Six Piece Suits Thrust Into Beach Music Scene Thanks to Deb Browning (SNS week of 10/9/2022)

 Each region has its own music, musicians and overall vibe.    I've often talked about the "Jersey Sound", be it at the Shore, or other scenes within the state, such as the one in Jersey City, and even out where I live in the northwestern portion of the state.    But the same holds true for probably every other region of this country.    

Some of it becomes the rage and very popular.    In the late 1960's, of course there was San Francisco.  Detroit was the home of both rock 'n' roll and the soul music of Motown.   New York in the 1970's served as the punk scene, while Seattle hosted the grunge explosion in the early 1990's.    And, while those places are well known for that, there are countless numbers of musical acts and regions that have perhaps more obscure scenes.

Pensacola, Florida's Six Piece Suits have recorded a second duet with Deb Browning, "It Don't Get Better Than This", the Top Debut this week.

Much of this year has seen the invasion of Carolina beach music on my chart, a genre rooted decades ago but is still going strong.    And while the Grand Strand has its great community of bands and solo artists, it's very welcoming of any "newcomers" to the scene.      

Perhaps Pensacola, Florida isn't exactly the Carolina Coast, but bands thrive in that area as well.     One of the popular bands from that region, The Six Piece Suits have done okay for themselves, playing many gigs in the Panhandle and Alabama areas, and even releasing music.     But it wasn't until one of the members, Nicky Hooks, who was in the Myrtle Beach area, was introduced to the CBMA "Rising Star" of 2021, Deb Browning that perhaps resulted in a "big break" of sorts over there on the Carolina coast.    

But Nicky Hooks already had a "connection" of sorts.   His brother Mike, also performs and has a big beach music (and blog) hit.    You might know him as "Rev. Bubba D. Liverance", who with his band, The Cornhole Prophets, sits at #8 here with "In My '64", so Nicky is very familiar with the scene.    But, in an interview with Jim Quick, who doubles as a DJ on 94.1 The Surf as well as heading his own band, Coastline, with Ms. Browning and two other Suits, he was introduced to Deb, then months later contacted her about doing a duet together.    

Earlier this year, that came to fruition as Deb flew down to Florida to record "Take Me By the Hand".   Needless to say, that collaboration was a huge hit, topping many beach music lists as well as being the first song to hit #1 here on SNS since I started following the beach music scene in 2018.   If the year ended right now, it would be my #1 song of the year.

The success of that collaboration has now resulted in another duet with Ms. Browning, "It Don't Get Better Than This", as Deb once again traveled down to Florida for the recording.    The song debuted this week, and three of the Suits---bassist Nicky Hooks, his son Kyle, who fronts the band and plays lead guitar, as well as saxophonist Michael Lett joined Deb in the studio with Jim Quick, and to promote the new song.    Before the three Suits returned to their home state, Quick encouraged them to come back up to the area once more, as the two songs with Deb have really caught on with the shag crowd.

This week, "It Don't Get Better Than This" is the Top Debut at #57 on this week's Scenes 'n' Soundwaves 100.

With the Nicky and Mike Hooks connection, it put the two brothers in an exclusive club, as they are only the third pair of siblings to hit my top 20 in separate configurations.     Before Leila and Omnia Hegazy formed the duo Hegazy, they both charted separately.    Also, Christina Alessi has made the top ten both solo and with her band The Toll Collectors, while her brother Phil Alessi got to #19 with his band Dark Sacrament.    With the #8 showing of Bubba D. Liverance to go along with the #1 "Take Me By the Hand", Nicky Hooks is in that elite circle now.

TO THE CHARTS:   Despite five beach music songs in the top eight again this week, The Black Keys hold at #1 for a second week with "It Ain't Over", while Steve Lacy, with the #1 record on Billboard for a second week, moves 3-2 with "Bad Habit".   The Carolina Dreamers advance 5-3 with "Hey Girl Hey Boy", while the Carolina Blue Dots former #1 "Cruzin' Down the Boulevard" drops to #4.    West Coast singer songwriter Juliet Callahan advances 6-5 with "Burning", followed by three more beach music songs, Starbuck's "You're the Reason" (7-6) and the former number one "The Thing About You" by Carolina Coast Band featuring Rhonda McDaniel.  Rev. Bubba D. Liverance, Off Guard, and Ellie Goulding finish the top 10 this week, with the latter garnering her first top 10 since her #1 "Lights" almost 11 years ago.   

New in the top 20 include the Impact winner Santigold, with "High Priestess", her second blog top 20, following 2016's "Can't Get Enough of Myself", followed right behind by Steve Shouse's "Back to '69", which enters the leader of Einstein's Dad onto the list of artists, who have hit the top 20 both solo and with a band.  Speaking of such, Orbis Max garners its second top 20, with "Elvis Has Left the Building".   The song, which features Tim Izzard, joins his solo "The Night I Played Ziggy's Guitar" (#14) in the top 20 this week.

