Matt The Cat spent the better part of the last decade howlin’ nightly to a national audience over XM Satellite Radio’s 50s channel. On weeknight The Night Prowl Show with Matt The Cat took radio listeners prowling around the back alleys of early rock n’ roll and rhythm and blues. Matt interviewed and profiled such rock n’ roll legends as Lloyd Price, Aaron Neville, Big Jay McNeely, Dale Hawkins, Earl “Speedo” Carroll of The Cadillacs. Also Earl Lewis of the Channels, Pookie Hudson of The Spaniels, Sonny Burgess, Johnny Maestro and rockabilly guitar king James Burton just to name a few. Matt’s focus on doo wop, R&B, rockabilly and early rock n’ roll is unmatched on American radio today. He delivers the “story behind the story” on the hits that enthusiasts remember and the rarities that should have been hits.
Matt The Cat has spent the last 20 years in radio, beginning at the tender age of 13 when his career began, hosting an Oldies radio show on the little 710 watts community radio station WBMT in Boxford, MA. He attended Emerson College in Boston, where he hosted a weekly classic soul music show called “The Soul Bucket.” It was there he interviewed the legendary Peter Wolf of the J. Geils Band. Others included Barrence Whitfiled, Bernie Worell, Walter “Wolfman” Washington, Luther Guitar Jr. Johnson, and Otis Clay.
Matt The Cat arrived at XM Satellite just before the historic launch of the nation’s first satellite radio company in June of 2001. Matt’s “Night Prowl Show” was the only live, national call-in request show of its kind to focus on the hits. Including the deep tracks that so many early rock n’ roll fans long for. In 2002, Matt The Cat began hosting a weekly R&B show called “Harlem.” He featured the soul that came before rock n’ roll and focused on post WWII rhythm and blues the music that shaped rock n’ roll. Music historian and singer and songwriter Billy Vera often appeared on the show to offer insight on such topics as West Coast doo wop and R&B. Other topics often included were vocal groups with bird names and the history of iconic record labels. Matt became the Music Director of the 50s channel to his duties in 2004 and he continued to host “Harlem” and “The Night Prowl Show” until October of 2008.
Matt The Cat currently hosts a weekly syndicated rhythm and blues show called the “Juke In The Back,” which airs on both public and commercial radio stations nationally. Matt also hosts a podcast called “The Friday Night Cat Fight” at www.fridaynightcatfight.com
I began listening to R&B and Doo Wop at an early age and fell in love with it. That love of music began my hobby of collecting vinyl. My show is called “Randy Sting’s Shag Dance Party”. My platform for my radio show includes 50’s, 60‘s R&B, Doo Wop as well as a few throw ins. Join me Tuesday nights as we will turn the hands of time and play some great music!
Originally from Fredericksburg, Va., Jim now resides in North Myrtle Beach, SC.
Jim has been interested and involved in music since the 60’s, spinning his first vinyl record for a party in 1968 and playing in a few bands. Collecting vinyl and DJ’n is a passion for Jim. He loves to play the music and make people happy. Jim has played in every club on Main Street in North Myrtle. You’ll find him now at Ducks during SOS’s. He also plays at shag club events from Virginia down to Florida. Jim’s show, “The Rhythm of the Beach” is a collection of old and new favorites ranging from the 1940’s up to some of today’s hits with emphasis on Soul and Rhythm & Blues. Some of the past shows have included Rat Pack Afternoon, Strictly Northern Soul, Tribute to The Boulevard Grill, Tribute to The Bushes, Tribute to the Jolly Knave and a Smoothies show. Tune in every Tuesday night for some of the best shag music around!
Been a dj for about twenty years now. Have had a weekly radio beach & shag music show for almost eleven years, with previous weekday show on internet station. When it’s just my playlist, I like to play the “good stuff”, which is real shag dance music. Tunes are selected to get the shagger up and dancing!!
Since he was 7 years old, PJ has been fascinated by 50’s Doo Wop Music. His fascination soon turned into passion and a burning desire to preserve and present Doo Wop Music for the masses, for the ages. PJ does his best to bring you the hits you love, b-sides, rare tunes and awesome unreleased songs while maintaining a low key, informative presence while keeping chit-chat to a minimum.
