Former NW folk music radio host is selling 2,000 albums from private collection

RICHLAND, Wash. – For 37 years, Dan Maher worked as a public radio host while collecting thousands of vinyls.

The former folk music radio producer at Northwest Public Broadcasting decided to move into a new apartment recently, but his new place did not have enough space to hold all of his vinyls albums.

So, Maher is donating them to be sold as a fundraiser for the 3 Rivers Folklife Society.

“Dan is like an encyclopedia,” said 3RFS volunteer Teresa Andre. “If you mention an album to him, he will be able to tell you things about the artists, but also things about the songs, the background of the songs, why they were written and it’s amazing the amount of information he has.”

3RSF holds a Tumbleweed Music Festival in the Tri-Cities every fall with five outdoor stages for musicians to perform, and Maher gets heavily involved with the festival every year, said Andre.

“Dan has been super supportive of all 3 Rivers Folklife activities, but particularly of the Tumbleweed Music Festival,” Andre said.

Andre said Maher went through a period of time where we wasn’t sure which of his records he wanted to keep and which he wanted to sell, but eventually got the point where he realized he couldn’t take that much with him.

He wants his records to go to people who will use them. He is selling over 2,000 vinyls.

There are boxes among boxes of vinyls prepared for community members to shuffle through and fall in love with.

The fundraiser will take place over two days, and Maher will be there for both of them. Andre said she is even trying to convince him to perform.

The fundraiser is from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 10 and 11, at 803 Birch Ave. in Richland.