The Beach Music Journal

 

Carolina Class

For those who truly want to develop an appreciation for Beach Music and Shaggin', the archives and documentation are limited at best. Even as we say so, there are two or three invaluable resources...this is one of those. Naturally, the earlier issues are rarer than later issues; Carolina Class was inspired by It Will Stand magazine, and produced under the auspices of WRDX-FM with 'Fessa John Hook as Editor.

Created to serve the audience of radio's first full-time Beach Music format, Carolina Class soon surpassed its predecessors in circulation eventually extending far beyond the station's broadcast range (which covered the western half of North Carolina, north and northeastern South Carolina and the southwestern region of Virginia).

The articles in Carolina Class cover the spectrum of Beach and Shag activities of the area, including detailed music and DJ charts, record reviews, Shag and Bop club news, and many groundbreaking feature articles.

Between the lines you may find the excitement of a group of radio broadcasters engaged in a new multi-media venture in listener services....and the excitement of documenting the growth of a culture beginning its fifth decade.

If you're interested in following the trajectories of a sub-culture with deep, deep roots in American music and dance--but still little-known outside its region (compared to the the depth of its history, the popularity of Shag with swing societies throughout the U.S. still doesn't reflect the breadth of influence this sub-culture has had on the world during the second half of this century).

Carolina Class Index:

Vol 1 # 1, June 1987

• The Top 106 Beach Songs of 1986
• Collectors Corner for Regional Bands
• The Beach Boogie & Blues Festival
• The East Coast Rivieras
• Atlantis Band
• S.C. House Bill declaring Shag the State Dance, and more

Vol 1 # 2, July 1987

• Hot Fun In The Summertime VI in Stuart, VA
• The Summer of '87
• Shag Explosion
• The Origins of Beach Jocks and their Practices
• Band News (Musical Notes)
• Spencer Bohren of New Orleans
• Tush Push and Other Line Dances
• Class of Carolina--1963
• Record Reviews
• Backyard BBQ's and Pig Pickin's Too

Vol 1 # 3, August 1987

• Beach Music Culture--The 'Lost Colony'
• The Nylons (National with deep regional roots)
• Beach Music Classics--January to June 1987
• tons of new record reviews
• Shag contest results, etc.
• Jomeokee 3rd Annual Beach Festival

Vol 1 # 4, October 1987

• Carolina Calendar of Events
• Tanglewood Beach Music Festival
• Tidewater Virginia Beach Scene
• the Top 106 Chart
• A View from the North (a Shaggin' Yankee)

Vol 1 # 5, November 1987

• Billy Ward of the Dominoes ("60 Minute Man") at S.O.S.
• Regional Calendar of Events
• The Charlotte Shag Club's Fall Flashback
• Beach Shaggers Hall of Fame 1983-1987
• HotLanta Beach
• S.O.S. VIII Highlights
• record reviews and charts

Vol 1 # 6, December 1987

• Archie Bell & the Drells History and Update
• Groucho's 10th Anniversary
• The Sand Flea Beach Club in Greenville, SC
• Sand Flea Shag Contest
• Beach Music Top 106

Vol 2 # 7, January 1988

• The Part-Time Party Time Band
• the Holiday Shag Explosion
• Record Reviews
• Charts

Vol 2 # 8, February 1988

• Bits and Beaches with the Embers and the Band of Oz
• the Breeze Band
• the Piedmont Shag Association
• S.P.A. (Shaggers Preservation Association)
• S.P.A. Winners 1987, Record Reviews
• Event Calendars
• Charts

Vol 2 #9, March 1988

• Beach Fever--Chairmen of the Board
• A Flush of (Shag) Clubs
• The Upper Deck
• The Castaways Reunion
• Tiki Classes
• The First Annual Foothills Winter Boogie
• Charts and Record Reviews

Vol 2 # 10, April 1988

• Studebakers at Myrtle Beach
• Beach Fever (the Chairmen of the Board) Pt 2
• Beach Music Awards III
• Sand (Fleas) In My Shoes
• O'Haras
• Record Reviews and Charts

Vol 2 # 11, May 1988

• Beach Music Awards III: The John X. Aragona Story
• Shag Club Directory
• We Can Build A Hit--the East Coast Rivieras
• Club Hoppin' with Alfie
• Charlotte Shag Club Hall of Fame
• Shag--The Reel Thing
• reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 12, June 1988

• Kruzin' for A Hit (the Kruze Band)
• Raleigh & Florence Shag Contests
• Shaggin' On the Shoreline
• The 60s Sound of College Beach
• What is Beach Music?
• Shag Club Directory
• reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 13, July 1988

• The Embers
• Looka' Here Safronia--the Shad and Brenda Story
• News from the Atlanta Peach Beat
• Mallards of Columbia SC
• Beach Music News
• Shag Instructors Guide
• Shelby Shag Club
• reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 14, August 1988

• The Catalinas
• Shag Hawaii '88
• Shorelines with Ric Shore
• Cloud Shaggin at Beech Mountain
• Flamingo Joes in Atlanta
• Harry Turner Presents the Originals
• Charlotte Shag Club's July 4th
• Salisbury Shag Club
• DJ reports
• reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 15, September 1988

