Craig - May 2022

Inside the Music May 2022

Hello Everyone!

I apologize for this month's edition of Inside The Music being late! After returning home from SOS, I became very sick. Thankfully, even though I had every symptom, and many of my friends I hung out with tested positive for Covid, it wasn't Covid for me! I tested negative twice, and was diagnosed with acute bronchitis. Even though it wasn't Covid, I have been very sick and have just not been able to get my article together. Thankfully, I am feeling better and wanted to get something out this month. I think this is the first time I have been late, so hopefully you guys can forgive me!

Anyway, with all that out of the way, let me say that a LARGE TIME was had by everyone that attended Spring SOS! The weather was absolutely perfect for almost the entire ten day period! Every club I went in to was packed! Wall to wall and back to back! The bands were on fire in every club, and to say there was a PLETHORA of new music released during the event might be a dramatic understatement!

Over the next couple of months, we will dive into all of the new music released into the market. This month's article will be kind of a summation of the new releases, and then next month, we will do full reviews of the new CD's released during SOS, as well as any single releases we may have not covered this month. So with that being said, let's go Inside The Music shall we?

When Romance Was King - Sammy O'Banion

Sammy O'Banion released his latest song "When Romance Was King" and I must say this is one of Sammy's best releases ever! Yes, I said ever! This is a Sammy original, produced and mixed by none other than Beach Music legend Freddy Tripp! The vocal on this track is phenomenal, as Sammy's voice has never been clearer than it is on this track. He sings with a passion that just makes you want to hit the dance floor with the one you love! The lyrics take you back to a day when things were simpler, we were young and we dreamed, and life was simpler it seemed! Folks the production on this track, the addition of strings, the killer horn parts mixed in at just the exact right spot, the impeccable leave no doubt vocal performance by Sammy, and the smooth shag tempo that makes this one an easy dance tune for everyone, make this tune the best track released at SOS! Yes you heard it right here! I have listened to them all, and folks this is the best tune to be released during SOS! I will go even a step further and say this is one of the best releases to hit the Beach Music industry in years! It is that good! It reminds me of some of the great O.C. Smith releases of the past, the great Billy Scott's "My Kind Of Girl", and many of the other great "smoothies" of the past. Anyone that has ears should know that this is a no doubt candidate for Song Of The Year! It has it all: tip of the spear production, a leave no doubt vocal performance from Sammy, catchy lyrics that just get in your head and stay there, and a smooth shag groove that just beckons you to the floor. Folks they don't make music like this anymore. The song title is "When Romance Was King", but it makes me think of an era when music was king! An era when artists used to record with full orchestras in the studio, an era when real instruments were used, an era when the music coming out of the studio was magical. That's what "When Romance Is King" reminds me of. I can't say enough good things about this song. I've ran out of superlatives! Do yourself and your music collection a huge favor and go to I Tunes or your favorite digital download spot and download "When Romance Was King" today! You will be so glad you did! It is available on the digital release "Son Of Walk That Walk" from Forevermore Music which we will discuss later in this article. Sammy O'Banion's place in Beach Music history is secure, but he just added a great new chapter to his legacy with the release of "When Romance Was King"! Hats off to you my brother!

Want You In My Life - Cat 5 Band

The Cat 5 Band has released three new songs over the last few weeks; the first being "Want You In My Life". They followed that up with "Drive", and "Never Give Up On Love". We will focus on "Want You In My Life" this month, and review the other two next month. I will say, in my opinion, "Want You In My Life" is the best release for Cat 5 since "Beach and The Boulevard". This is another song that should get strong consideration for Song Of The Year! An original tune written by Jerry West, "Want You In My Life" features an epic vocal performance from Jerry, tip of the spear production from Tim Sidden, and instrumentation that is as good as it gets! Folks we need more high quality releases like this in our market! It raises the bar and makes everyone work harder to produce quality material! This is as good as it gets! I have played this song over and over since SOS, and I just can't get enough of it! It is good enough, in my opinion, to warrant Adult Contemporary radio play! I'm trying to decide if it is a ballad, or just a killer smooth shag groove, but I know this for sure: It is a GREAT tune from an amazingly talented group! "Want You In My Life" will be available soon on all of the major streaming platforms. Do yourself a favor and download it as soon as it is available! You will be so glad you did! Great job guys! Keep churning out those original tunes!

