|
It was a great honor to me that my "FLASH FLOOD" CD received a nomination for the 2008 Carolina Beach Music Award (CBMA) Solo Album of the Year knowing that the nominations are submitted by industry people. I am truly grateful to those who nominated me and those who voted for me.
I retired from the federal government in Washington, DC after a 30 year career as a Computer Systems Analyst. For many years during my time in Northern VA, I played guitar and sang in the folk group at my local church. Also, during this time I began working as a mobile DJ. I provided music primarily for teen dances, but also did adult dances, and, eventually, weddings. For years, I worked at songwriting as a hobby.
My wife Babs and I moved to Calabash, NC in November 1994. Almost immediately we got deeply involved with the Ocean Drive Shag Club in North Myrtle Beach, SC, took some lessons in shag dancing, and got hooked on Carolina Beach Music. In September 1996, I released my debut CD single called "Shaggin’ In The Moonlight". I wrote and sang it, and distributed it to various record stores in North and South Carolina. (I re-recorded and updated it in 2005 and the new version is included on my “FLASH FLOOD” CD). This song was my introduction to the recorded music world. Since then I have written or co-written and sung several songs that have appeared on compilation CDs primarily directed to the Beach Music market. In 2002, I received a CBMA nomination for Songwriter of the Year for the song “One Track Mind”. The singer, Charles Spring, received a CBMA nomination for New Artist of the Year. The song was on John Hook’s Rhythm and Beach Top 40 for forty two weeks, peaked at number 5 for seven weeks, and finished at number 18 for the entire year of 2002. The song was re-recorded by The Attractions Band and their version reentered the Beach Music Top 40 charts in 2007. It went to Number 1 on Willie C's Beach Music Cafe Top 50 chart. My version of the song is also on the "FLASH FLOOD" CD.
My performance resume includes on stage performances at the CBMA Show at the Alabama Theatre, CBMA membership drive concerts, Beach Music Days in South and North Carolina, Coastal Carolina University Beach Music Concert, Endless Summer Festivals in North Myrtle Beach, Born In The Carolina’s live radio show starring Fessa' John Hook, Ripete and 120Inc. Artist Showcases, and numerous charity functions and benefits for musicians and performers with health problems. I have sung with The Craig Woolard Band, The Attractions Band, The Fantastic Shakers, Sea Cruz, Lia and the Wave, Tommy Black and Blooz, Rickey Godfrey, Tony Baker and the Souls, Donny and Susan Trexler, N'Tranze, Gary Brown, Richard Hubble, Gary Lowder, 3 Cool Cats, Griff and Johhny Cox, and Neptune’s Blue’s Band. I also sang at the 2007 MayFest Festival in North Myrtle Beach singing two songs and opening for "The Legends of Surf Music" starring Al Jardine (Original founding member of the "The Beach Boys"), Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean, and David Marks (original member of "The Beach Boys".)
My CD “FLASH FLOOD” is a unique blend of original Carolina Beach and Shag Music, Adult Contemporary Rock N’ Roll and Ballads, a Gospel song, and a Christmas song. This 18 song CD is definitely NOT a “hear one song and you have heard them all” type of CD. It is unusual to find a CD that contains such a variety of original music covering several genres. The first track of the CD, “Just Another Day In Paradise” was on North Myrtle Beach's 94.9 FM THE SURF's Top 40 chart for a year and subsequently was put into their Hall of Fame. On Willie C's chart for the entire year of 2007, this song came in at Number 3. The second track "Eye of the Beholder" is currenly on several Beach Music charts and has been for most of 2008, and "Work, Work, Work, Crazy, Crazy, Crazy" hit the charts for a few months earlier in 2008. "Eye" and "Work" have charted in the Top 10 of Willie C's Beach Music Cafe Top 50 chart in 2008. As of mid-October 2008 "Eye of the Beholder" was taken off the SURF's Top 40 chart put into their Hall of Fame. It came in at Number 37 for the entire year of 2008. I feel very honored to have TWO songs from "FLASH FLOOD" in their Hall of Fame.
In August 2008, I released a three song sampler called "WILD CROWD". This three original song CD features a Rockin', Party, Sing-along song ("WILD CROWD") as a main dish, a Funky shag song ("FUNKY SHAG") as a spicy side dish, and a Jazzy smoothie ("JUST LIKE BEFORE"") for dessert.
I was inspired to write the title song “WILD CROWD” while attending an outdoor concert at Harold's On The Ocean (HOTO's) in North Myrtle Beach, SC. Jim Quick and Coastline was playing, it was a hot day, and everyone was is in a great mood and feeling wild. It was one of those days when the music was terrific and the crowd was really into the band. I passed by some folks standing in the back and told them that I was going to write a song about them because they truly represented what I called the Wild Crowd. The song “WILD CROWD” is a party, sing along song, intended to get the fans involved. In fact, when I sing this song live, I tell the audience that this song is not so much for me to sing as it is for them to sing. After one time through the chorus the crowd is on their feet and singing along. Plus, as Florence, SC DJ Billy Cook says, “YOU SURE CAN SHAG TO THIS. IT HAS THAT STRONG SHAG BEAT IN THE MUSIC....EASY TO KEEP IN STEP, AND IT'S PERFECT AT 120 BPM.”
Even though it has a funky beat, “FUNKY SHAG” is very suitable for shag dancing. Shag or Beach Music usually has a steady 105 to 130 beats per minute, give or take a few beats, and it’s normally NOT funky. I thought that this would be fun to try. Why not?
“JUST LIKE BEFORE” would be considered, in the Beach Music vernacular, a “smoothie”. Easy, jazzy, and kinda slow, yet danceable.
"WILD CROWD" has been as high at Number 34 on John Hook's Rhythm and Beach Top 40. Since John Hook's Beach Music Chart is now the Official Beach Music Chart for CASHBOX magazine, this could give "WILD CROWD" a large shot in the arm in terms of exposure inside and outside of the Beach Music world. This month it came in at Number 30 on Willie C's Beach Music Cafe Top 50 chart.
The August 2009 Beachmusic45.com Chart came out and it shows that 2 of the Contributing DJs have the song "WILD CROWD" on their chart, and 1 has my Doo Wop song "STANDIN' ON THE CORNER" on his chart. "STANDIN'" came in at NUMBER 1 on Willie C's Top 50. I'm a happy man. On May 5th the song was played on 106.7 FM in Melbourne, Australia on Mr. Doo-Wop's show called Malt Shop Hop. Then on June 9th it was also played on the show Shaggin' The Night Away on Australian radio.
If you are interested in buying either of these CDs, click on the CDBABY icons below. In CDBABY you can listen to clips of every song.
Individual songs from both CDs are available for digital download at the Apple iTUNES Store.
|