I've talked about it, I've written about it on my blog countless times, especially in the past year or so, but in a sense, I actually got a taste of it last week when my wife Barbara and I headed down to visit friends who live in Ocean Isle Beach, NC. We've been there before, 2019 to be exact, and probably would have been back sooner if not for the pandemic.
Ocean Isle Beach is in the southern tip of North Carolina, but just a stones throw from North Myrtle Beach South Carolina, which is to Carolina beach music as country music is to Nashville. I have fantasized about that area often when listening to music of that genre which actually dates back seventy-five years or so.
I actually had been to Myrtle Beach back in 1982 during a road trip. That resort area is noted for it's boardwalk, amusements, and the numerous golf courses, one which I actually played. I also visited a night club (don't tell me which one, I can't remember), but it was standard rock fare, but with an occasional beach music song thrown in, notably "More Than Just a Number in by Little Red Book", which I think was by The Embers. Three years later, I went to the Outer Banks, Nags Head. No beach music at the clubs, but I remember a juke box in an arcade on the pier that was loaded with beach music on it.
But they weren't North Myrtle Beach (as I recent found out, it's THAT town, not Myrtle Beach itself, is brimming with shag music and home to many of the artists that perform it). And while the genre is rooted in namely R&B music from the 1950's to the seventies, there is still an active community that is keeping the music alive.
We stayed with our friends Ruth and Rick Walton, originally from upstate New York (Ruth had worked with my wife when she lived there), but have been down in the Tarheel State for over 30 years, first in Raleigh, then Wendell, and for the last five years, Ocean Isle, about five miles or so from the Atlantic
When we were there in 2019, I had wondered about beach music, whether Ruth and Rick knew about it, and apparently, they did, taking shag lessons (The Shag is a slowed-down version of the jitterbug, which had been the main dance associated with beach music).
After one night in Richmond VA, visiting our friend Emily in the cool Church Hill section of that town, we arrived at Ruth and Rick's Thursday afternoon, April 6, spending some time at a beach house with a great view of the pier, which is technically Sunset Beach (The community they live in owns this beach house, open to all who live in that community).
 |
| Yours truly (center), flanked by Deb Browning (L) and Marlisa Kay Small. Deb and Marlisa performed at the American Legion Hall in Little River SC, during our trip to visit friends in nearby Ocean Isle Beach NC. |
But it was Friday, April 6 that would be the highlight of my trip. Rick had rented a boat in North Myrtle Beach, along the waterway. The weather, as was the prior two days, very summerlike, with the temperatures approaching ninety degrees. This is the "waterfront" of sorts that affords views of the many restaurants and clubs of North Myrtle (or more accurately, the other way around). We passed, or were in the area of places like Patio's, The Mariner's Club and several others. We had lunch at a place called Lulu's, which is owned by Lucy Buffett, the sister of Jimmy Buffett. We were listening to a couple of radio stations along the way: "Carolina Gold 106.3" out of Wilmington which is a general oldies stations (and got to hear Pat Gwinn's show), but occasionally, he'd tune into 94.9 "The Surf", which plays beach music 24/7, including Jim Quick's show.
The pinnacle of the trip took place that evening at the American Legion Hall in Little River SC, as we caught Deb Browning and Marisa Kay Small who were performing there. We had just missed, by a day, their gig at Patio's, which because of the summer weather, played outside for the first time this year. Regular readers of this blog will know all about Ms. Browning, who has taken the beach music world by storm the last four years. As we entered, we saw her and Marlisa setting up. We had told Ruth and Rick last year about Deb, and they were the ones who told us when she would be playing and thus we planned this evening.
Well, Deb and I didn't need any introduction; she knew who I was, and, if nobody believed it when I said she was down to earth and very talented, well, meeting her in person confirmed it. She looked great, and she also got to meet Ruth, Rick and my wife Barbara, and they all became fans as well. And I also got to meet Marlisa as well, and any superlative you can think of when describing Deb, also applies to Marlisa. I also have talked about her in recent weeks.
As much as they are awesome people, their talent is also endless. Both of them were performing many beach music classics, and Deb was exceptional when it came to her own beach hits. "Stop Messin' with My Man", "3 More Minutes", and her newest (now number one) "Think I Found Forever" were sung to a "T" by Deb. Before performing "3 More Minutes", which was my #1 song of 2022,, she introduced me to the crowd, the ultimate in shout-outs. Marlisa's talents are also endless as well. She alternated vocals with Deb on many beach classics.
