Charles Fontaine

A little about me

I've always been passionate about music. In my younger days, I ran a record store, DJ'd at a local radio station, and managed a successful regional music group. I've attended countless concerts and always have a song in my head. In 2008, I joined Crutchfield's Tech Support Team, eventually becoming a supervisor and team leader. After 15 years, I decided to pursue my other passion: writing. As a freelance music journalist, I've always wanted to dive deeper into writing, so joining our creative team and using my tech expertise seemed like the perfect fit.

I don't work directly with customers as much as I used to, but I still get to connect through the content I create. I was recently contacted by a customer — let's call him John — who had been a loyal Crutchfield fan since the late '90s. He told me how much care he'd put into building his vinyl collection and how much he enjoyed my turntable articles. He said he could tell I shared his passion for the format. Then came the curveball: John had recently switched to digital listening, and his records were just sitting unused. He asked if I'd like to have the entire collection. My brain short-circuited a bit — I said yes, of course — and we made arrangements.

About a week later, I picked up the collection. Roughly 400 records, all well-loved and carefully kept — a treasure trove. I won't get into the specific titles, but let's just say it was every bit as amazing as it sounds. What hit me hardest, though, was that John chose me. He had friends and family, but he said my writing made an impression. In that moment, I realized something powerful: John didn't know me, but he did know Crutchfield. He trusted the company for over two decades — and now, by extension, he trusted me.

I reached out again to thank him. His reply stuck with me: "Your note seemed to indicate that you really value the collection, and that's what matters most to me. Enjoy it — and maybe let me know whenever something in the collection really strikes you. That'll bring me happiness." This wasn't just a handoff of records — it was a handoff of memories, personal history, and a lifelong love of music. And now, I get to be part of that story. Sometimes the strongest connections aren't made face to face — they're built on passion, trust, and a shared love of something that matters. For me, that might just be the greatest work perk of all.

Background

• Logged thousands of hours talking about and troubleshooting audio and video gear
• Completed Crutchfield Tech Support training for both Home and 12V gear
• Attends regular vendor trainings throughout the year
• Bachelor of Fine Arts from East Tennessee State University