The Feature Attraction Band recently released a remastered version of their single "Two Loves Have I" that they originally recorded in 1989. Five of the original members featured on the 1989 recording are currently performing with FAB. Drummer Ken Watson remastered the single and they've released it to the streaming platforms as well as to your favorite beach music stations and DJs. You can preview the song below on Spotify and you will also find it on Apple Music, Amazon and many others. You can also visit the band's website for the latest news and events.

On February 16, 2025 the Catalinas announced their newest member, Jerry West! No stranger in the beach music world Jerry will certainly be a great addition to an already stellar lineup of artists. Congratulations to Jerry and the band and we can't wait to see you all soon!

The 12th Annual Beach Fest lineup has been announced and we've included the information from their website. Be sure to visit prior to attending for any updates and/or changes.

The 2025 National Shag Dance Finals are coming up in N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina March 6th - 8th 2025. Below you will find the information for the event. We encourage you to visit their shag nationals website and see the information from past championships, get merchandise and much more.  Good luck everyone!

Dates: March 6-8, 2025

Start Times (doors open one hour before start time):

Thursday 8:00PM

Friday 7:30PM

Saturday 7:30PM

Location: The Spanish Galleon at the OD Beach & Golf Resort (end of Main Street in North Myrtle Beach)

General Admission available at door (no reserved or guaranteed seat) = $20 Thursday / $25 Friday / $30 Saturday

Reserved Grandstand Seating (formerly known as “bleachers”)

Preferred Hotel: Ocean Drive Golf & Beach Resort 800-438-9590

Click Here for 2025 Grandstand Seating Order Form

Disc Jockey

Craig Jennings will return as our 2025 Disc Jockey – welcome back Craig!

Contestants

DANCE ORDER

This is the dance order for each division – for the exhibitions at Prelims; for the first night of

the Finals on Thursday, or Friday for the Masters. New numbers will be drawn for Saturday

night except for Masters, who will be in reverse order from Friday.

JUNIOR I (Combined with Junior II for 2025 due to lack of applicants

N/A

JUNIOR I & II

1 – Maci Walters & Zane Morgan

2 – Liv Kirby & Easton Brown

3 – Graylen Kirby & Mikah Velez

4 – Genesis Beam & Ben Smith

5 – Abigail Hodges & Hunter Matthews

6 – Rebecca Hodges & Bennett Rusmisell

7 – Saddie Honeycutt & Jackson McLaughlin

8 – Ava Farlow & Billy West

NON PROFESSIONAL

1 – Susan Welch & Danny Scott

2 – Mitzi Sheeks & Jeff Harmston

3 – Crystal & Tripp Turner

4 – Cheryl & Clay Parker

5 – Dottie Dean & Lou Martino

6 – Lauren Cookman & Michael Bravo

7 – Vickey Van Frank & Henry Dowd

8 – Robin & Mark Casey

9 – Judy & Hampton Cobb

SENIORS

1 – Tobitha Stewart & Gene Pope

2 – Barbara Banks & Bruce Yates

3 – Jennifer & Joey Sogluizzo

4 – Elizabeth & Eric Horton

5 – Dale & Jim Hern

6 – Carmen Vaughn & Keith Smith

7 – Cameron & Marcus Thigpen

8 – Bonnie Rhodes & Allan Grider

MASTERS

1 – Sarah Kemp & Sam West

2 – Pat Folds & Gerald Medford

3 – Sydney Kale Rhame & Milton Nowell Jr.

4 – Jo Ann Hickman & James Parker

5 – Loretta McIntosh & Rodger Woodson

PROFESSIONAL

1 – Lani & William Greene

2 – Karsyn Folds & Mack West

3 – Erica Russell & Adam Holmes

4 – Ivy Claire Huiet & Johnathan Kemp

5 – Nikki Kontoulas & Jeff Hargett

Board of Directors

• Barry Thigpen
• Chuck Stokes
• Jenny Kelly
• Tommy Hamrick
• Debra Helton
• Casey Kelly
• Judy Duke
• Jason Cagle

On January 29, 2025, The Embers featuring Craig Woolard announced the retirement of longtime bassist Gerald Davis. So many people have wished him good luck along with expressions of sadness that he's retiring along with so many stories and most of them ending with..."and he's such a nice guy". If you know Gerald or have ever talked with him you would also agree. Always a smile while on stage and smooth as silk, he will certainly be missed by not only the Embers but so many fans, friends and colleagues.  Gerald started with the Embers in 1976 and he certainly leaves big shoes to fill. If you'd like to read his musical history, visit his bio page on the Embers website.

If you'd like to attend the retirement party for Gerald, it will be held February 8, 2025 at 7:00PM at Loafers Beach Club, 605 Creekside Dr., Raleigh, North Carolina 27609. You can call the club at: 919-743-5332. 

Congratulations Gerald and we hope that you'll certainly enjoy your well deserved retirement!

The Beach Music Blast at the Virginia Beach oceanfront has been set for May 10, 2025. The location of the event starting this year will be at the 17th Street Park. In addition to a weekend full of beach music you can enjoy the Beach Music Blast Car Show. The entertainment lineup will be announced soon and we'll be sure to update you on that once the schedule has been released. We've included information from their website below and be sure to visit their website for any changes to the following information.