Both Deb and Marlisa had participated in the 14-piece ensemble of women on the charity single "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)", and Marlisa sang that one, as well as other of her noted songs, including a great performance of "This Man of Mine".
I am so fortunate to have met these two talented ladies. Both, as cancer survivors, had been through so much to get to this point. It was definitely a night to remember. For those in that area who wish to check out Deb and Marlisa, they will return to the American Legion Hall on May 12, Patio's in North Myrtle Beach on April 20 and May 25, Buoys on April 3 and May 21, and Segrue's on April 27.
Our third day, Saturday April 8 was in sharp contrast to the prior day as it turned cold with rain much of the day, but we hoped to catch another key beach act. But first, we headed to the legendary Fat Harolds Bar in North Myrtle Beach. Deb Browning shot the video recently for "Think I Found Forever" but for decades this was the key shag nightclub to go to. I actually got the chills when I walked inside. There was a Deejay Hall of Fame wall and other "Keepers of the Dance". There were couples on the dance floor practicing their shagging for a competition that evening. Also, there was a vintage jukebox and, on the walls, various shagging clubs including one from Marlton NJ. We had a drink at the bar there as we took it all in.
From there it was on to the Duplin Winery. Once again, I was excited as Rick Strickland and Lesa Hudson, both from The Rick Strickland Band, but performing as a duet, was to play on the outside deck of the winery. Shortly before we left to go out, I had tuned in to 94.9 The Surf just in time to check "Got It Right (The First Time)" return to the top spot on their weekly countdown. The song, which also hit #1 on my blog chart for five weeks recently, whet my appetite. Incidentally, when I listened to The Surf, I didn't hear any current hits except for the countdown, but obviously I didn't listen enough. DJ Jay Kinlaw, at the conclusion of the countdown, stressed that these artists should be supported and have done their part in keeping beach music alive and well to the current day, and to go out and support their gigs.
But as it turned out, the cold and nasty weather did them in. At first, Rick and Lesa were going to move indoors but then canceled the performance. But the four of us got to at least sample some wine amidst my disappointment. They will be performing on April 16 at Deckerz, and two days later will perform at the North Myrtle Beach Area Historical Museum to celebrate the launch of their new CD, Power of Two. The CD will include "Got It Right...", as well as Lesa's blog hits "Sunny Days" and "Breathless", and Rick's #1 blog hit "You're The One For Me" as well as his "Sandy" and "Dream Come True" hits. There will also be some newly recorded tunes for the CD.
We also missed, by a matter of a couple of days, Christina Black who appeared at Patio's, and at the Marina Bar and Grill just two days before we arrived. Finally, The Main Event Band, featuring Sharon Woodruff will perform at the Spanish Galleon on April 21.
By comparison, our final two days were rather quiet as we checked out a few areas of Ocean Isle Beach and went out on the fishing pier on our final day. A stop at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware for two days on the way back north rounded out our trip. A big thanks to our friends Ruth and Rick for hosting us last week!
One place I didn't get to check out was the legendary OG Pavilion on the beach in North Myrtle, but that, as well as checking out beach music is a catalyst to get me back down there really soon.
CHART ACTION: As you might expect, much of the beach music songs made big moves this week on the SNS 100, but music across the board continued to be awesome, and the list of debuts is again top-notch. Deb Browning notches her fifth straight #1 with "Think I Found Forever", which makes one of the biggest gains on the chart to have a comfortable lead at #1. The song, just starting to permeate the beach charts in the region makes the leap from 3 to 1 after only five weeks.
Ms. Browning's streak of five number ones is the second such longest streak, behind both Fitz and the Tantrums and ScreenAge, which amassed six straight. Two of Deb's songs were with The Six Piece Suits, and one was from her Christmas CD, that being "Here Comes Amazon". I'm not counting her two other songs that charted here as "Amazon" was the emphasis track from the set.
"..Forever" drops the still bulleted Say She She's "In My Head" out of the top spot to #2. Arlo Parks' "Weightless" still gains but it's pushed back to #3. Colorjoy's "Golden Age" and "Beautiful People" also gain big but are unable to advance. Rick and Lesa's "Got It Right" a former #1, resurges and moves back a notch to #5, switching places with Rev Bubba D. Liverance's "Ti Ta Ti Ta Ti Ta Ta". Devon Gilfillian's "All I Really Wanna Do" moves 9-8, and Tim Izzard grabs his first solo top 10 since "Glam Rock Star" as "Walk the Walk" moves 13-9. Miley Cyrus' "Flowers", a former Billboard Hot 100 and blog #1 rounds out the top echelon at #10.
