Search - Bill Deal & Rhondells :: Toast of Virginia Beach

Beach Music Heroes

Mark Clifford | 04/16/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you had to keep only one Bill Deal & The Rhondels CD, this is the one! First of all, it is on the Ripete label- the king of all beach music labels. The quality of the sound is superb, featuring both original release recordings and songs recorded live at Fat Roger's Beach Club in Virginia Beach on December 31, 1991. Included is a live medley with "May I", "I've Been Hurt", and "What King Of Fool" (the complete versions are also there). In my book, Bill Deal & Ammon Tharp & The Rhondels share top Beach Music billing only with The Tams and Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs", and this CD will demonstrate why this is so. "Swingin' Tight" is there as well, and it does swing. The "Barefootin'/Boogaloo Down Broadway" live medley (one of two songs orignally recorded as Sheiks of Shag) is a real treat for those who love to Shag til they drop. You will hear Bill and Ammon trade lead vocal duties in the same song to great effect. The CD comes with an 8-page booklet with an interesting bio, info on their records on the Billboard and CashBox charts, a list of artists who they played with live, and a list of all the members who played with the band over the years. Enjoy!"

An Oldie but not Moldy

S. Stewart | San Diego, CA , USA | 01/05/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Took me back to those beach music days at the Peppermint Beach club. dancing to Bill Deal and listening to the Ocean! Yeah!"

Blast from the past

Robert W. Munson | 08/31/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I love this CD, sounds great. The songs give me the same feeling I'd get back in the 60's when I went to see them perform live at the Peppermint Beach Club in Virginia Beach."