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Largest beach music concert series in the southeast aims to help local schools R ‘ escue the Rhythm’

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the Beat or goes On... does it?

Beach music series helps local schools ‘Rescue the Rhythm’

Music might be the universal language, but in many a band room it’s the money – or lack thereof – that talks the loudest.

A local restaurateur is talking back.

When Larkin Hammond heard about the deep budget cuts besetting Greenville County’s middle school bands, she responded with a creative solution to ensure the beat goes on. As proprietor of Larkin’s on the River – and a driving force behind the restaurant’s notable community outreach – she hopes to “Rescue the Rhythm” by replenishing lost funding with proceeds from Larkin’s Rhythm on the River, a popular summertime beach music concert series.

“We feel music is very important … and middle school programs help build the foundation for a lifelong love of the arts,” says Hammond. “What would life be without music?”

RESCUING THE RHYTHM FROM BUDGET CUTS Thus Hammond organized “Rescue the Rhythm,” whereby she’s giving each of Greenville County’s 17 middle school band programs the opportunity to sell tickets to Rhythm on the River – at whatever price they choose – and keep 100% of the proceeds. She expects the effort to generate upwards of $50,000 and, what’s more, she’s offering every school an opportunity to present the opening act before one of the weekly concerts.

Sponsored by Charter Communications and the Beach Bob Oldies Show, Rhythm on the River is a 17-week series showcasing top beach music talent – The Tams, General Johnson & Chairmen of the Board and the Cammy Award-winning Jim Quick & Coastline Band, just to name a few. The 2009 series opens with The Embers on

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May 14 and runs every Thursday night through Labor Day in the Dow Amphitheatre behind the Peace Center for the Performing Arts.

“This will be fun for the kids and fun for us, too. We have the best bands from everywhere coming in and it’s going to be a phenomenal season!” says Hammond. “A little bit of money goes a long way … and a strong love of music is priceless.”

Middle school band directors are enthusiastic about “Rescue the Rhythm.”

“This is a great opportunity for us,” says Diane Lee, fine arts coordinator for Greenville County Schools.

“Band budgets are always difficult because instruments are so expensive,” according to Lee, who says a successful band must have a strong booster club even in the best of economic times. This year, budget cuts of up to 20% may make it a challenge – a potentially insurmountable challenge – for band programs to buy necessary music, supplies and repair services, much less purchase new instruments. “Rescue the Rhythm” hopes to make up the difference.

“It really is gratifying when people realize

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how important the arts are in our schools and are willing to lend a hand,” says Lee. “We’re all very appreciative Larkin’s has stepped in.”

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK Stepping in is all in a day’s work for Larkin’s.

“We’re committed to giving back to the community that supports us,” says General Manager Bob Munnich, noting his company has a rich history of benefiting Upstate charities via Larkin’s Gives Back, a 501(c)3 entity that places special emphasis on “forgotten groups” not funded by national organizations.

“We want to have a strong impact.”

And they certainly have! In fact, last year Larkin’s Gives Back generated more than a quarter-million dollars through its “Big Give Challenge” which provided seed money to 10 Upstate non-profits, then challenged them to come up with creative ways to multiply the funds. All told, the organizations raised $238,129.24 and the top effort earned a free gala at Larkin’s on the River (a benefit package valued at $12,500) as an opportunity for even more fundraising.

“We make it a priority to do things like this,” says Hammond. “This year, we’re lucky to be able to use Rhythm on the River as a way to spotlight school music programs.”

With crowds of 800-1,200 on any given Thursday night, Rhythm on the River’s beach music is especially popular with people in their 40s and 50s, according to Munnich, who sees “Rescue the Rhythm” as a prime opportunity to expose more middle-schoolers to these classic sounds.

“We want to raise awareness of this genre to a new generation,” Munnich says. “We’re hoping (beach music) can appeal to the middle-schoolers as well as benefit them.”