In the second ten, The Ladies of Beach Music make a big gain from 27-11 with "The Shoop Shoop Song" to nab Impact honors; Goldie Boutilier's "Cowboy Gangster Politician" also make a good move, 18-12. Thanks to hearing the song when we were in Richmond visiting a friend, Depeche Mode's "Ghosts Again" moves 25-16. The Browning blitz continues as her Six Piece Suits duet "It Don't Get Better Than This", still #1 on some charts and top three on others, in spite of topping my blog list way back in November, resurges 17-14 here. I also want to mention that "3 More Minutes" also resurges from 68 to 47 in its 44th chart week. Her "Stop Messing With My Man" had amassed 49 total weeks in two chart runs, and "Minutes" is approaching that mark. The Arcs' "Keep On Dreamin'" (64-36) garners the Mover of the Week honor.
NEW AND NOTEWORTHY: This is one of the strongest set of debuts in recent memory, and it's led by "Anyway" by Marlisa Kay Small, her first blog entry. The song was recorded at Mickey's Place, a recording studio in the area. One listen to this awesome ballad and WOW!!! The voice is sort of a cross between Melissa Manchester, Lauren Daigle and throw in a little bit of Celine Dion. This is so much a powerful recording that stirs the emotions. Marlisa will soon challenge her singing partner Deb for the top spot, in my opinion. Awesome job. Marlisa is still in the studio cutting new material with Tim Sidden producing.
Next is "Drops of Honey", the third release from the upcoming Colorjoy album Golden Age. Mixing their alt-pop base with the best of the singer-songwriter genre, it's a bit mellower from Emily and Sam's previous work, but still has that commercial flair, and with many listens will grow on you. While it seems that Colorjoy is swimming against the beach music tide, they are stronger than ever.as evidenced by the harmonies towards the end of the songs. The Stephen DeAcutis production is still top-notch.
Next is Juliet Callahan's "Depth of Soul". Billed as a return to alternative a la her #1 "Burning", it's actually a rather haunting song combining the sparseness of her recent "Spotlight" in the verses to a strong alt-rock presence in the choruses, similar to "Burning". Should return her to the Top 20.
Next is another awesome song, "Valentine" by a band with an intriguing name of Drugdealer; the song sounding nothing like a band with a name like that. It's very poppish, maybe even seventies-sounding. I had heard this song for the first time (it was released the middle of 2022), visiting our friend in Richmond, where I had heard the Depeche Mode song.
The eclectic female singer-songwriter, making big inroads this year, continues with Hannah Goodall's "The Girl Who Once Loved You". Ms. Goodall hails from England, and the song is in the similar, sentimental style as Marlisa Kay Small's "Anyway". While that song has a positive message, "The Girl..." deals with the realization that a relationship has ended and time to move on. But in both cases, the songs are very stirring, and stirs the emotions.
The I-42 Band follows their nostalgic "Atlantic Beach Days" (Atlantic Beach, as I learned, is next to North Myrtle Beach) with "Beach Fever On My Mind". This one has the classic shuffling beach music beat and is a positive song about the coming of summer and new memories to be made. This ranks with the best of the beach music that I recognized from way back. "Atlantic" reached #25 on my blog, but this should top that.
With all these great sounding songs, you'd think that an established pop star like Lizzo would pale with her recent release "Special". And while yes, it's the lowest debuting song on the list this week, it's another great soulful song within the usual pop framework. Lizzo sings with much soul. Hip-hop never sounded this good. While it's only peaked on the Hot 100 (so far) at #52, this should top the recent "2 Be Loved" and put her back near "About Damn Time" territory.
