MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina — Two well-known personalities from Scotland County, North Carolina, will be inducted into the Carolina Beach Music Awards Hall of Fame in November.
Plugged in alongside a myriad of famous beach music icons will be Laurinburg native Jim Quick, founder and lead singer for Jim Quick & Coastline, along with Fred Fox, the long-time owner of WLNC radio in Laurinburg who passed away in December 2017.
The honors were announced live on 94.9 The Surf radio in Myrtle Beach at noon on Friday.
“I had the privilege of working with Fred for 10 years before buying WLNC from him,” said Gary Gallman. “Fred was one of a kind. He was passionate and outspoken about things he believed in, while being very generous and caring. His public persona sometimes masked the generous and caring part, but those who knew him knew better.
“One of the things Fred was passionate about was music, and beach music was high on his list. He made sure a lot of beach music was played on Hometown Radio,” Gallman added.
Sandy Callan, the longtime news director and DJ for WLNC, also had a high opinion about Fox. Of his musical knowledge, Callan said Fox could not be stumped. If someone played the opening of a song, Fox could identify it.
“You could take any oldies record, play one note of the beginning of that song, and he wouldn’t miss. Nobody could trip him up. I tried … everyone tried,” Callan said years ago.
When Fox found out that the Scotland High School marching band’s original wool-argyle-knee-socks from Scotland were in disrepair and could no longer be darned, he began a radio-thon and stayed on air until enough money was raised to replace them.
Callan also said that Fox was a huge supporter of an up-and-coming band years ago.
“A group of kids who were high school buddies wanted to start a band. Fred let them use the back room (at WLNC),” Callan said.
Those kids were Chris Fore and Jim Quick — two of the original members of the Coastline Band. Fox continued to support them and promote the band after it took off, and was instrumental in creating the Coastline Crazies.
Though Quick started with what was originally Coastline Band, he was soon ushered to the lead vocals role — and Jim Quick & Coastline was born. Since then, Quick and the band have performed more than 250 shows a year from Virginia to Key West and have garnered numerous CBMA honors, including a number of Entertainer of the Year awards.
Though the band has, over the recent years, worked out of the Myrtle Beach area, Quick & Coastline remains a popular attraction back in his hometown.
“We are so proud of Jim for achieving this honor,” said Chris English, executive director of the Laurinburg/Scotland County Area Chamber of Commerce. “We can always count on a huge turnout when Jim and Coastline play a Laurinburg After 5, and it’s always a celebration.
“I can’t wait for the Aug. 21 concert so we can celebrate Jim’s accomplishments and enjoy some good ol’ Carolina swamp/soul music,” he added.
Others to be inducted, announced Friday by CBMA President Peter Carpenter, will include UNCP grad Wilson Howard; Pat Christie; Steve Davis; Eddie “Cog” Cogle; Johnny Barkley; Neal “Soul Dog” Furr; Bob Collins & The Fabulous 5; Loafers Beach Club in Raleigh, North Carolina; and WNCT 107.9FM in Greenville, North Carolina.
W. Curt Vincent can be reached at 910-506-3023 or cvincent@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com.
