Air Week: July 22-28, 2024 Clyde McPhatter: 1955-59 Clyde McPhatter had one of the sweetest and most powerful tenor voices in all of Rhythm & Blues and early Rock n’ Roll. His issue throughout his 22 year recording career, was getting the recognition he thought he deserved. After singing memorable leads on many hit records for Billy Ward & The Dominoes, Clyde left because Billy Ward wouldn’t put his name on the records or pay him a fair share of the profits. Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records was ready to sign McPhatter and give him his own group, The Drifters. That worked out well as ..read more

Air Week: July 15-21, 2024 Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters The Drifters would become the most successful vocal group in history, charting hit after hit for over 20 years, with no less than a dozen different lead singers. This week, the “Juke In The Back” spotlights The Drifters’ first chapter with the great high tenor of Clyde McPhatter out front. The group was created by Atlantic Records in order to showcase McPhatter’s beautiful and powerful voice after his 2 year stint with Billy Ward & The Dominos ended. McPhatter never got the money or the recognition that he deserved from Billy W ..read more

Air Week: July 8-14, 2024 Tommy Brown Tommy Brown is one of the unsung blues shouters of the Rhythm & Blues Era. His only two charting records were done with the Griffin Brothers on Dot Records in 1951. He’ll always be remembered for the #1 smash, “Weepin’ & Cryin’,” but Brown had so many tremendous records under his own name that Matt The Cat just had to feature an entire “Juke In The Back” program on Tommy Brown. Raised in a small Georgia town, Brown took to performing at an early age and was soon headlining clubs in Atlanta. In 1950, he got a contract with Savoy Records and recorde ..read more

Air Week: July 1-7, 2024 4th of July R&B Picnic What’s more American than celebrating America’s birthday with some good ol’ red, white and Rhythm & Blues about THE Fourth of July staple: food? Dig in on an hour of classic R&B about hot dogs, cole slaw, potato salad, ribs and ice cream sung by Nat “King” Cole, Amos Milburn, Louis Jordan, the “5” Royales and many more. Matt The Cat invites you to groove to our R&B picnic and the “soul that came before rock n’ roll” on the Juke In The Back.  LISTEN BELOW ..read more

Air Week: June 24-30, 2024 Rudy Toombs: R&B Songwriter This week, The “Juke In The Back” features the songs of one of R&B’s greatest songwriters: Rudy Toombs.  This underrated cat wrote some of the most fabulous drinking songs of all-time for Amos Milburn, The Clovers, The Five Keys and a young Johnny “Guitar” Watson.  Beyond drinking songs, Toombs wrote some mega-hits for Ruth Brown, Varetta Dillard and Little Willie John, just to name a few.  Matt The Cat gives you the story behind the story of one of early rock n’ roll’s greatest cleffers.  It’s Rudy Toombs’ bes ..read more

Air Week: June 17-23, 2024 Oscar McLollie This week, the “Juke” is jumpin’ with the honey jumper himself, Oscar McLollie. Born Oscar Lollie, this Louisiana boy went from serving in the military during World War II to servin’ up jump blues in Los Angeles Clubs. Mercury Records hired him as one of their West Coast A&R scouts in the early ’50s and he made his first single for the label. Record mogul Leon Rene and his son, Googie Rene wrote tunes for the newly christened McLollie and they scored a regional smash with “The Honey Jump.” That record sold well enough for them to see dollar signs ..read more

Air Week: June 10-16, 2024 Memphis Slim Memphis Slim dubbed himself the “Ambassador Of The Blues” and for good reason. He spread the gospel of America’s music around the world during his almost 50 year career. This week, Matt The Cat and the “Juke In The Back” take a look at Slim’s prodigious contribution to the genre. He began recording as Pete Chatman (his real name is John Chatman) in 1940 and by the end of the year was already known as Memphis Slim, a name given to him by a producer at Bluebird Records. His prolific career really took off after WWII, when he cut some incredible sides for ..read more

Air Week: June 3-9, 2024 The Midnighters, Pt. 3 – The Annie Songs This week, the “Juke In The Back” continues a 3 show look at The Midnighters, one of early R&B’s most successful groups. Before they topped the R&B charts with “Work With Me Annie” in 1954, The Midnighters were known as The Royals, a rough and ready group from the east side of Detroit. Charles Sutton, the Royal’s first great lead singer, shaped their early recordings (1952-53) in the style of The Orioles’ leader Sonny Til. In part 3, the “Annie” songs take the spotlight as we build off the Midnighters’ “Annie” trilogy t ..read more

Air Week: May 27-June 2, 2024 The Midnighters, Pt. 2 – 1954-56 This week, the “Juke In The Back” continues a 3 show look at The Midnighters, one of early R&B’s most successful groups. Before they topped the R&B charts with “Work With Me Annie” in 1954, The Midnighters were known as The Royals, a rough and ready group from the east side of Detroit. Charles Sutton, the Royal’s first great lead singer, shaped their early recordings (1952-53) in the style of The Orioles’ leader Sonny Til. As 1954 begins, Charles Sutton is out as lead singer and Hank Ballard (real name John Kendricks) is i ..read more

Air Week: May 20-26, 2024 The Midnighters, Pt. 1 – 1952-54 (The Royals) This week, the “Juke In The Back” begins a 3 show look at The Midnighters, one of early R&B’s most successful groups. Before they topped the R&B charts with “Work With Me Annie” in 1954, The Midnighters were known as The Royals, a rough and ready group from the east side of Detroit. Charles Sutton, the Royal’s first great lead singer, shaped their early recordings (1952-53) in the style of The Orioles’ leader Sonny Til. That influence resulted in the recording of some amazing vocal group records, including the imm ..read more