Scenes ‘n’ Soundwaves 100 Playlist
April 9, 2023
|
This Week |
Last Week |
ARTIST-Title |
Weeks on List |
|
1 |
3 |
NUMBER ONE:  (Single Only) |
5 |
|
2 |
1 |
7 |
|
|
3 |
2 |
9 |
|
|
4 |
4 |
6 |
|
|
5 |
6 |
Rick Strickland and Lesa Hudson
- Got it Right (The First Time) |
12 |
|
6 |
5 |
Rev. Bubba D. Liverance and the
Cornhole Prophets - Ti Ta Ti Ta Ti Ta Ta▲ |
13 |
|
7 |
7 |
4 |
|
|
8 |
9 |
8 |
|
|
9 |
13 |
11 |
|
|
10 |
8 |
13 |
|
|
11 |
27 |
TOP 20 IMPACT OF THE WEEK:  "The
Shoop Shoop Song (It's In His Kiss)" (Single Only) |
3 |
|
12 |
18 |
5 |
|
|
13 |
15 |
10 |
|
|
14 |
17 |
Deb Browning and Six Piece Suits - It Don't Get Better Than
This |
23 |
|
15 |
26 |
7 |
|
|
16 |
10 |
10 |
|
|
17 |
12 |
10 |
|
|
18 |
19 |
5 |
|
|
19 |
11 |
13 |
|
|
20 |
14 |
9 |
|
|
21 |
23 |
Jimmy Ogburn's Salt Luvs Pepper
ft. David Cornelius - Love Me Like I Love You |
7 |
|
22 |
16 |
11 |
|
|
23 |
22 |
7 |
|
|
24 |
28 |
8 |
|
|
25 |
31 |
5 |
|
|
26 |
29 |
8 |
|
|
27 |
32 |
4 |
|
|
28 |
21 |
21 |
|
|
29 |
36 |
6 |
|
|
30 |
37 |
3 |
|
|
31 |
20 |
11 |
|
|
32 |
24 |
9 |
|
|
33 |
33 |
9 |
|
|
34 |
25 |
13 |
|
|
35 |
35 |
6 |
|
|
36 |
64 |
MOVER OF THE WEEK:  Album: Electrophonic Chronic |
2 |
|
37 |
--- |
TOP DEBUT:  "Anyway" (Single Only) |
1 |
|
38 |
40 |
7 |
|
|
39 |
43 |
7 |
|
|
40 |
39 |
7 |
|
|
41 |
42 |
6 |
|
|
42 |
41 |
9 |
|
|
43 |
47 |
4 |
|
|
44 |
30 |
11 |
|
|
45 |
34 |
10 |
|
|
46 |
66 |
2 |
|
|
47 |
68 |
44 |
|
|
48 |
45 |
10 |
|
|
49 |
51 |
5 |
|
|
50 |
50 |
5 |
|
|
51 |
52 |
6 |
|
|
52 |
54 |
6 |
|
|
53 |
56 |
3 |
|
|
54 |
38 |
12 |
|
|
55 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
56 |
49 |
25 |
|
|
57 |
58 |
4 |
|
|
58 |
61 |
4 |
|
|
59 |
44 |
13 |
|
|
60 |
53 |
6 |
|
|
61 |
63 |
3 |
|
|
62 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
63 |
60 |
4 |
|
|
64 |
62 |
18 |
|
|
65 |
48 |
21 |
|
|
66 |
59 |
7 |
|
|
67 |
77 |
2 |
|
|
68 |
65 |
3 |
|
|
69 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
70 |
67 |
5 |
|
|
71 |
46 |
12 |
|
|
72 |
55 |
6 |
|
|
73 |
74 |
3 |
|
|
74 |
69 |
4 |
|
|
75 |
78 |
2 |
|
|
76 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
77 |
70 |
6 |
|
|
78 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
79 |
84 |
2 |
|
|
80 |
71 |
4 |
|
|
81 |
82 |
2 |
|
|
82 |
--- |
1 |
|
|
83 |
86 |
3 |
|
|
84 |
57 |
13 |
|
|
85 |
85 |
27 |
|
|
86 |
89 |
3 |
|
|
87 |
73 |
6 |
|
|
88 |
81 |
4 |
|
|
89 |
72 |
13 |
|
|
90 |
75 |
18 |
|
|
91 |
93 |
Carolina Coast Band ft Rhonda
McDaniel - The Thing About You● |
38 |
|
92 |
76 |
19 |
|
|
93 |
95 |
24 |
|
|
94 |
94 |
27 |
|
|
95 |
83 |
23 |
|
|
96 |
87 |
13 |
|
|
97 |
97 |
19 |
|
|
98 |
96 |
5 |
|
|
99 |
79 |
15 |
|
|
100 |
88 |
5 |
|
|
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. ▲Song
garnered most plays on Spotify in current or past month. ● Song among top 3 most
plays on Spotify in current or past month.
Songs
on the SNS 100 are included on the following public Spotify playlists
Scenes
‘n’ Soundwaves Top 40: Contains songs in positions 1-40 on the SNS
100
Scenes
Up and Coming: Songs below #40 that are moving up the chart.
Scenes
Recurrents: Songs which have
dropped below the top 40 but are still on the SNS 100
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