If you were planning on joining the Carolina Beach Music Academy and you'd like to be able to nominate your favorites in 2024, your final chance to join is here! Be sure to visit the CBMA website and join by July 1, 2024. You can support your favorites in all catergories including; bands, musicians, events, radio stations, DJs, songs, producers and everyone in the industry that keeps beach music alive. Show your support and join today and make plans to attend Cammy Weekend in November in N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

To see a list of previous winners, click here!

Across many platforms, friends of Don Tetreault are sharing their stories and many memories of "Twister" or "The Kissing Bandit". He touched many lives throughout the industry and it's great to see all of the stories shared. Once an obituary and/or service information has been shared, we'll be sure to update you with that information.

Starting as a one hour show in late 1989 and later moving into a four hour format, the Friday Beach Blast has been entertaining beach music lovers for years with longtime radio DJ Johnny Draper. Sadly on June 5, 2024, George Whitley "Johnny" Draper passed away at the age of eighty three. (see related story).

During the Friday, June 14, 2024 Friday Beach Blast broadcast, it was announced that our very own Andy Lucy would be taking over the popular radio show and his first show is coming up on Friday, July 5, 2024. Andy started in the DJ business at only sixteen years old and his radio career began at WEVA in Emporia, Virginia in 1997. Andy loves beach music and the industry as a whole. He's also co-founder of Flip Flop Live and Flip Flop Live Radio and as always he continues to help promote the industry and he's not one to toot his own horn so I will do it for him. You will not only hear Andy behind the mic but you will find him at various shows throughout Virginia and the Carolinas supporting the bands, fellow DJs and of course seeing all of the many friends he's made within the beach music community.

Learn more about Andy, find a live streaming player and connect with him on his page!

Be sure to tune in every Friday beginning July 5, 2024 from 5:00PM until 9:00PM on WTRG 97.9FM, WDLZ 98.3FM, WWDW 107.7FM and of course streaming on the Tune-In app and each station's website. Andy will be continuing the tradition and taking your reqeusts by calling 252-538-9790

Congratulations Andy!

The Feature Attraction Band announced they've released their newest single "We're Not Here for a Long Time (We're Here for a Good Time). The song is currently available from your favorite beach music DJs and it's also available to stream on your favorite service. You can listen to the new song below!
 

On June 5, 2024 it was shared on the WTRG facebook page that longtime radio host, Johnny Draper had passed. The post reads;  "It is with Heavy Hearts that we have to share the passing of this Radio Legend Johnny Draper. Johnny Hosted The Friday Night Beach Blast for many years. Johnny gave many of us our start in Radio many years ago. Condolences goes out to his family and many friends. RIP Johnny Draper. Keep checking back for more details on his arrangements."

Starting as a one hour show in late 1989 and later moving into a four hour format, the Friday Beach Blast has been entertaining beach music lovers for years. On June 5, 2024, George Whitley "Johnny" Draper passed away at the age of eighty three. Johnny worked his way up from announcer, program director, assistant manager, general manager, and became an Owner in the 70’s of WCBT Radio. In 1988 Johnny formed Draper Communications and put WLGQ (97Q) on the air and you could hear him weekly as host of the Friday Beach Blast and with his show Exclusive Gold heard on Sundays.

On November 11, 2022, Johnny was inducted into the Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame by beach music DJ Butch Halpin and Carolina Beach Music Executive Board Member during Cammy Weekend in N. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. As regular listeners here at Flip Flop Live, Johnny was great at what he did and people loved him and we're so proud that we were also able to call him a friend.

Obituary Announcement:
George Whitley “Johnny” Draper, 83, of Weldon, NC passed away on Wednesday, June 5, 2024.Johnny was the son of the late George Whitley Draper, Sr. and Louise Millikin Draper. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Draper, his sister, Sally Ray Draper Warren and his niece, Lillian Clark Hill. Johnny loved radio; he owned and operated WCBT, WSMY and WLGQ radio stations for several years. He was a life-time member of the Weldon Fire Department and was the Mayor of Weldon for 40 years. He was a lover of beach music and hosted the Friday Night Beach Blast on area stations since the late 1980’s. He was inducted into the Carolina “DJ” Beach Music Hall of Fame in 2022. He is survived by his daughter, Lori Draper of Weldon, his sister, Peggy Draper Coker and her husband, Jimmy of Roanoke Rapids and his nephew, Whit Coker of Roanoke Rapids. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2024 at 11:00 AM in the chapel of Askew Funeral and Cremation Services in Roanoke Rapids with Rev. Randy Martin officiating. The family will receive friends after the service. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Weldon Fire Department at 109 Washington Ave., Weldon, NC 27890.

If you'd like to send your condolences to the family, you can sign his guestbook on the funeral home's website.

We send our condolences to the Johnny's family!