Shaggin' in the Carolinas
Twenty eight years in the making, Shagging In the Carolinas is the first serious study of the fun and magic in the Shag and Beach Music communities. 'Fessa Hook explored and documents Shag through five different lenses.
1) The early innovators: invention of Shag # 2 in Wilmington, NC (although often confused in other publications as the 'Arthur Murray Shag,' 'Northern Shag,' or 'Yankee Shag,' Shag # 2 was invented and debuted in Wilmington. Hook provides newspaper and first person accounts by those who were there in 1928. Another innovator was Helon Powell Poole of Charlotte, NC, first to report the Carolina Shag in American Dancer, the premier U.S. dance magazine, and the first to teach the Shag over 50,000 watt WBT radio in Charlotte. Picturing several newspaper stories, Hook illustrates the historical development of the Shag into the Big Apple, rather than the reverse which is often claimed in regional folklore.
2) Under 'Pavilions, Pools, and Pads' Hook shows the evolution of the (four) Myrtle Beach Pavilions, Folly Beach's pavilions and dancing pier, the Isle of Palms, the White Lake Resorts, Williams Lake, Sustar's Pool, the Minnesott pavilions, Atlantic Beach NC, Pawleys Island, the Lumina Pavilion at Wrightsville Beach, Pocalla Springs in Sumter SC, Pullen Park in Raleigh, Twin Lakes in Columbia, Spivey's Pavilion Myrtle Beach, High Point City Lake, Fred Green's in Andrews, Page's Lake, the Seabreeze Pavilion, Sonny's Pavilion, The Pad and other Shaggin' and Boppin' hot spots.
3) The Readin', Writin', and Recess Chapter depicts the impact of the Shag on numerous high schools and colleges ranging from the Winthrop Training Institute, Clemson University, Charlotte College, high schools in Florence and Atlantic Beach and several others. There are vintage records pictured which were among the first to introduce the Shag. In addition some of Shag's earliest entertainers are shown -- the DJs from WLAC Nashville, Gene Nobles, John R. and Hoss Allen -- Wally Mullinax's Ebony Swing Club in Greenville, SC in 1950, and several other legendary DJs from Charlotte's WGIV, and the Triad's Jam-A-Ditty, and Daddy-O On the Patio. Pay close attention and you'll find the origin of the term 'Beach Music' here, along with numerous pictures and playbills of many of the great Beach bands of the past and present.
4) The institutionalization of Shag in the 70s, 80s and beyond with S.O.S. (1980), the Society of Stranders, and over 100 social Shag clubs that mushroomed in the 80s. Dance contests abounded with the Shagger's Preservation Association and Junior Shaggers Association. And of course several new radio stations dedicated, for the first time, to full-time Shag and Beach Music formats.
5) The Chronicles of Shag and Beach Music shows the numerous publications, magazines, newspapers, documentaries and movies that have set out to capture and share the many aspects of Shag history. An invaluable addition to any library with room for the history of the state dance of North Carolina and South Carolina.
The Combo - $35.00 including S&H |
The Book - $27.00 incl S&H |
The Companion CD - $10.00 incl S&H |