My Music Or Yours
By
Mike Little
Several years ago, the National Association of Rhythm & Blues Dee Jays, in cooperation and hard work by Ripete Records, released their very first compilation, Let’s Dance USA. Due to the huge popularity of this release, Ripete’s Marion Carter has worked diligently with NARBDJ president, Tom Polzin and the board of directors to bring us Let’s Dance USA, Volume II. Leading off the 20-song release is the enormously popular chart-topper Party ‘Til The Lights Go Out by Washington, D.C.’s The Hardway Connection. Other previously released numbers contained are the top charted remake of the Coasters’ classic, Zing! (Went The Strings Of My Heart) by The Attractions, Shoe Shoppin’ by Gene Miller & Rickey Godfrey, Fine Sweet Daddy by Celeste Shady and Soul Days by Dobie Gray and Wayne Jackson. Dobie is known for his ever-popular The In Crowd and Drift Away. Wayne was trumpeter for The Memphis Horns and The Mar-Keys. The Mar-Keys had the original hit of Last Night. The Holiday Band joins in with a remake of the Dan Seals’ classic, Bop. Mike Taylor does a good job on the lead with this slower version. Legendary Pittsburgh band, Pure Gold joins in on the compilation with two numbers, highlighted by Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Like You. Looking for a Continental number? Try The Band Of Oz’ remake of the Bob Seger classic, Old Time Rock & Roll. Gary Brown joins in with what may be his best recording ever. And that is saying a lot. He does a great job with the Latin-flavored, Buffett-tinged Is The Magic Still There. Among the other artists included is The Coastline Band with a number penned by bandleader Jim Quick. Little Lucy is a great follow-up tune to their mega-hit, Swamps Of The Old Santee. With Bo Schronce on the lead, The Fantastic Shakers do their fantastic job with the re-make of the Drifters’ classic, Sweets For My Sweet. Another highlight comes from two of the greatest voices in Carolina Beach Music. Dink Perry, formerly of The Breeze Band, and Paul Craver, singer of his own and lead singer of The Men Of Distinction, join together for Wish You Didn’t Have To Go. This classic of a song was originally recorded by James & Bobby Purify. The Sensational Epics do a number with Because Of You. . You will keep this jovial number with the sad subject playing in your mind over and over, again and again. Rudy Blue Shoes is back with us doing Thunderbird. Ripete goes into the vault to give us The Valentines’ Got To Get Yourself Together and Heartbreak Man by Leon Martin & Jimmy Hall. The latter comes from Nashville resident Leon’s title track release when he teamed up with Wet Willie’s lead singer in 1996. Archie Jordan, who is originally from Sumter, South Carolina and was in the group, Second Nature years ago, resides now in Nashville. His Big Fat Mama is making noise in some areas. It, too, is included. Plus pitch it; you’ll like it. Vienna, Austria-based, Mojo Blues Band participated in a recording session at Ripete in the late 90’s. From this session came No No, when they joined forces with the legendary Jimmy McCracklin in the studio. This song is included in the collection. From the same session, Mojo Blues Band re-recorded the Jimmy Reed penned and recorded Goin’ To New York. A.C. Reed, who passed away earlier this year, also recorded the song. This previously unreleased Mojo number is also included in the collection. Let’s Dance USA, Volume II is available at most of your usual outlets or can be ordered on line through the NARBDJ website, www.randbdeejays.com.

Mike Little has been a deejay for over thirty years and is a member of the Electric City Shag Club in Anderson, South Carolina. He hosted for 3-1/2 years The Saturday Morning Beach Party on WANS, 1280 AM in Anderson, which was rated by Arbitron as the highest rated AM show listened to and number three overall for that time slot. Mike is a regular columnist for the Beach Music Reporter, as well as the newsletters for the Association of Beach & Shag Club DJ’s and the National Association of Rhythm & Blues Dee Jays. In 2004, he was awarded the Rufus Oates Award by the National Association of Rhythm & Blues Dee Jays for his writing contributions.