From the Grand Strand to the Reedy River

Larkin’s Rhythm on the River is the premier beach music concert series in the Southeast. Sponsored by Charter Communications and the Beach Bob Oldies Show, this family-friendly event brings top talent right from the Grand Strand to the banks of the Reedy River.

The 17-week summer series opens May 14 with The Embers and continues every Thursday night through Labor Day in the Dow Amphitheatre at the Peace Center for the Performing Arts. All shows start at 7PM (except Sept. 3, when it starts at 6PM). WOLT’s Bob Ross and Kathy Cole serve as Masters of Ceremony.

Here’s the 2009 season line-up: May 14

The Embers

$10

May 21

Mark Roberts and the Breeze

$10

May 28

The Flashbacks

$5

June 4

The Tams

$10

June 11

The Fantastic Shakers

$10

June 18

The Fabulous Shades

$5

June 25

Craig Woolard Band

$10

July 2

General Johnson & Chairmen of the Board

$10

July 9

The Out-of-Towners

July 16

“BOZ” The Band of Oz

$10

July 23

Men of Distinction

$10

July 30

Encore

Aug. 6

The Catalinas

$10

Aug. 13

The Entertainers

$10

Aug. 20

The Band of Gold

$5

Aug. 27

The Fabulous Kays

$10

Sept. 3

Jim Quick & Coastline Band

$10

$5

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©2009 Charter Communications. Offer good through 6/30/09. *Save $50/mo or more off of standard rates, if services are ordered separately, when you subscribe to and maintain services for promotional period. Offer valid to new residential customers only who have not subscribed to applicable services within the previous 30 days and have no outstanding obligation to Charter. Customer must subscribe to all services for the promotional period to receive promotional price. Standard rates apply after promotional period ends. Installation, taxes, fees and surcharges are extra. Certain equipment may be required at installation and charges may apply. Programming line-up may vary. Charter reserves the right to determine the level of service to which this offer applies. ^HD programming included at no additional cost when you lease an HD Receiver for $5.00 more per month with digital cable service. Internet speeds may vary. Charter does not guarantee data will be secure. †Top-rated cable channels based on Nielsen Report 3/09. ††Fastest/most reliable speeds compared to AT&T, Qwest and Verizon Internet offerings in Charter markets. comScore Throughput Report Q4-08. Unlimited long distance calling includes U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Charter reserves the right to review and terminate service for non-residential use or abuse of service. ‡Savings compared to AT&T, Qwest and Verizon similar phone offerings in Charter markets based on provider Web sites 1/19/09. ^^24-month service agreement required; early termination fees apply. Valid service address required. Credit approval, prepayment or major credit card may be required. All services provided are subject to the subscriber agreement and applicable tariff which are subject to change. Visit charter.com/30day for full details on 30-Days Risk-Free. Services not available in all areas. Other restrictions may apply. Call for full details.

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Be young, be foolish, be happy Early shaggers danced their way into cultural revolution Did you learn to shag on the beach?

Was there salt in the air and sand at your feet?

Do you love beach music?

If so, you’re not alone! Generations of Carolinians grew up – and then never outgrew – shagging to the tunes of The Embers, The Tams, General Johnson & Chairman of the Board and more.

Indeed, this “slotted dance with fancy footwork” is such an integral part of Palmetto State culture that the shag was officially designated our state dance in 1984.

Though other dance crazes periodically surpass it in popularity – think disco, for example, or line dancing – shagging has long endured the test of time. From its Depression-era origins to its definitive evolution along the Carolina coastline, this is a dance whose heyday has yet to end. What keeps the shag in step with the times?

“

We don’t want children to say ‘It’s an old person’s dance,’ because shagging is something you can enjoy for a lifetime.

”

“Shagging doesn’t go out of style because it’s such a fun dance,” says Ed Norton, president of the Upstate Shag Club. “The shag is fairly easy to do and the music – well, the music is just great! Beach music is upbeat so it’s fun to listen to AND fun to dance to.”

