Air Week: June 6-12, 2022 Howlin’ Wolf: The Early Years This week, the “Juke In The Back” focuses on the great Howlin’ Wolf’s earliest recordings.  Before he became a huge star on Chess Records in Chicago, Wolf was a local celebrity in Memphis, recording with Sam Phillips (before Phillips started Sun Records).  Matt The Cat spins Wolf’s […]

Air Week: May 30-June 5, 2022 Mambo / Vita Records The Juke In The Back is jumpin’ this week with records from the Vita Label and its direct predecessor, Mambo Records. In 1955, record producer Mike Gradney got together with Larry Mead, who owned a record pressing plant in Pasadena, CA to form Mambo Records. […]

Air Week: May 23-29, 2022 Billy “The Kid” Emerson The “Juke In The Back” with Matt The Cat features Billy “The Kid” Emerson, a talented R&B singer and songwriter who never had a hit record, but his songs were covered by the likes of Elvis Presley and Billy Riley.  Originally from Tarpon Springs, FL, Billy Emerson […]

Air Week: May 16-22, 2022 Art Rupe & Specialty Records, Pt. 3 – 1953-56 This week, the “Juke In The Back” pays our respects to one of the great record men of the 1940s and 50s; Art Rupe. Rupe passed away on April 15, 2022 at the age of 104! He started Juke Box Records […]

Air Week: May 9-15, 2022 Art Rupe & Specialty Records, Pt. 2 – 1950-53 This week, the “Juke In The Back” pays our respects to one of the great record men of the 1940s and 50s; Art Rupe. Rupe passed away on April 15, 2022 at the age of 104! He started Juke Box Records […]

Air Week: May 2-8, 2022 Art Rupe & Specialty Records, Pt. 1 – 1945-50 This week, the “Juke In The Back” pays our respects to one of the great record men of the 1940s and 50s; Art Rupe. Rupe passed away on April 15, 2022 at the age of 104! He started Juke Box Records […]

Air Week: April 25-May 1, 2022 The Flamingos, Pt. 3 – 1957-59 Terry Johnson of The Flamingos joins Matt The Cat this week as the “Juke In The Back” jumps and grooves with part three of our three part feature on The Flamingos, one of the most influential and best remembered vocal groups of the […]

Air Week: April 18-24, 2022 The Flamingos, Pt. 2 – 1954-56 The “Juke In The Back” jumps and grooves this week as Matt The Cat presents part 2 of a three part feature on The Flamingos, one of the most influential and best remembered vocal groups of the 1950s. In part two, we’ll dig on […]

Air Week: April 11-17, 2022 The Flamingos, Pt. 1 – 1953-54 The “Juke In The Back” jumps and grooves this week as Matt The Cat begins a 3 part feature on The Flamingos, one of the most influential and best remembered vocal groups of the 1950s. In part one, we’ll dig on both sides of […]

Air Week: April 4-10, 2022 Marvin Phillips Marvin Phillips is important to post WWII rhythm & blues, because he, along with Jesse Belvin, helped to popularize the R&B duo. Jesse and Marvin scored an enormous hit in 1952 with the ballad, “Dream Girl,” thus paving the way for future R&B duos like Shirley & Lee, […]