• S.O.S. IX (the Society of Stranders Ninth Fall Migration)
• Shagging in Sumter (SC)
• Club Hoppin' with Alfie
• Summer Shag Explosion
• Harry Turner Presents the Originals
• A Shag Daddy Is Born
• The Chelsea Shag Contest to London
• Record reviews, club reports, and charts

Vol 2 # 16, October 1988

• Hats off to the Tams
• Junior Shag Team
• Club Hoppin' with Alfie
• Harry Turner Presents the Originals
• Shorelines
• Record reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 17, November 1988

• Maurice Williams--A Class Act
• ShagTime (the band from Orangeburg, SC)
• Charlotte Shag Club Fall Flashback
• the Class of Carolina
• Harry Turner's Originals
• Kehr-Olina Class
• Shag the Movie and Shag Jr-The Actors
• Events calendars, record reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 18, December 1988

• Steve Jarrell & the Sons of the Beach
• Club Hoppin'
• King Records Story
• Beach Music Awards 1988
• Record reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 19, January 1989

• Shag Lessons in the Carolinas
• Weejuns (the Club in Irmo, SC)
• Dink Perry & the Breeze Band
• Where Were You....
• Caribbean Christmas Cruising (and Shaggin', of course)
• Beach Music Awards III
• Autumnfest '88
• Record Reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 20, February 1989

• Romancin' the Dance
• A Menage of Memories
• Are You Bi-Footal?
• Harry Turner Originals
• All the World's A Stage
• S.P.A. Results
• Record Reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 21, March-April 1989

• Kehr-Olina Class (tons and tons of Shag clubs news and events)
• Denise LaSalle: If You Can't Do Me Right....
• Fast Eddie
• Shaggin' at East Davidson High
• The Poor Souls
• Club Hoppin'
• Polo's $6,000 Shag-Off
• Record Reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 22, June 1989 (NEVER PUBLISHED!!!)

• Available in loose leaf xerox only--$ 14.95)
• Clifford Curry'd Soul (the Clifford Curry Story and Discography)
• Piedmont Shag Association
• Jacksonville Fla Beach Bop Association
• Richmond Shag Club
• Mountain Shag Club
• Lake Tillery Shag Club
• Burlington Shag Club
• Statesville Shag Club
• Columbia Shag Club
• Charleston Shag Club
• Shaggers United of Lexington
• Spring Safari--S.O.S.
• Tams Banned in Australia!
• Florence Shag Club
• Directions for the Hottest New Line Dance
• Nostalgia--New Band on the Way Up
• Club Hoppin'
• Jukin' with Mr. Mike
• Band listings
• Record Reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 4, August 1989

• Shag Club News
• Band listings
• Notables and Quoteables
• Clifford Curry
• Chuck Jackson
• Record reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 5, September/October 1989

• The Bwana of Bop
• On the Road with O.C. (Smith)
• Love In Four-Four Time
• The Bus Stop (Line Dance)
• Shag Etiquette
• Nostalgia-A New Band
• Snakebusters
• Club Hoppin'
• Record reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 24, November 1989

• SOS '89
• Blues U Can Use
• Shoreline
• Music History through the Eyes of Denise LaSalle
• Tommy Plyler (x-Catalina)--If You Keep It Light You Got It Made
• Record reviews and charts

Vol 2 # 25, December 1989

• J.D. Cash (Triple Shot of Rhythm & Blues)
• Class of Carolina
• Shag Club News
• Hornet Mania
• Record reviews and charts

Vol 3 # 26, January 1990

• Shag Legend--Ellen Taylor
• The Clovers Story
• Jr. Shaggers
• Foothills Winter Boogie
• Shag Club News
• Frankie Sea
• Romancin' the Dance
• Record reviews and charts

Vol 3 # 27, February 1990

• Carolina Class Gallery
• Sammy O'Banion Story
• The Redcoats Story (Roanoke, VA)
• Lake Wiley Shag Club
• Best of the Eighties
• Shag Club News
• Record reviews and charts

Vol 3 # 28, April 1990

• Live from S.O.S.
• Shag Club News
• Break Out the Butter, Mama, He's Hot Tonight
• Boogie = EMC2
• Beach Music? What's That!
• The Best Out of Me-The Charles Wallert Story (writer/producer of Beach Classic: "Brenda")
• National Shag Championships
• Rufus Wactor--Hall of Fame Shagger
• Record reviews and charts

Vol 3 # 29, May 1990

• Chuck Jackson: "Where I Want to Be"
• The Atlanta Connection
• 'Fessa Hook Profile
• Tom Wicker and "Johnny Dollars" (the legendary club)
• and all the other features you expect

Vol 3 # 30, June 1990

• Conversation with the Platters
• Lloyd Price: Security Didn't Come Easy
• The Tams: Which is Which
• The Pad (at Ocean Drive since 1954)
• Sandra Schwartz--Hall of Fame Shagger
• Record reviews and charts

Vol 3 # 31, July 1990

• Barker Family- A Musical Tradition (leading to the Embers, Catalinas etc)
• Coolin' Out--New Group
• Norfleet Jones--Legendary Shagger
• S.P.A. (Shaggers Preservation Association) Update
• Burling Shag Club 5th Anniversary
• Record reviews, charts etc
  

.....and that was the end of Carolina Class magazine, but not the end of Beach Music and Shag history: see the Dancing On the Edge and Rhythm 'n Beach News page...!