JAMESTOWN, N.C. — Darrell McCall has a passion that centers on music.
"When I was about 8 years old I worked in a radio station cleaning up, like a janitor. And the station decided that when they were through with the records, instead of throwing them out they gave them to me. So I started my record collection," McCall said, "and that led to getting a jukebox to store and play them. I guess it just built up from there."
Build it did, to the tune of 250 jukeboxes that he owns today. He stores them all over his house.
"That's only possible because I'm not married," he said.
His jukeboxes come in all shapes and sizes, from the diner tabletop variety to the elaborate ones from other decades.
"I guess my prize possession is a Wurlitzer 850, which was made during World War II," McCall said. "Parts were scarce so they had to substitute a lot of the parts for other items to make it work. There weren't that many of them so they are valuable. I think this one is worth between 10 and 25 thousand."
When asked what he will do with them, he said he has a plan.
"I have spoken with the folks at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and they are interested," McCall said. "But they are considering taking them on a national tour featuring the music from the decade of construction of the jukebox. I think that might work out. I want them to stay together."