While Myrtle Beach remains the undisputed Mecca of shagging, Norton notes there’s plenty of stepping out all over the Upstate: “Around here, we shag every Saturday night,” he says.

WHAT CAME FIRST, THE APPLE OR THE SHAG? Historians aren’t synchronized on the origins of shag.

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Jeff and Dede Ward compete in a local shag competition.

In his acclaimed book “Shagging in the Carolinas,” ‘Fessa John Hook notes that Lewis Philip Hall lays claim to inventing the shag. Weary of the more sedate dances, Hall and a lady friend worked out a pattern of intricate steps set to a double-time beat; they named this “The Shag” and introduced their creation during the Feast of Pirates festival in Wilmington, NC, in August 1928. An all-night dance followed at the Lumina Pavilion on Wrightsville Beach and Hall’s shag became an almost instant sensation.

Others credit The Big Apple, a dance that emerged in the late 1930s from a Columbia nightclub of the same name, with propagating what’s now called Carolina Shag (Hook says it’s the other way around); there are those, too, who say today’s shagging grew out of the Lindy Hop. Myrtle Beach is considered

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by many the birthplace of shag, but the folks at Carolina Beach will tell you otherwise.

Regardless of exactly when, exactly where, by 1937 a definite dance revolution was under way. Early on, the shagging had been fast, to big band swing; eventually, things slowed down to indulge in the sexier tempos of rhythm and blues. Hordes of carefree white teenagers began defying Jim Crow conventions to explore the intriguing possibilities of “black” music and improv moves. In ocean-front pavilions on beaches up and down the Carolina coasts, and at jump joints offering juke boxes filled with the “forbidden” sounds of soul, dancers delighted in a genre not yet offered on mainstream Southern radio stations. These songs, heard only at the beach until fans began convincing local DJs to add R&B to their playlists, were soon referred to as “beach music.”

Images reprinted with permission from Shagging in the Carolinas, by Fessa John Hook. Available from the publisher online at arcadiapublishing.com or by calling 888-313-2665.

FROM OCEAN TO MAINSTREAM Early shaggers danced across the racial divide, bringing both their moves and their music to the forefront of Carolina culture. And while shagging began with youthful revelers at the beach, the dance fast became a mainstream phenomena.

“I grew up shagging,” says Dede Ward, who was raised in Darlington during the 1960s. “All of my friends shagged, and all of our parents did, too. It was a definite – and definitely acceptable – part of the culture. In fact, we shagged at Cotillion!”

It’s a love she never outgrew. Today, Dede and her husband, Jeff, teach shag lessons at The Big Chill in Greenville and are also active members of Carolina Shag Club. Anybody can learn the basic shag, she says – and everybody s h o u l d , because doing so ensures you never run out of good times.

“Shagging isn’t just about the dance,” she says, noting the abundance of shag clubs throughout the Southeast. “It’s also

about all the friends you make.”

From millennials to gen-xers to boomers and beyond, our state dance offers fun for all. “There are so many different age groups involved in shagging,” says Ward, who promotes junior shag workshops to encourage kids to pick up the habit. “We don’t want children to say ‘It’s an old person’s dance,’ because shagging is something you can enjoy for a lifetime.”

So no matter your age, if you want to be young, be foolish and be happy, simply grab a partner and take six simple steps.

You’ll be carrying on a tradition that extends across the sands of time.

These folks are very good neighbors –

FOR A BUNDLE OF REASONS! Charter Communications has 523 employees dedicated to serving South Carolina customers. All are well-versed in the company’s Good Neighbor Policy, which encourages them to be cooperative, helpful, trustworthy and resourceful.

When assisting customers, these caring professionals know they’re not merely filling an order, processing a request or installing a service; rather, they’re “Bringing Your Home to Life!”

But there’s more. Away from the office, these fellow citizens exhibit the same neighborly characteristics while working to create a better community through civic and charitable voluntarism.

