Just as the dances of beach music have their twists and turns, so, too, do the stories behind the hits made popular in shag haunts from Atlantic Beach to Ocean Drive and the Myrtle Beach Pavilion. In Carolina Beach Music, local author and beach music enthusiast Rick Simmons draws on firsthand accounts from the legendary performers and people behind the music. Simmons reveals the true meaning behind "Oogum Boogum," uncovers just what sparked a fistfight between Ernie K. Doe and Benny Spellman at the recording session of "Te-Ta-Te-Ta-Ta" and examines hundreds of other true events that shaped the sounds of beach music.
Carolina Beach Music: The Classic Years, was a finalist in the category of "Best Research in Rock and Pop Music"Â by the Association for Recording and Sound Collections (ARSC) for their 2012 Awards for Excellence in Historical Sound Research.