Harlem

This Week HARLEM Presents…
MELVIN SMITH

Melvin Smith never enjoyed national success and only had one regional hit, but he remains one of the finest rhythm and blues singers from the early 1950s. This week on HARLEM, Matt The Cat digs deep into the Harlem underground to shed some light on this underrated legend, Melvin Smith.

HARLEM airs on the 50s on 5:
Monday afternoon 6/26 @ 1pm over Harlem, NY
Tuesday night 6/27 @ 9pm over LA & midnight over Boston, MA
Friday evening 6/30 @ 6pm over Tampa, FL
Sunday morning 7/02 @ 11am over Portland, ME

The Checkers formed at the end of 1951, when Charlie White and Bill Brown left The Dominoes. Get it! They left the Dominoes and formed THE CHECKERS. Yeah well, they picked up a few other guys and they were off recording for King Records. After 3 years together and no hits, they called it quits. But what they left behind is a treasure trove of 1950s rhythm and blues. Get the story behind the Checkers and some of their greatest recordings on this week’s HARLEM.

Harlem Airs on The 50s on 5:
Monday 6/19 @ 1pm EST
Tuesday 6/20 @ 9pm PST – Midnight EST
Friday 6/23 @ 6pm EST
Sunday 6/25 @ 11am EST

-MTC

This week, we’ll focus on the heyday of Atlantic: The 1950s.

The
Atlantic Records
Story

Part 2
Atlantic Records co-founder Ahmet Ertegun once again joins Harlem’s Matt The Cat as we focus on the heyday of Atlantic; the early to mid 1950s. Mr. Ertegun will give us the story behind the story on Big Joe Turner, LaVern Baker, Ray Charles and Chuck Willis, just to name a few. This is the story of the most influential and significant rhythm & blues record label of all time. Don’t miss Harlem; the soul that came before rock n’ roll.

Harlem Airs on The 50s on 5:
Monday 6/12 @ 1pm EST
Tuesday 6/13 @ 9pm PST & Midnight EST
Friday 6/16 @ 6pm EST
Sunday 6/18 @ 11am EST