Charter and its local employees support many area non-profits such as Hands on Greenville, March of Dimes and Susan G. Komen for the Cure, just to name a few.

Additionally, Charter provides sponsorship support to a variety of events and attractions including S P E C I A L

Freedom Weekend Aloft, Greenville MLK Dream Weekend, The Greenville Drive, The BI-LO Center and, of course, Rhythm on the River. During Rhythm on the River, Charter will be joined periodically by Oxygen Network, highlighting their Hispanic and FREE On Demand programming.

In 2008, Charter returned $18,831,266 to local communities in the form of franchise fees, and further contributes to the South Carolina economy by way of sales taxes, payroll taxes, public access and other fees.

In addition, Charter provides free cable and Internet services to ALL public schools in its service areas.

Charter employees are genuinely enthusiastic in their efforts to improve the lives of the people they serve. These 523 good neighbors stand behind a company that is actively and successfully reorganizing itself in order to be the area’s preferred provider of the best, most reliable cable TV, high-speed Internet and telephone services.

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Digital

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On June 12, broadcast television stations in the United States will stop broadcasting on analog airwaves and begin broadcasting only in digital. June 12 is the final deadline for terminating analog broadcasts under legislation passed by Congress.

Converter Box Coupon Program Until July 31, 2009, all U.S. households will be eligible to request up to two coupons, worth $40 each, to be used toward the purchase of up to two, digital-to-analog converter boxes.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has responsibility for administering the coupon program. (Please note that

these coupons will expire 90 days after mailing).

For information or to request your coupons, call 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009); visit online at www.DTV2009. gov; apply by mail at P.O. Box 2000, Portland OR 97208; or fax 1-877-DTV-4ME2 (1-877-388-4632).

Deaf or hearing-impaired callers may dial 1-877-530-2634 (TTY).

Still, there’s an easier – and more entertaining – way to navigate the digital conversion. “The simplest way to take care of matters is to become a Charter customer,” says Jim Corrin., Charter’s director of government relations. With Charter, you’ll be able to access the cable provider’s all-star line up of television and movie channels as well as its premium pay-per-view

Charter’s HD Lineup Enjoy true high-definition programming on Charter – unlike with satellite providers who claim to offer as many as 100 HD channels – when there aren’t 100 true HD channels currently available!

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*HD equipment required **Charter HD equipment is required © 2009 Charter Communications. All services and networks may not be available in all areas; lineups subject to change.

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2009 Charter Communications. Redeemable at any Charter walk-in location. Not valid on events, specials, or adult titles. Void where prohibited by law. Any other use constitutes fraud. Only valid to current customers with accounts in good standing.

Cash values $.01. Not redeemable for cash. Residential customers only. Customer will pay all sales taxes. One coupon per household, per moth. Non-transferable. Photocopies not accepted. Digital receiver may be required. Other restrictions may apply.

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Join us for the biggest and best Rhythm on the River Concert Series EVER!

2009 TITLE SPONSOR

2009 Season Schedule VIP SPONSORS

E.&J. Gallo Winery

May 14th May 21st May 28th June 4th June 11th June 18th June 25th July 2nd July 9th July 16th July 23rd July 30th August 6th August 13th August 20th August 27th September 3rd

The Embers Mark Roberts and the Breeze Band The Flashbacks The Tams The Fantastic Shakers The Fabulous Shades Craig Woolard band General Johnson and the Chairmen of the Board Out of Towners*Band “BOZ” The Band of Oz The Men of Distinction Encore The Catlinas The Entertainers The Band of Gold The Fabulous Kays Jim Quick & Coastline Band WINNER OF 3 CAMMY AWARDS

Every Thursday, May 14TH through September 3RD. Check our web site for all the details or call 864.467.3020.

RHYTHMONTHERIVER.COM Tickets available online and at the door.

At the Amphitheater behind the Peace Center.

Gates open at 7PM.