For some, they learn of this music when they get to college. For me, I grew up with it just as my parents did. This kind of music was simply just a staple of my life. Not that I want to sound snobby in that "I listened to it before you did," but its more of a fixture to me personally than drinking some beers and shagging to beach music band at a fraternity party.
Growing up my favorite day of the week was Sunday. Turning the radio on Sunday afternoons and hearing "Sunday on the Beach" with Luke Vail and Jerry Wayne followed by "Steve Hardy's Original Beach Party" and Raleigh's "Big John on the Beach." These days were typically associated with PGA tournaments on mute and steaks on the grill or maybe some boiled shrimp and crab cakes.
In October, Carolina Beach Music lost arguably its most famous singer, General Norman Johnson of General Johnson and The Chairmen of the Board. I went to work one rainy morning and I needed some to cheer me up, so I logged onto 94.9 The Surf's website (a beach music radio station from Myrtle Beach, SC) only to quickly learn the news of General Johnson's passing the morning the news was announced. I felt like a piece of my soul had been ripped out of me. Maybe it was because of the many times I saw him perform. The many times I shook his hand. The memories of all the Sunday afternoons. To me, it wasn't just a musician, it was a piece of my life.
Last night watching the Grammy Awards with Belle, during their feature of musicians who passed away in the last year, I could not believe my eyes, General Norman Johnson made the list. Nearly brought tears to my eyes the way that "Patches" does. In an awards show that I felt was terrible, that one moment was worth all the other minutes of boredom.
Through music, General Johnson will live forever and so will our Carolina Beach Music.
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| via The News and Observer |
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