The Beach Music Journal

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Subscribe to the weekly Dancing On the Edge Journal here

Order Fessa Hook's Shaggin' In the Carolinas and the Beach Music Guides 1945-2006--here

 

Beach Music & Shag are more than a lifestyle, 'lifestyle' refers to leisure and consumption, but in the spaces between the notes and steps is a bigger story waiting to be heard. 

     

Fessa' Hook has added MORE dates to his play calendar below (as of 6-14-10)!

 

 

 

The Dancing On The Edge Journal Volume 1, No's 1 - 10 = 200+ pages !  Request your Free, Complimentary copy of Volume 1 No. 1 from johnhook@mindspring.com

The 5th Attitude of the Shag! see it below, scroll down.

Killer Kane & the Blue FOs:  now on the Roadhouse Blues & Boogie Top 40 & bubbling under the Beach Music Top 40 with "Back In a Cadillac" from their forthcoming CD, Live at Chans.  Get yours today at www.hitbrothersrecords.com  And, experience even more of the band and their music at www.myspace.com/killerkaneandthebluefos

You Can Hear the Beach Music Top 40 Countdown; The Yearly Beach Top 40 Countdowns, & The Roadhouse Blues, Boogie & Fish Fry.  Listen Here 24/7.

Fessa' Hook was honored as the winner of the Bopper's Battle of the Beach DJs at Thoroughbreds in Charlotte, Saturday, May 29th, playing alongside his brother DJs Mike Rink, Butch Adeimy, and Bobby Vaughn.   We had a ball!!!

RESPONSES SO FAR TO VOL. 1, NO. 1 of DOTEJ

     John,  I was up until TWO THIRTY this morning reading the Dancing on the Edge Journal. LOL   I could NOT put it down, I started reading on-line but just had to have it in print, so I printed it all off. IT IS AMAZING John, Mr Hannah's story was just awesome, along with everything else!!!!.   I am just curious as to why they both have their wedding bands on their RIGHT hands???.   [My kind of reader, make me see details I missed! Or is it my imagination???? LOL  Anyway, this is going to be a real treat reading all this info. I hope somewhere down the line, I can find the article on Daddy-Oh the DJ on WAAA radio in Winston Salem in the 50's.   --Lynne

Volume 1, No. 1, the 39-page first edition:

*  The Jim Hannah story -- one of the first two pioneers to put Black music on a jukebox in a white venue and his subsequent influence on Beach and Shag culture.

*  Addition to the Beach Music Guide 1945-2006, the 2007 year-end Top 40.

*  Vintage Grooves:  The Terry Timmons story

*  New Grooves:  Reverend Bubba D. Liverance & the Cornhole Prophets

*  Beach Music Top 40 and Roadhouse Blues and Boogie Top 40 charts and Record Reviews.

*   Shaggin' with the Stars and the National Shag Championship Preliminaries at 2001.

*  Sand In My Shoes:  letters from you.

*  From the Hardboards and Bandstands: Memories from Beach Music fans from everywhere.

*  May 1951 R&B Chart

* In Search Of:   for the upcoming Embers' documentary and Book.

*   Off the Charts:  WLOU Louisville, KY R&B chart.

*  From the Vaults:  The Spontanes Solid Soul album.

*  Nabs and News:  Beach Music and Shag news.

*  Scrapbook:  vintage R&B photography.

 

John Hook!  Wow!  I just scrolled throughout this journal....and you say it's WEEKLY???????????......By the way, I LOVE that song, Carina (sp).  Do you know if the guy singing it has a CD out?  --Molly, Pawleys Island

     Thanks much for the enjoyable reading. Such a great history.  Been coming to Myrtle for 32 years and never get tired of it! It's ageless!!          --Dennis

   John, (I) Stayed up until 1:30 AM reading the first issue. Can't wait for the next one.   --Carolyn, Murrell's Inlet

    

Volume 1, No 2, 27 pages jam-packed

 

*   The First Beach Music Band:  21 page story packed with photos and memories of Jimmy Cavallo and the Houserockers.

 

*  In Search of:  Jimmy Michaux.

 

*  From the Vaults:  The Story of Jimmy Capps, "Our Best to You," and JCP records with JCP records discography and extremely rare JCP Kays and Embers record covers.

 

*  Beach Top 40 Countdown.

 

*  Winner of the 3' x 1.5' O.D. Pavilion / R&B Stars poster.