Me and My Music - The Tonez

The Tonez have recently been one of the hottest bands in the Beach Music market! Capitalizing on their smash release "Lotta Love", which hit every major Beach Music chart, and their high energy live performances, The Tonez have been playing all the clubs and festivals up and down the East Coast! They recently decided to go into the studio and record the follow up to "Lotta Love", and boy did they pick a good one! They picked an old gem from The Spinners "Me and My Music", and absolutely made it their own, nailing the tune from start to finish!! While "Lotta Love" featured The Tonez outstanding female vocalist Laura Kepley, the group shows it's versatility by completely flipping the switch on this one, featuring male vocalist Jonathan Treece who absolutely kills this song! Throw in tip of the spear production, and that always present killer horn section from The Tonez, and folks can you say Beach Music hit? I can, and anyone who has ears can! This song is currently smokin up The Beach Music charts as it is currently #12 on Riptide Radio, and #18 on Eric Bowman's Wave New Beach Music Countdown! Look for this tune to put a full frontal assault on all of the Beach Music charts as we move into the summer months! It should be one of the feel good hits of the Summer!! Well done guys!!

Sandy - Rick Strickland

Rick Strickland debuted his latest original tune "Sandy" on April 11th during a Facebook Live show. This song features an incredible vocal from Rick, his always outstanding instrumentation, and a smooth shag groove that should bring the dancers to the floor. Rick Strickland has given us so many Beach Music hits over the years that they are too numerous to list here! If you are a fan of Beach Music, you know!! Look for "Sandy" to continue in that long line of success for Rick, as I expect this song to continue to climb the charts as we move into the Summer months!!

New CD's Released During SOS!

There were three compilation CD's released during SOS ( two hard copy, and one digital), and one group CD. The compilation CD's were "Happy Go Lucky" from Patman and Robin Records (Hard Copy), "Another Day On Ocean Drive" from KHP Music (Hard Copy), and "Son Of Walk That Walk" from Forevermore Music (Digital Download). The group CD release was the long awaited new release from the legendary Band Of Oz entitled "Coolin' Out". We will give an overview of each this month, with full reviews of each on tap for next month.

Happy Go Lucky - Patman and Robin Records

Pat and Robin Patterson (aka Patman and Robin) released their brand new compilation CD "Happy Go Lucky" on April 29th. A CD release party was held at Deckerz Bar and Grill in North Myrtle Beach and to say a LARGE TIME was had by all would be an understatement! I was honored to help host the CD Release party for this great new compilation, and if you were there, you witnessed an outstanding array of talent at Deckerz that day! Many artists stopped by to share their talent including R. Mark Black, Russell Henry, Deb Browning, Sylvia Johns Ritchie, Doyle Wood, Rhonda McDaniel, and Marsha Morgan! Songwriter extraordinaire Charlie Sattenfield was in attendance as was Richard Foxworth, the drummer for The Gold Standard Band, and Gary Lowder made an appearance as well!

"Happy Go Lucky" contains four tunes that have hit #1 on the Beach Music charts including "Summertime Memories" from Craig Woolard and Tim Cashion, "All About You" from Reverend Bubba D. Liverance, "Days Of Sandy Toes and Salty Kisses" from Doyle Wood and Sylvia Johns Ritchie, and "Take Me By The Hand" from Deb Browning and The Six Piece Suits. Now that's getting it done folks! Many of these songs are still charting very strong as of this writing, and this CD should have plenty more to show up on the charts in the near future, giving it strong legs as we move into the Summer months!

Other songs on the CD that should see chart action as we move into the Summer months include an absolutely stunning version of "Tennessee Whiskey" from The Gold Standard Band, "Tequila On Ice" from Wayne Free (which may be the sleeper song on the CD), "The Thing About You" from The Carolina Coast Band featuring Rhonda McDaniel, "Just In Time" from Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot, "Not That Liberated" from Sylvia Johns Ritchie, and the title track from Don Dixon "Happy Go Lucky", which was recorded in memory of Billy Jeffords, aka Dip Ferrell. Billy had always wanted to record this old Marvin Gaye tune, but unfortunately passed away before he was able to do so. Producer and friend Don Dixon stepped in and nailed this song! I know Billy is looking down very proud!!

