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CD case with image of the poster advertising the appearance of Marvin Gaye and Jesters at the Beach Club in Myrtle Beach back in the day
Our pal, Don Rolader, sent us a copy of The Jester’s new CD, aptly titled “It’s A Sure Thing.” After listening several times to this great CD, all I figured was needed was a party room and a keg of beer. Not convinced? Click on the link below, buy one and see for yourself:
http://athensmusic.net/product_info.php?products_id=1933/
With at least eight members of the band that evolved from the hey baby days, the Jesters may be one of the most experienced bands in North America. I am just proud that their photo and story leads off the Georgia chapter in “The Heeey Baby Days of Beach Music.”
We should be thankful that we still have bands like the Jesters, the Swingin’ Medallions, the Pieces of Eight, the Sensational Epics, Tyn Tymes and others that keep the tradition alive with their strong horn sections. All of these bands employ four or more horns and all of them started during the hey baby days. They are also nearing the half century mark as well but it’s more about the music than the longevity.
If you are really looking for a sure thing, a great representation of the Heeey Baby Days of Beach Music, the Jesters lineup of cuts is the real thing
. I Got A Sure Thing
2. I'm Losing You
3. I'll Be Doggone
4. Ain't That Peculiar ( featuring a sax solo by Harold Williams)
5. Stubborn Kind of Fellow
6. When Something is Wrong With My Baby
7. Unchain My Heart
8. I Never Found a Girl
9. Georgia On My Mind ( featuring a sax solo by Donny Whitehead)
10. Higher and Higher
11. Open the Door to Your Heart - Cowboys to Girls
12. With This Ring
13. Does Your Mama Know About Me ?
14. Shotgun (featuring a horn solo by Bill McDonald)
Not many bands out there have a truly great sax man. The Jesters have at least three.
The “Open The Door To Your Heart/Cowboys to Girls” medley is one that may be destined for the Top Forty Beach Music survey. Speaking of Beach Music and in particular the upcoming Carolina Music Awards that is held annually in North Myrtle Beach , isn’t it about time that the Jesters were honored with a life time achievement award ? They have done so much to preserve the music and the style that makes genre important.
Whether on display by choice or necessity, we’re happy
Since the publication of The Heeey Baby Days of Beach Music, we continue to hear that it’s on display in homes and offices throughout the South… and probably other regions of the country as well.
It never was our intention for the book to be so large that it wouldn’t fit in a traditional bookcase… that was just dumb luck. We get comments quite often like: , “Hey I saw the book in my Doctor’s office ,” or “ When you walk in _____ ____’s home, the first you see is the display of the book.” That certainly makes us proud. In the big picture, this is what the owner of the book whose book is on display is saying: “this was an era that I lived in and loved … this was the music that I partied to in those days and the bands in the books were bands I knew , some of them personally.”
So if you have a book that is hidden in the closet and it’s of so-so interest to you , you might think about selling it as it has entered in the collectability category ( selling for more than the original retail price.) Check out the current pricing of “The Heeey Baby Days of Beach Music” on the after market by going to www.abebooks.com
