Papa T's Beach Music

My introduction to Beach Boogie and Blue began in 1987 with a trip to my wife’s class reunion in S.C. I’ve always been a music collector, but I wasn’t versed in the music of Shag. At that simple event fell in love with the music, the dance and the people.

We returned to the Golden Isles of Georgia where a group formed “The Golden Isles Shag Club”. My wife “Babs” and R.B. Gentry (Musician and band member of The Hands of Time) provided lessons. I began to play music during our weekly meetings, which combined lessons with a weekly party on a BOOM BOX!

As time progressed, I joined the Association of Beach & Shag Club DJs becoming a “Lifetime Member”, serving as Chaplain and webmaster for a time.  My DJ travels have taken me to many clubs and private parties from one coast to the other and as far South as Daytona Beach Florida and “The Orange Squeeze”. Additionally, I became one of the rotating DJs for the First Coast Shag Club in Jacksonville, Florida. My Music experiences include being a trained singer and an author of Blues and Beach Music reviews for assorted magazines. I write a blog on Facebook entitled “I’ll Go Where the Music Takes Me, Music Reviews”, This was the opening song whenever I played.

These reviews brought me into studios and the recording industry. Friends and foes have provided me with rough cuts and constructive criticism. I continue to participate in the creative process while learning more and more over time.

I became a Charter member of The Beach Music Association International (BMAI) until the death of the founder (the late “Billy Scott” of Billy Scott & The Prophets). I met with many politicians, entertainers and music folks across the country. We held Beach Music Day in the state capitols of South Carolina and North Carolina and were expanding to Virginia, Georgia and Florida at the time of Billy Scott’s death. Additionally, during BMAI’s growth we were instrumental in creating a law that became nationally recognized to protect performers’ rights to their trade name, and were instrumental in making the Shag the state dance of S.C.

I was diagnosed with Kidney Cancer in the Summer of 2020. While trying to deal with the news of kidney cancer, I received a call from a long-time radio friend “Pat Gwinn”. He asked me to develop a unique radio show and he’d give it a shot to see if the public liked it.

By happenstance we saw a sign from “Fat Harold’s Beach Club” which read “God Loves You When You Dance”. It became the name of my first and current radio show. It’s a gospel show which has evolved to include danceable gospel and positive upbeat praise songs that range from traditional gospel to country, contemporary and even foreign gospel tracks.

Following the success of this first radio show, I wanted to give contemporary Beach, Boogie and Blues music a try and “Now & Then, The Shag Show” was born. This show compares yesterday’s charted tracks against those of today.

My shows are currently broadcast on multiple internet and traditional AM/FM stations and heard around the world.

I am now very pleased to be part of the Beach Trip Radio family. I look forward to hearing your requests which can be made by email to: djmikeyr@mail.com or on Facebook messenger at Michael Roberts.

As I always say “Keep On Dancin