The CD is rounded out with The Shag Doctorz excellent version of "I Wanna Be Your Everything", "If I Could Build My World Around You" from The Main Event Band, "Words Can Break Your Heart" from The Benningtones, and "Moonlight Feels Right" from The Jeffords Brothers. Also included on the CD is a breathtaking performance of "How Am I Supposed To Live Without You" from Marsha Morgan which was recorded live!! Marsha was killing it on stage the night this song was recorded, and her amazing vocal range is on full display during this effort! We played this song at Deckerz during the CD Release Party and it brought the house down!

Folks this CD is loaded with hits from top to bottom! From the opening track "Just In Time" by Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot to the closing track "I'm Not That Liberated" from Sylvia Johns Ritchie, this CD has it all! A great mixture of tracks from start to finish; some up-tempo, some mid tempo, and two incredible ballads. As the liner notes of the CD say, "Now all that is left to do is "Tennessee Whiskey" and "Tequila On Ice" (not necessarily in that order), "Take Me By The Hand", and let us be "Happy Go Lucky"!!

Well done Pat and Robin Patterson!! Thank you for allowing me to be a small part of this amazing project!

Folks do yourself and your music collection a favor by going to http://www.largetime.net click on The Store, and order your copy of "Happy Go Lucky" today! You will be so glad you did, and you too, can be "Happy Go Lucky"!!

Another Day On Ocean Drive - KHP Music

KHP Music released their long awaited new compilation "Another Day On Ocean Drive" during SOS and boy this one is sure worth the wait!! The CD is chocked full of hits with many of the songs currently charting on the Beach Music charts, and many more that are sure to find their way on to the charts in the near future! The CD includes new mixes of "Start It Up" from Rickey Godfrey and "Let Me Be The One" from Terri Gore. Both of these tunes have spent significant time on the Beach Music charts. Previously released songs on the CD include John G. Franklin's smokin' "Hey Baby" , and a song that has hit #1 on several charts "Lovin' Arms" from Salt Luvs Pepper.

New tunes on the CD come from The Main Event Band and their killer version of the Johnny Rivers classic "Poor Side Of Town". Sharon Hyler Woodruff gives us a leave no doubt vocal performance on this tune which is currently charting on all of the Beach Music charts. One of my current favorites is "Let Me Make Love To You" from R. Mark Black. Mark takes this Gene Chandler classic and absolutely makes it his own!! From the opening sax ride, this song smokes it up from start to finish! "Let Me Make Love To You" is making a push toward the top of the chart as it is currently #2 on The Riptide Radio Top 20. Look for it to hit #1 in the coming weeks!

Freddy Tripp gets in on the fun with his original tune "The Real Deal" which is currently #11 on The Riptide Radio Top 20. Southside Saints member Devin Dove hits us with his smokin' original tune "Can't Get Enough" which should be hitting the Beach Music charts in short order. Former Band of Oz member Chris Keaton bravely tackles the Stylistics "Break Up To Make Up", and magically pulls it off in stunning fashion.

Former Embers member Andy Swindell contributes "Wait For The Thunder", an absolutely blistering original tune that should receive plenty of chart action in the coming months. The song that just may be the sleeper on the CD, and one of my current favorites, is "I'll Always Love You" from Blackwater. The guys take this old Spinners tune and absolutely make it their own! This song is smokin up the Beach Music charts as it currently sits #5 on The Surf Top 20!!

Scrolling down the song list on the CD, we stumble upon an artist named Lafon. Who is Lafon? Well he is better known in the Beach Music community as Jim Quick. He recorded his new original tune "Flying Solo", under his middle name which happens to be Lafon. This is a different effort than we are used to from Jim and it will be interesting to see how this song does in the coming months.

If you have ever been to Buoys in North Myrtle Beach, you have probably seen Andy and Oneida and The Last Ride, as they frequently provide the entertainment for Buoys. They contribute their rockin' "I Quit" to the project which should do very well for them on the Beach Music charts. This song is definitely in the pocket for the dancers.

Tim Cashion provides the title track for the project with his original tune "Exactly What I Need". When Tim is not playing keyboard for Grand Funk Railroad, he dips his feet into the Beach Music water, and this is one of his best releases yet!! "Another Day On Ocean Drive" is definitely "Exactly What I Need"!!

