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“There is some kind of element in that
music that has held steady for 50 years and
it shows no sign of dying.” — Jim Quick
www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com WBM
beach music that holds steady. There
is some kind of element in that music
that has held steady for 50 years and it
shows no sign of dying.”
Like an old family album, the traditions,
the memories and the regional
flavor of beach music has continued to
be cherished year after year.
“It is something that we have held
on here in the southeast with pride,”
Quick says.
Move outside of North or South
Carolina and performing beach music is
a whole different ballgame, Quick says.
“Even coastal states on the Gulf of
Mexico, like Alabama and Louisiana,
are unfamiliar with beach music,”
Quick says. “I have to leave out a lot of
the antics and colloquialisms that refer
to Carolina beach music.”
Still, Quick finds that people are
receptive to beach music nationwide.
“It is such a unique heritage to our
part of the country,” Tripp explains.
“The Carolinas and the southeast can
call beach music their own style of
music that is unique to them, which is
really great.”
One similarity that is shared by
beach bands is the musicians’ enthusiasm
on stage. They are constantly
in motion, shuffling their feet to the
beat of their own music and keeping
the party alive. Whether it is Quick’s
high leg kicks, the Band of Oz’s
cheery choreography or the Fantastic
Shakers swaying to the vintage sounds
of doo-wop, the musicians appear to be
having the times of their lives on stage.
The energy is contagious and it spreads
through the crowds.
Beach music is often played at weddings,
festivals, parties and celebrations
where hearts are filled with joy and
scrapbooks are filled with memories.
Perhaps that is what is at the heart of
beach music. In a world that is sometimes
unhappy, angry and obscene,
beach music offers an outlet.
“Even though it is my job, it is their
vacation when they come to see me,”
Quick says. “Even if it is just a two
hour vacation.”
Beach music is a chance to escape
into a simple, sun-drenched world
filled with black and white memories
— a chance to celebrate the high
points in life and leave troubles at
the door.
“Usually when you are performing,
people are there to have a good time
and enjoy the music,” Tripp says.
“They see a lot of their old friends and
make new friends.”
Tripp also attributes beach music’s
success to its affability. The songs’
beats are made for dancing, the lyrics
are made for singing and the atmosphere
is friendly and inviting.
“It is just a nonthreatening form of
music about the good experiences in
life,” Tripp says. “That kind of thing
has stood the test of time.”