Rick Strickland's "You're the One for Me", last week's Top Debut, grabs the Mover of the Week honors with a 61-31 rise.    Both Rick and his bandmate Lesa Hudson, who as I mentioned last week have their own Facebook Live show, were also guests last week with Danny Kimrey who is a DJ on the Beach Trip Radio internet station, on Kimrey's "Mid-Morning Coffee Break" show, again to promote not just Stickland's new song, but to featuring some of his prior stuff as well as Ms. Hudson's.    It appears that the two leaders of Rick's band plan on more new music and an album and perhaps a collaboration between the two of them.   Stay tuned.

I also want to thank Danny for the shoutout last week when I had tuned in to his show.    You definitely need to check out his weekday show, "Mid-Morning Coffee Break" from 9 to 12 every morning, as well as his "Saturday Morning Wake-Up Show" from 8 to 12.     He plays a wide variety of vintage music and not just by beach music artists.   Many of the songs were obscure back in the day so there is music variety to what he plays.    He is on beachtripradio.com. 

As mentioned earlier, "It's Don't Get Better Than This" leads the debuts at #57.    I'm not sure who actually gets top billing, the Suits or Deb; it seems to vary depending on which chart it appears, as was the case with "Take Me By the Hand".  I had listed Deb first but will change it accordingly.  Regardless, this is a very flavorful song, and the Suits' stamp is all over it, with Kyle trading vocals and verses with Deb.   It's a very upbeat, good time feel song, punctuated by the horn and sax work.    Another winner from this cool combination.

Other newbies this week are British indie rockers Wet Leg's "Wet Dream", following up "Chaise Lounge" with a rhythmic indie vibe; The Weeknd, whose "Blinding Lights" is the all-time #1 record on Billboard but whose longevity record of 90 weeks which was tied this week by Glass Animals' "Heat Waves", returns with "Die For You", another flavorful pop record.   Barns Courtney, another from across the pond, delivers "Supernatural"; his "Fire" reached #12 in 2016.   Following the addition of Morgan Wallen and Cole Swindell last week, Luke Combs debuts with "The Kind of Love We Make". The song topped the Country charts; this is his second song on SNS following 2017's 'When It Rains, It Pours".

A couple weeks back, I got an email from someone named Traci, inviting me to check out "Shama Lama Ding Dong" by Scooter Lee.      The song was originally made famous in 1978 (although it has that 50's vibe) by the fictional Otis Day & the Knights from the movie Animal House.     It was a beach music hit by Band of Oz in 1995 and Ms. Lee does a very good job in the remake.   It hasn't been on any beach music lists as of yet, but it would fit right in.

Also added this week is the latest by Rex Orange County, "Threat", added perhaps because of Colorjoy's excellent cover of his "Loving is Easy"; and Phoenix, featuring Ezra Koenig, with "Tonight", which show top the prior "Alpha Zulu".

Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist

October 9, 2022 (Week ending October 15)