Folks the group at KHP Music has been putting out quality projects for decades now, and this one is no exception!! Fourteen quality tracks from start to finish! I think the liner notes for this project sum up it perfectly! "From "Start It Up", to "I Quit", KHP Music has done it once again, serving up 14 fantastic tunes that more than define this phenomenal genre, and showcases the depth of talent in Beach Music today. Slide this one in your CD player, turn up the volume, and enjoy Another Day On Ocean Drive - it's exactly what you need.

Congratulations to Keith Houston, Julian B. Fowler, and Jay Jenkins for their work on this amazing project. Do yourself a favor and go to http://www.buybeachmusic.com and order your copy of "Another Day On Ocean Drive" today! Your Beach Music collection will be so glad you did!

Son Of Walk That Walk - Forevermore Music

It's hard to believe, but the week of April 18th marked the 25th Anniversary of the ground breaking CD release "Carolina Girl" from Terri Gore. Wow! Where does the time go?? In celebration of this epic milestone, Chris Biehler and the folks at Forevermore Music have released a digital remaster of the Forevermore release "Son Of Walk That Walk!". Included on this release is a digital remaster of "Stay A Little Longer", which was included on that epic "Carolina Girl" release! Also included on this digital release is the aforementioned "When Romance Was King" from Sammy O'Banion; a future Beach Music classic in my opinion!

Also included on the digital release is "Ain't Giving Up Nothing" from Al King, "Countdown To Love" from The Showvinistics, "Queen Of The Hop" from Danny and The Juniors, "Ain't No Smoke" from The Legendary Dukes, "I Never Thought (I'd Be Losing You)" from Billy Scott, "Dream Merchant" from Jackie Gore, "I'll Cry With You" from Jay and The Techniques, "Obsession" from Terri Gore and Jim Quick, "It Won't Be Wrong" from The Legendary Dukes, "Drunk And Lonely" from A.J. Swank and The Swanky Modes, "Bad Girl" from Susan Trexler, and "Beach Fever" from The Fat Jack Band.

Folks head on over to I Tunes or your favorite streaming platform and download "Son Of Walk That Walk!" Fourteen strong tunes from start to finish. "When Romance Was King" and "Stay A Little Longer" are worth the price alone; but download the entire CD for your listening pleasure. You will be glad you did!!

Be on the look out for more digital projects from the folks at Forevermore Music!! Check back here for updates as we will keep you abreast of future projects!

Coolin' Out - The Band Of Oz

The Band Of Oz released their long awaited new studio release "Coolin' Out" during SOS and the results have been outstanding!! The CD contains previously released #1 songs "I'm Just Thinking About Cooling Out", and "All You Get From Love Is A Love Song". Also included on the release is the current #1 song on 94.9 The Surf's Top 20 "You To Me Are Everything"!

Other tracks on the CD include the previously released Chris Jennings original "Rock It Little Baby", "Whatever Turns You On", "The Drifters Medley", "Try My Side Of Love", "Same Ole Thang", "On The Street Where You Live", "Loving By The Pound", "When Did You Fall", "Got To Be You", and "I Want To Be Where You Are".

As I mentioned earlier in the article, I will do a complete review, song by song, of this CD in next month's edition. I want to give this long awaited CD the attention it deserves! I can tell you though, in a sneak peek, after listening to this CD in it's entirety from start to finish, there is not a bad tune on this project!! Exactly what we have become to expect from this legendary group! A definite candidate for Group CD Of The Year!

Anyway, check back next month for a complete review of this project!! In the meantime, head on over to https://buybeachmusic.com/Band-Of-Oz-Coolin-Out-Coolin-Out-Band-of-Oz.htm and order your copy today!! You will not be disappointed, I promise!

Well folks that's it for this month! Thanks for your patience as I navigated this illness. I am so thankful to be feeling better and back in the saddle trying to keep up with all of this new music! What a great time to be a Beach Music fan! There is so much new music coming out, it is hard to keep up! As I am writing this article, there is new music being released today!! Anyway, we will do our best to keep you informed right here Inside The Music!!

Coming next month:

-Complete CD review of The Band Of Oz project and further reviews of the compilations released at SOS

-New releases from Cat 5, Deb Browning, Lesa Hudson, Gary Lowder and Smokin' Hot, Doyle Wood and Laura Stevens, and Too Much Sylvia!

-Whatever else comes along between now and then!

Until next month.......

See ya at the beach!!

Craig