Hi John,  I really enjoyed reading the first issue of the Journal, and I noticed with much delight that "Just Another Day in the Breeze" was #10 on your chart for the year 2007. I don't believe I was aware of that until I saw it on the chart last night.  --Tommie, Columbia

     John,  Amazing work!!!!....I am highly impressed.  --Pat

     John,  I am enjoying my DOTE newsletter good job as usual. Now I have a ? What is the origin of our fellow DJs and the wearing of hats as they play their gigs?  Can't all be bad hair.   --John, Richmond

 

 

Volume 1, No 3

*  Beach Music Jams -- Where the Beach Music recording industry is headed.

*  Beach Music Roots and Routes:  Mapping the emergence of the Beach Bands.

*     Vintage Grooves:  The Margie Day Story

*    Let the Good Times Roll:  DJ/Performer Don Baker's 'First Trip to R&B Heaven'

*     Beach Music Top 40 chart and song reviews

*    Roadhouse Blues and Boogie Top 40 chart and reviews.

*     Off the Charts:  Tiger Radio chart and story, March 1969.

*     Nabs and News

*     In Search of

 

 

John, Like a fine wine you become more and more creative each day, This Is GREAT!!!!!  --Mike, Salisbury

Wow! Again John you keep schooling me on the history of Carolina Beach Music. I personally am proud to be a part of it. Many thanks to you!     --Odell

Volume 1, No 4

*  Cruisin' thru Shag History & Folklore -- a closer investigation of Shag # 2 of the three historical Shags.

*  Beach Music Roots and Routes:  Mapping the emergence of the Beach Bands.

*     Complementary Swing - Jazz Roots maps for comparison.

*     South Central Virginia--Chapter One

*    Home Grown - North Carolina

*    Off the Charts:  History of Black Charts in Billboard magazine

*     Beach Music Top 40 and Reviews

*     Roadhouse Blues & Boogie Top 40 and Reviews

*     Sand In My Shoes -- letters from you and You!

*     Nabs and News

 

Volume 1, No 5

*  From the Flipside...., excavating Charleston, SC Shag Culture

*  The Jewell and the Rubies Story

*  In Search of.....

 

 

More History and Fun at the OD Pavilion Website!

The Secrets of the Shag, Pt 1 - 1 of 2 -- The 4 Attitudes to Shaggin' in 5 minutes or less

 

The Secrets of the Shag, Pt 1 - 2 of 2 -- The 4 Attitudes to Shaggin' in 5 minutes or less

 

 

 

The 5th Attitude -- I knew about it, but couldn't do it myself!

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

The National Beach Music Top 40 Singles--click the Logo below

 

 

The 2010 Book & Boogie Tour

Based on Shagging In the Carolinas, The Beach Music Guide, and excerpts from the upcoming Dancing On The Edge series.  Contact numbers and e-mail below.

Ø     July 21, 2010  The Landing, Lake Norman 7 - 10 pm.  4491 Slanting Bridge Road, Sherrill's Ford, NC. 

Ø     July 24, 2010   Thirsty's 2, Greensboro - Private

Ø     July 25, 2010  O.D. Pavilion, 1 pm to close

Ø     July 30, 2010  Lynns, Charlotte, NC:  Super-Team of the Right Reverend Kyle Beam and Fessa John Hook return!

Ø    August 6-8 , 2010  O.D. Pavilion 1 pm to close, Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Ø     August 14, 2010  Lexington Shag Club, Lexington NC

Ø August 20 & 21, 2010 Beach Festival and Dance, Jekyll Island, GA

Ø     August 22, 2010  O.D. Pavilion 1 pm to close

Ø August 27, 2010  Society of Brunswick Shaggers, Oak Island, NC

Ø August 29, 2010  Horsefeathers Roadhouse, Sherrill's Ford, Lake Norman, NC 6 to 9 pm  (we had a ball in June)

Ø     September 3, 4, 5, 2010  O.D. Pavilion, 1 pm to close (Friday, Saturday, Sunday)

Ø     September 11, 2010  Upstate Shag Club's S.O.S. Kickoff Party, Spartanburg, SC

Ø     September 15, 2010  Bosco's Sports Zone, Arden, NC (Asheville), 7-11 pm

Ø     September 18, 2010  Dirty Dancing Festival:  Shag Contest and Nighttime Gala dance, details forthcoming

Ø     September 26, 2010  Bosco's Sports Zone, Arden, NC (Asheville), afternoon/evening TBA

Ø     BOOK SIGNINGS, INTERACTIVE AND FUN HISTORY PRESENTATIONS INCLUDING THE REVOLUTIONARY "FIVE-MINUTES-OR-LESS SHAG" CLASS. Contact Fessa Hook.  E-mail and phone at the bottom of the page.