FROM THEIR WEBSITE

• Festival is held outdoors rain or shine. Festival may be suspended or postponed due to severe weather or in case of severe weather forecast.
• Picnic baskets are welcome.
• No alcohol or glass may be brought into the festival.
• Persons must be at least 21 years of age with a valid photo ID to purchase and/or consume alcoholic beverages.
• For the safety of all, Event Security may screen persons entering the festival.
• No animals allowed inside Festival performance areas. Service Animals are permitted.
• Festival guests may be photographed and videotaped for future promotional use.
• These regulations do not alter or change State or City laws in any manner and guests are subject to all applicable State or City laws.
• For parking info, please visit

INFORMATION SUBJECT TO CHANGE, PLEASEE VISIT THEIR WEBSITE FOR ANY CHANGES!

On Friday, January 1, 2025, Lake Life Live released their 2025 schedule on air with Andy Lucy during the Friday Night Beach Blast. Their summer concert series features five events beginning in May on their outdoor stage in downtown Clarksville, Virginia which is known as Virginia's only lakeside town. The series has been nominated every year since 2020 by the Carolina Beach Music Academy. Admission is $5.00 per person and for all details you can visit their website and see the video below.

2025 Band Schedule
May 3, 2025 - Konnection and The Catalinas
June 7, 2025 - Swingin' Medallions
July 5, 2025 - Jim Quick and Coastline
August 2, 2025 - Band of Oz
August 31, 2025 - JB & the Get Down Browns w/ The Embers feat. Craig Woolard

The 2025 ACSC Shagging ICON Awards were announced during the mid-winter workshop. Congratulations to each of those listed below and for details on how to nominate individuals, visit the SOS website.

Your 2025 Recipients
- Audrey Borja from Fredericksburg, Virginia
- Monica Powell from N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
- Phil Turner - Wilmington, North Carolina
- Tim Long from - Rutherfordton, North Carolina
- Margie McRae - Virginia Beach, Virginia

Here's more information from the SOS website regarding the ICON award. "The purpose of the Icon Award is to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions within their own (Full Member, A.C.S.C.) shag club. Nominees for this award have made significant efforts and contributions to their shag club & are clearly outstanding members of the shag community. Although some of these nominees may go on to be well known in the shag world (the A.C.S.C. or S.O.S., the C.S.A., the DJ Association, etc.) many of these individuals may not be known outside of their own club. This award has come to be one of the most highly prized awards that a shagger can attain."

Coming up February 28th and March 1st  you'll want to be in N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for the Anniversary Weekend for the Band of Oz. Spend the weekend at the Spanish Galleon and stay at the Ocean Drive Beach and Golf Resort.  Friday night will feature music by the Special Occasion Band and the Mighty Saints of Soul. Saturday afternoon enjoy the sounds of Chocolate Chip & Co. and Saturday night will feature the Band of Oz which will also include former members; Big John Thompson, Butch Barnes, David Franks and Chris Keaton.

Packages are available that includes accomodations, two t-shirts and tickets to all events. You can purchase your tickets online by visiting the Ticket Tailor website and for room packages, it's asked that you visit the Ocean Drive Resort website or call 800-438-9590. For all other information visit the Band of Oz website.

We send our condolences and prayers to the family of Terry and the many friends across the industry. Always a positive promoter of beach music and the industry she will certainly be missed by many. Please find her full obituary below along with a link to send your condolences to the family on the funeral home website.

OBITUARY    -     SEND YOUR CONDOLENCES

Terry Lynn Sossamon Gleason, 66, of Mt. Pleasant, NC passed away on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 surrounded by her family and a few close friends. Terry was born to the late Leonard Brown Sossamon, Sr., and Jerline Aldridge Sossamon in Cabarrus County on December 30, 1958. A 1977 graduate of Mt. Pleasant High School, she was the youngest of 5 children and the only girl in a household of big brothers.

Well known for her love of beach music, Terry was loved in return by her beach music family. She was an administrator for the Facebook groups “Beach Music Café” and “Beach Music”. She helped “Beach Music Café” grow from less than 20,000 members to almost 50,000 in the years she spent as Administrator/Moderator. She wrote inspirational & motivational blogs for both groups; touching thousands of people as Terry wrote from her heart.

Terry was preceded in death by her beloved son Tyler Shane Poole and her parents. Surviving to cherish her memory is her son Joshua Brown Poole, granddaughters Caroline and Annabelle Poole, brothers Leonard (Esther), Joel (Delores), Randy (Pattie), Robin (Pam), and many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Her life will be remembered at Gordon Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant on Saturday, February 1, 2025, from 11 AM – 1 PM. A memorial service will follow at 1:00 PM which will be officiated by her cousin Pastor Frank Sossamon.

Instead of flowers, memorials may be directed in Terry’s name to CVAN, for donation information, call 704.788.1108 or VIA Health Partners P.O. Box 470408 Charlotte, NC 28247.