This Week	Last Week	ARTIST-Title	Weeks on List
1	1	NUMBER ONE: THE BLACK KEYS "It Ain't Over"● Album: Dropout Boogie (2 weeks at #1)	15
2	3	Steve Lacy - Bad Habit	6
3	5	Carolina Dreamers - Hey Girl Hey Boy	5
4	2	Carolina Blue Dots - Cruzin' Down the Boulevard●	8
5	6	Juliet Callahan - Burning	8
6	7	Starbuck -You're the Reason	5
7	4	Carolina Coast Band ft Rhonda McDaniel - The Thing About You●	16
8	8	Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the Cornhole Prophets - In My '64	15
9	9	Øff Guard - B.L.U.	10
10	12	Ellie Goulding ft Big Sean - Easy Lover	9
11	15	OneRepublic - I Ain't Worried	8
12	13	Isn't It Always - Rock Star	12
13	11	Deb Browning - 3 More Minutes●	22
14	14	Tim Izzard - The Night I Played Ziggy's Guitar	15
15	19	Doyle Wood and Sylvia Johns Ritchie - Not Tonight (I Have a Heartche)	6
16	23	TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK: SANTIGOLD "High Priestess" Album: Spirituals	6
17	28	Steve Shouse - Back to 69	5
18	10	Harry Styles - As It Was●	26
19	17	Lesa Hudson - Breathless●	22
20	24	Orbis Max with Tim Izzard - Elvis Has Left the Building	8
21	16	King Tappa - Are You Feeling It?	11
22	34	Weezer - Records	8
23	21	Foals - 2am	17
24	33	Michigander - Stay Out of It	10
25	44	Jennifer Cintron - Run	4
26	26	David F. Porfirio - Hathor	11
27	18	Metric - All Comes Crashing	16
28	25	Main Event Band ft Sharon Woodruff - Poor Side of Town	19
29	20	Harry Styles - Late Night Talking	12
30	38	Gizmo Varillas - Lonely Heart	7
31	61	MOVER OF THE WEEK: RICK STRICKLAND "You're the One For Me" (Single Only)	2
32	22	Beyonce - Break My Soul	9
33	32	Rick Strickland - Sandy	18
34	27	The Tonez - Me and My Music	18
35	31	Main Event Band ft Sharon Woodruff - Hello Stranger	20
36	39	Soak - Swear Jar	9
37	45	beebadoobie - The Perfect Pair	5
38	40	Sia - Unstoppable	22
39	41	Nick Waterhouse - Monterey	7
40	30	The AZIZ Project - Thought I Was Falling In Love	13
41	29	O.A.R. - In the Clouds	14
42	35	Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot - Any Other Love	14
43	37	Salt Luvs Pepper ft David Cornelius - Lovin' Arms	19
44	47	Elton John and Britney Spears -Hold Me Closer	4
45	36	Einstein's Dad - White Shoulders Lace and Leather	14
46	57	Fitz and the Tantrums - Moneymaker	3
47	53	Panic! At the Disco - Don't Let the Light Go Out	4
48	50	Deb Browning and  Six Piece Suits - Take Me By The Hand▲	29
49	56	Ryan Chatelain - Static	4
50	42	Lizzo - About Damn Time	18
51	51	Lizzo - 2 Be Loved	6
52	55	The AZIZ Project - Time to Forget You Again	5
53	63	Red Hot Chili Peppers - Tippa My Tongue	5
54	66	Jim Quick and Coastline - Sadie Mae	3
55	64	Lovelytheband - Sail Away	4
56	65	Sam Hunt - 23	21
57	---	TOP DEBUT: DEB BROWNING and SIX PIECE SUITS "It Don't Get Better Than This" (Single Only)	1
58	43	Jimmy Eat World  -Something Loud	13
59	68	Randy Clay Band - Carolina Night	4
60	70	Alvvays - Easy On Your Own	3
61	62	The Killers - Boy	8
62	69	Orbis Max with Tim Izzard and  Martin Holt - Infatuated With Your Love	3
63	58	Curtis Harding ft Jazmine Sullivan - Our Love	11
64	46	Maneskin - Supermodel	19
65	60	Beaches - Grow Up Tomorrow	6
66	54	Wayne Free - Tequila On Ice	17
67	78	Blake Shelton - No Body	3
68	48	Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill	17
69	52	Halsey - So Good	15
70	72	The Blue Stones - What's It Take to Be Happy	3
71	49	The Regrettes - Barely On My Mind	15
72	71	Caamp - The Otter	5
73	73	Classic Soul ft. Terri Gore - Oh Boy	7
74	80	David F. Porfirio - Random Stranger	3
75	74	Death Cab For Cutie- Here To Forever	7
76	59	Vance Joy - Clarity	24
77	77	Alvvays - Pharmacist	9
78	85	The Struts - Fallin' With Me	2
79	86	Morgan Wallen - You Proof	2
80	---	Wet Leg - Wet Dream	1
81	---	The Weeknd - Die For You	1
82	87	Jimmy Hall - Jumpin' For Joy	2
83	82	Broken Bells - Saturdays	3
84	---	Barns Courtney - Supernatural	1
85	67	Fitz and the Tantrums - Sway	16
86	92	Cole Swindell - She Had Me at Heads Carolina	2
87	75	Sammy O'Banion - When Romance Was King	13
88	79	Goo Goo Dolls - You Are the Answer	6
89	81	Jerry Powell and The Carnival Band  ft. Dave Sandy - Merry-Go-Round●	21
90	---	Luke Combs - The Kind of Love We Make	1
91	---	Scooter Lee - Shamalama Ding Dong	1
92	76	Doyle Wood and Sylvia Johns Ritchie - Days of Sandy Toes and Salty Kisses	7
93	94	The Backseat Lovers - Growing/Dying	2
94	---	Rex Orange County - Threat	1
95	84	Curtis Harding - I Won't Let You Down●	26
96	---	Phoenix ft Ezra Koenig - Tonight	1
97	83	Cat5 Band - Want You In My Life	16
98	91	OneRepublic - West Coast	13
99	Re-entry	Too Much Sylvia - That You Hear In a Song	6
100	90	My Morning Jacket - In Color●	25

Songs with the greatest increase in favorite points over the prior week.   ● Songs with 25 or more plays on iTunes/iPods ▲   Songs with 50 or more plays.