Air Week: November 18-24, 2024 Bo Diddley, Pt. 2 – 1956-59 Last week, the “Juke In The Back” featured every recording made by the innovative BO DIDDLEY during the year 1955. This week, the Juke picks it up in early 1956 and showcases BO DIDDLEY’s influential and diverse releases through 1959. He remained mostly off […]

Air Week: November 11-17, 2024 Bo Diddley, Pt. 1 – 1955 This week’s “Juke In The Back” takes a look at the breakthrough year of one of rock n’ roll’s true architects and innovators, Bo Diddley. His first recording session was held at Chess Records in Chicago on March 2nd and 3rd, 1955, where he […]

Air Week: November 4-10, 2024 The Checkers The “Juke In The Back” features another highly underrated R&B vocal group from the 1950s: The Checkers.  They never scored a national hit, but they’re one of the finest examples of polished 1950s R&B and their story deserves to be shared.  The Checkers were formed after tenor Charlie […]

Air Week: October 28-November 3, 2024 Halloween Rhythm & Blues This week, the ol’ Rockola Jukebox is haunted by a strange spirit of rhythm & ghouls. Where is Matt The Cat? We don’t know, but the spirit tells us he will return next week. In his absence, the “Juke In The Back” still fulfills the […]

Air Week: October 21-27, 2024 King Records, Pt. 10 – Federal Records, Pt. 2 This week, it’s part 10 of a 10 part series on the great King Record Label, out of Cincinnati. Syd Nathan, who began putting out records under the King logo in 1943, developed King as a hillbilly music label. After seeing […]

Air Week: October 14-20, 2024 King Records, Pt. 9 – Federal Records, Pt. 1 This week, it’s part 9 of a 10-part series on the great King Record Label, out of Cincinnati. Syd Nathan, who began putting out records under the King logo in 1943, developed King as a hillbilly music label. After seeing the […]

Air Week: October 7-13, 2024 King Records, Pt. 8 – 1954-56 This week, it’s part 8 of a 10-part series on the great King Record Label, out of Cincinnati. Syd Nathan, who began putting out records under the King logo in 1943, developed King as a hillbilly music label. After seeing the sales potential in […]

Air Week: September 30-October 6, 2024 King Records, Pt. 7 – 1953 This week, it’s part 7 of a 10-part series on the great King Record Label, out of Cincinnati. Syd Nathan, who began putting out records under the King logo in 1943, developed King as a hillbilly music label. After seeing the sales potential […]

Air Week: September 23-29, 2024 King Records, Pt. 6 – 1952 This week, it’s part 6 of a 10-part series on the great King Record Label, out of Cincinnati. Syd Nathan, who began putting out records under the King logo in 1943, developed King as a hillbilly music label. After seeing the sales potential in […]

Air Week: September 16-22, 2024 King Records, Pt. 5 – 1951 This week, it’s part 5 of a 10-part series on the great King Record Label, out of Cincinnati. Syd Nathan, who began putting out records under the King logo in 1943, developed King as a hillbilly music label. After seeing the sales potential in […]

Air Week: September 9-15, 2024 King Records, Pt. 4 – 1949-50 This week, it’s part 4 of a 10-part series on the great King Record Label, out of Cincinnati. Syd Nathan, who began putting out records under the King logo in 1943, developed King as a hillbilly music label. After a rough start, he relaunched […]

Air Week: September 2-8, 2024 King Records, Pt. 3 – 1948-49 This week, it’s part 3 of a 10-part series on the great King Record Label, out of Cincinnati. Syd Nathan, who began putting out records under the King logo in 1943, developed King as a hillbilly music label. After a rough start, he relaunched […]

Air Week: August 26-September 1, 2024 King Records, Pt. 2 – 1947-48 This week, it’s part 2 of a 10-part series on the great King Record Label, out of Cincinnati. Syd Nathan, who began putting out records under the King logo in 1943, developed King as a hillbilly music label. After a rough start, he […]

Air Week; August 19-25, 2024 King Records, Pt. 1 – Queen Records This week, we begin a 10-part series on the great King Record Label, out of Cincinnati. Syd Nathan, who began putting out records under the King logo in 1943, developed King as a hillbilly music label. After a rough start, he relaunched King […]

Air Week: August 12-18, 2024 The Dominoes, Pt. 3 – 1954-57 Billy Ward and his business partner Rose Ann Marks put together The Dominoes in mid-1950 and helped fuel the R&B vocal group scene that would eventually become one of the major building blocks for Rock n’ Roll. Ward, who was born Robert Lloyd Williams, […]

Air Week: August 5-11, 2024 The Dominoes, Pt. 2 – 1952-54 Billy Ward and his business partner Rose Ann Marks put together The Dominoes in mid-1950 and helped fuel the R&B vocal group scene that would eventually become one of the major building blocks for Rock n’ Roll. Ward, who was born Robert Lloyd Williams, […]

Air Week: July 29-Aug 4, 2024 The Dominoes, Pt. 1 – 1950-52 Billy Ward and his business partner Rose Ann Marks put together The Dominoes in mid-1950 and helped fuel the R&B vocal group scene that would eventually become one of the major building blocks for Rock n’ Roll. Ward, who was born Robert Lloyd […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]