgia. Jack said vendors will be showcasing their records and memorabilia, meaning there is plenty for people to look through.
Serious collectors can buy early admission tickets for $10 and gain entry to the show at 9:30 a.m. “The hardcore collectors like to cherry pick,” Jack said. “It's a good hobby,” he said. “It’s family friendly.”
The show starts at 10:30 a.m. and goes on until 4 p.m. Admission then is $3.
Metro Chattanooga Record Show
- Saturday Sept. 13, 2025
- 9:30 a.m. Early Bird Admission only - $10
- Show runs from 10:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. – admission $3
- The Colonnade, 264 Catoosa Circle, Ringgold, GA.
Jax-Wax: Quality LP Records
- Inside the Ringgold Feed & Seed Antiques
- 403 High Street, Ringgold, GA 30736
- Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.
- Sunday-Monday 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.
- (706) 935-7333
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