Dancing On the Edge--The Series:  An 8-volume series covering the complete history of the Shag, freestyle dancing, and their visible and invisible roots.  Volume 1: How Music Freed the South is slated for 2010.

 

 

 

 
   

 

 

 

The Beach Music & Shag Blog entry 6/26/07 http://blog.beachshag.com  

  Endless Summer Network: Beach Music & Shag Music

 

 

     

 

 

Fessa Hook's countdown shows are available for listening 24/7 at www.cashboxmagazine.com    Look for the link at the top right of this page.

Beach Music Top 40 Countdown Fessa Hook see link at top right to cashboxmagazine.com (24/7)
Saturday Night Fish Fry Fessa Hook coming soon to cashboxmagazine.com
Yearly Beach Music Top 40 Countdown Fessa Hook see link at top right to cashboxmagazine.com (24/7)
Roadhouse Blues & Boogie Show Fessa Hook coming soon to cashboxmagazine.com

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Beach Music and Shag evolved under different names and styles in many places for over 60 years.  Some call it good-time oldies, Soul, and Rhythm 'n Blues.  In other parts of the world the same music is the foundation for  Steppin' and Modern Soul.  This is the oldest site on the web for beach music news, beach music charts, and free Webcasts for Beach Music from the Edge of Paradise with Fessa John Hook (for those of you from the WBT and Beach 106 days; it was Dr. Hook at that time, but hey, I'm evolving too!).  Enjoy!

Our Mission

To provide the largest network of Beach Music and Shag aficianados in the world with the history, past and present, of the music you love.  In addition, we provide access to beach music and shag dancing history, including presentations from Shagging in the Carolinas, the Beach Music Guide, even How to Shag (in one minute, rapidly becoming one of our most popular, and effective, presentations).

Company Profile

The Endless Summer Network (currently on hiatus) provided several perspectives on Beach and Shag music to listeners worldwide.  #1)  From the Roots in the 40s and 50s to the Classics of the 60s, 70s and 80s, to the Great Shag hits of the 90s and Today.

However, we know there are many of you who like yours on the somewhat more energetic, sometimes dark, side.  That's where #2 comes in--Roadhouse Blues and Boogie:  Jump Blues, Roots, and Good Time Roadhouse music from the past and present.

We offer Specialty shows:  1 includes Beach Music Classics, Spotlights on Artists, Special Summer Spotlights, The great Clubs of the Past, a Special Fish Fry Show on the Weekends (which Fessa Hook first launched over 20 years ago), Roadhouse Retrospectives, a Roadhouse-style Fish Fry and more to come. 

If you're an advertiser who wants to reach the largest possible Beach and Shag audience, you're in the right place, with the people who have been doing exactly that for 25 years -- ask for rates for the Countdown shows now on 25+ stations and the massively visited cashboxmagazine.com site


     Welcome to the Gateway for Beach Music and Shag history past and present.  Beach Music's 60 + year heritage is known by many names, from A to Z, by people and fans throughout the U.S. and many parts of the world. The All-Time Top 40 is topped by four particularly notable songs:  "Brenda" by O.C. Smith, "Lady Soul" by Temptations, "Ms. Grace" by the Tymes and of course "Sixty Minute Man" by the Dominoes.  

     Some associate Northern and Modern Soul with Beach Music from the 60s to today.  To many it is a form of Swing Music, Rhythm and Blues, Soul music, Motown oldies, Southern Soul , Carolina Beach Music , and dances including the Bop , the Basic , the Beach Bop , Shagging, the PC Bop , Fas Dancin , Shag , Soul Dancing , Shaggin or simply Diggin’ in the Sand.

     Beach Music's popularity has evolved in Myrtle Beach , Charlotte , Raleigh , Athens , Augusta , Columbia , Florence , Sumter , Charleston , Savannah , Wilmington , New Bern , Chapel Hill , Goldsboro , Atlanta , Knoxville , Johnson City , Lynchburg , Roanoke , Nashville , Jacksonville Florida , Panama City , Danville , Richmond , Virginia Beach , Kitty Hawk , Nag’s Head , Morehead City , Jacksonville North Carolina , Spartanburg and Greenville South Carolina , Rock Hill , Cheraw , Anderson , Lake Murray and hundreds of points in between.