Lynn “Bone” King from Rockingham,NC
Worked with 77 WLWL Radio…the 11 Time Cammy Award Winning Radio Station in Rockingham for 16 years…Also enjoy playing for ten Shag Clubs
Bringing you the Best in Old R&B..Smoothies and Good Ol Soul Shag…
John Hook is a dedicated fan of Beach and Shag music. His first foray into Beach Music radio programming was with WIST in Charlotte in 1976, followed by ever bigger stations and commitment to his lifelong love of Beach Music. Hook is a member of the DJ Hall of Fame, the Beach Music Radio DJ Hall of Fame, publisher and editor of a variety of magazines dedicated to Beach culture including It Will Stand, Carolina Class, and Dancing on the Edge. His body of work now boasts ten books on Beach and Shag history beginning with Shaggin’ in the Carolinas in 2006. On the radio track he was named Billboard magazine’s Program Director of the Year for his unique blend of Beach Music and Adult Contemporary music in 1984. As an independent broadcaster he has syndicated eight different shows on over a hundred radio stations, along with the Endless Summer Network over the Internet in the 2000s, and a satellite Beach Music program which covered 2/3 of Europe. He currently syndicates the Beach Music Top 40 Countdown, the Roadhouse Blues, Boogie and Fish Fry, the Beach Music Class Reunion and the Red Hot Rockabilly Show.
And The Winners For The Beach Music ‘Top 40’ of 2019 Are…
‘Fessa John Hook’ received the prestigious “Order of the Long Leaf Pine” award from the State of NC, presented to him at the 2019 CBMA and signed by Governor Roy Cooper
Growing up in the Piedmont of North Carolina as a young teenager, it was the Rhythmic sounds of the early sixties R&B that captured Kyle’s heart and soul. In his hometown of Cherryville, Kyle, like almost every other kid in the neighborhood, tried his hand playing guitar and singing with several small bands but gave that dream up early on. It was with awe that he watched other local bands like the Shakers, The Catalina’s , The Attractions and others. At some point we called them “Beach Bands” Kyle was part of a new culture emerging in the Carolina’s where they claimed national tunes, performed by national artist as their own music, Carolina Beach Music. Places like “The Cellar”, “Park Center” and “The Purple Penguin” were local venues hosting local Beach Bands as well as some National Artist that solidified a love and passion of this music in his soul.
In 2002 after marrying in 1969, raising and educating two boys, Kyle had the opportunity to do his own Beach Show at WSGE 91.7 in Dallas, N.C. Starting with just a couple hours on Saturday afternoon quickly evolved into a 4 hour Friday night show that played a major role in the revival of Beach Music in the Charlotte area . Kyle’s passion to preserve the music he loved and his quest to revive the music, served his show with the name of “The Friday Night Beach Music Revival” At some point his wife Jan commented on his “On Air” enthusiasm, that he should be called “The Right Reverend of Beach Music”. The moniker stuck and today this show continues to air live on 91.7 every Friday Night. The show is now streamed live world wide from the studio.
For the past 5 years Kyle has hosted his radio show, produced a 24/7 show online with Live 365. He has written numerous articles for several Beach Music publications and contributed to several published charts. He has been the host for Beach Band Performances in the Carolinas and was recently nominated in Gaston County for “Volunteer of The Year” due to his efforts and volunteer work at WSGE which is a public radio station.
He has been most influenced in radio by John “Fessa” Hook as he called him for many years, The Voice of Beach Music.
Kyle also decided in 2002 to become a Beach and Shag mobile DJ. Since then he has played numerous Annual parties for different Shag Clubs in the Southeast as well as monthly parties locally in the Charlotte area. He has played all of the Commercial Shag venues in Charlotte as well as most all of the clubs during SOS at Ocean Drive, SC
My interest in music began at an early age. Growing up in Raleigh, NC, we were lucky to have stations such as WKIX and WYNA. They flooded the airwaves with soul and local music. I used to go to Arlens and buy a grab bag of records for 5 bucks. I think you would get 10 45’s. That was around 1965. Since then I have collected almost continuously. My favorite music being Jump Blues from the 50’s and 60’s Northern Soul. I have been a club DJ for 31 years, having spent the majority of those at DUCK’s in Ocean Drive, SC. I am one of 13 founding members of the Association of Beach and Shag Club DJ’s. I have served as President 8 times and I have served as a board member the other years. I was inducted into the Beach DJ Hall of Fame in 1995. I have Co-Chaired DJ Throwdown, held every year at Ducks Beach Club and received a CMBA award in 2013 for promoting local beach music. I hope you enjoy both of my shows. Cat Scratchin’ which emphasizes Jump Blues , both single artists as well as Group Vocal and The Northern Side of Soul which chisels out the popcorn side of Northern Soul.
I have been in the music business as an entertainer, song writer, recording artist for over 50 years. I have performed with some of my favorite all time performers i.e.; Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Temptations, Four Tops, James Brown, Harvey Fuqua, Drifters, Eddie Holman, Tymes and the list goes on. I have been on radio for about 25 years…WWSW, WZUM, WJAS in Pittsburgh, KDKA Talk Radio in Pittsburgh and of coarse several years on the Carolina Breeze. Although I like a lot of music my favorite sounds are the soul sounds of the early to late 60’s and the R&B they learned from.
