Beach Music: Making Waves in the Carolinas

Beach music is the defining sound of the Carolinas. Propelled by African American rhythm and blues, boundary-crossing teens in the late 1950s and early 1960s created a culture with its own signature dance (the shag), its own beloved stars (the Embers, the Catalinas, Chairmen of the Board, and the Tams, to name just a few), and its own rich memories that have endured across the decades. The North Carolina Museum of History’s newest exhibit, Beach Music: Making Waves in the Carolinas shares not only the hits and the dance moves but also the fascinating stories behind the music. The gallery is rich in sound, alive with color, and interactive for all ages.

Visitors to the exhibition heard familiar sounds and music, as well as gained new insights into the history that created the scene. Newcomers to the genre discovered a core element of Carolina culture and identity.

The exhibit offered museumgoers a cross-generational experience, including an interactive instructional video on the basics of shag dancing. They could listen to their beach music favorites, selected on a vintage 1965 Wurlitzer jukebox playing 45s (no quarters needed!). Visitors could also view the flashy costumes worn by some of the stars of the scene, including Band of Oz, the Embers, and Chairmen of the Board.