     The Beaches which cradled Beach Music and Shag , Beachdiggers , Shaggers , and Boppers include all those from the sands and pavilions of legends like Ocean Drive , Wrightsville Beach , Carolina Beach , Folly Island , Tybee Beach , Atlantic Beach , Myrtle Beach , Topsail Beach , Minnesott Beach , Oriental Beach , Virginia Beach , Norfolk , Portsmouth , Mosquito Beach , Seabreeze , Shell Island , Bop City , Ocean City and more.

     The Shag has been the inspiration for the South Carolina State Dance 1984, and has spawned innumerable dance contests like the National Shag Dance Championships , the Grand Nationals with Charlie Womble and Jackie McGee every May in Atlanta, Georgia , S.O.S. Spring Safari and Fall Migration and Fun Monday , the Jr Shaggers and Junior Shag Contests , Shag Instructors , teachers , lessons , videos , books and brochures , the Association of Beach and Shag Club DJs, deejays, over 100 social Shag Clubs and their close cousins the Bop Clubs , Swing Clubs , Swing Societies , Lindy Clubs and Jitterbug Clubs throughout the U.S. and the world.

 

     Beach Music has inspired the Cammys (the Carolina Beach Music Awards ) , the Beach Music Awards of the 80s , the Headliners Awards , It Will Stand Magazine , Dancing On The Edge Magazine , the Beach Music Association International , Beach Nights Magazine , Carolina Class Magazine , The Breeze Network , the legendary Beach 106 or WRDX , 94.9 The Surf or Beach & Boogie the Surf , 949thesurf.com , WODR FM, the Saturday Night Beach Show with Fessa ( the former ‘ Doctor ‘ ) Hook on WBT , Fred Fox's "Million-Dollar Oldies Weekend" on WEWO and now on WLNC , Laurinburg, Tommy Walker's "Midnight Train" on WKDX , Hamlet (and later on KIX/Raleigh), Rockin' Ray Caulder on WEWO , the late Mike Shadeed of WJNC Jacksonville, N.C., Ted Ours on WFLB , Fayetteville, and Russ Spooner / WGNI , Wilmington.

     Others were Bunky Odom on WLNC , or Tommy Stanley's R & B Hour on WEWO , later on WDKD  , Kingstree, WDAR , Darlington, WGNI , and now on WTXY Whiteville and co-host of the Sunny Beach syndicated radio Show.  And how about Dick Reus, who 'broke' "Girl Watcher" on WLEE , Richmond and sadly passed away while still workin' the phones on Hometown Beach ' Boogie , WTXY .  Plus, the original Buddy Edwards Beach Party, on WENC and later on WGQR .  (and a guy by the name of Jim Quick started the Coastline Band in the studios of WLNC , while he worked a weekend shift there.)  John Fox, Billy Melton, Jerry Peele, Charlie Brown, Jim Henderson, Bill Weathers, Fred Owen, Sunny Beach..... (and more to be added).

     Beach Music in one form or another has inspired Beach Music Bands galore for decades ( Embers , Fantastic Shakers , Catalinas , Tams , Coastline Band , Chairmen , Bill Deal & the Rhondels , Delbert McCLinton , Holiday Band , Heart and Soul , O’Kaysions , Band of Oz , Georgia Prophets , Billy Scott , North Tower , and more) (learn more in the Hey Baby Days of Beach Music books by Greg Haynes ) and many other Beach Music Radio legends like Sandy Beach , Steve Hardy , Charlie Byrd , Big John Ruth , Charlie Brown , the Rhythm ‘n Beach Network , the Beach Music Top 40 Countdown , Rhythm ‘n Beach Classics , the Fish Fry , The Roadhouse , Luke Vail , Larry Crockett , Randy Rowland , Dan E. Lockemy , Billy Smith , Freakin’ Deacon , Curtiss Carpenter , April McIntyre , the KIX Good Guys , Kebo Davis , and again dozens more.

     Beach Music 45s , cassettes , 8 tracks , LPs , albums , CDs , even a few movies and VHS's. 

     This is the Gateway.

 


 

Contact Information

For questions, contributions, or alliances with the Endless Summer Network, or if you just want to send postcards, here are the pertinent connections:

Telephone
843-602-4475
Postal address
POB 422, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29597
Electronic mail
General Information: johnhook@mindspring.com
Sales: John Hook
Customer Support: John Hook
Webmaster: johnhook@mindspring.com