Air Week: October 3-9, 2022 The Ravens The “Juke In The Back” features The Ravens, an R&B vocal group that set the stage for all the groups that would follow.  With Jimmy Ricks’ bass lead and some tremendous harmony behind him, The Ravens were the predecessors to the doo wop music that would follow in […]

Air Week: September 26-October 2, 2022 Excello Records Drop a nickel in the ol’ Rockola Juke as Matt The Cat dedicates the entire hour to the great little Nashville R&B label, Excello Records. Ernie Young started Excello as a sister label to his Nashboro Label and both labels were housed in his Ernie’s Record Mart […]

Air Week: September 19-25, 2022 The Vocalese Musical Phenomenon Vocalese is a musical sub-genre of Jazz and R&B that burst on the scene in 1952 and was practically gone by 1954. Before it departed, King Pleasure (real name Clarence Beeks) had managed to rack up 2 top 10 R&B hits in the style, which is […]

Air Week: September 12-18, 2022 Motown Artists BEFORE Motown The entire “Juke In The Back” this week features Motown’s biggest acts,BEFORE there even was a Motown Records and before those acts were household names. Matt The Cat spins the earliest records by The Miracles (1958), The Four Tops (1956), The Supremes (as The Primettes) and […]

Air Week: September 5-11, 2022 Richard Barrett (The Valentines) This week, the “Juke In The Back” honors one of the silent architects of Rock n’ Roll, Richard Barrett. On the surface, he’s known today to fans of vocal group music as the lead singer and chief songwriter for The Valentines. They had a string of […]

Air Week: August 29-September 4, 2022 Wynonie Harris, Pt. 2 – 1948-54 It’s part 2 of our 2 part series on Wynonie “Mr. Blues” Harris, one of the greatest blues shouters of all time.  This week, Matt The Cat focuses on Harris’ hit-making years of 1948-1952, when he ruled the rhythm & blues charts.  “Grandma Plays The […]

Air Week: August 22-28, 2022 Wynonie Harris, Pt. 1 – 1944-48 The “Juke In The Back” is overflowin’ with records by one of R&B’s greatest blues shouters and entertainers: Wynonie “Mr. Blues” Harris. Part 1 of this 2 part series focuses on Wynonie’s early recordings from 1944-1948. Matt The Cat digs deep in his “juke” […]

Air Week: August 15-21, 2022 Elvis’ Rhythm & Blues Influences 45 years ago this week, we lost the “King Of Rock n’ Roll. Much has been written about Elvis’ enormous impact and popularity over the years, but it’s almost impossible to overstate the cultural shift that took place as he rose to fame in 1956. […]

Air Week: August 8-14, 2022 Jimmy Preston Jimmy Preston made a major contribution to early Rock n’ Roll by ushering in the era of the screamin’ sax. “Messin’ With Preston,” “Hucklebuck Daddy,” “Hay Ride” and his other early sides for Gotham Records were highly influential in the new genre of Rhythm & Blues, but it’s […]

Air Week: August 1-7, 2022 Early Billy Stewart & R&B Jail Songs Many 1960s soul legends had their start in 1950s R&B and this week, the “JukeIn The Back” takes a listen to Billy Stewart’s early records for the Chess and Okeh labels. You can really hear Stewart’s distinctive singing style develop on his early […]