Pat Gwinn

From “Old Used To Be’s,” “Rock and Roll Heaven” to the monster hit of “What’s Going On” …Sammy O’Banion’s musical career has seen some great hits and a lot of work. Leader of the popular soul group Sammy O’Banion & Mardi Gras, he is one of the true class acts in Carolina Beach Music. O’Banion – a native of Augusta, Georgia who now lives in Warsaw, North Carolina – has recorded five albums in beach music with fifteen entries on compilations.

GWINN: "What is your earliest memory of being exposed to the music?"

GWINN: When did you join The Holiday Band?

TAYLOR: January 1992…The Holiday Band formed in 1991. Mike Neese is the only original member remaining in the group.

GWINN: Tell me about your musical training, background.

TAYLOR: A BS, Elon College, Music Education 1978.

Gwinn: ”Tell me a little bit about Christopher Biehler. Number one, how did you get involved in music?”

Biehler: “Well, it might have been when my mother was ironing clothes and she had the radio on and I was crawling around on the floor singing along to the songs on the radio, probably no different than a whole lot of people. I just one day decided that this is what I was going to do.”

In the years I have been involved in beach and blues music, I have interviewed many great artists from the Mighty Sam McClain, Drink Smalls, Barbara Lewis, Gerald Alston and Blue Lovette of The Manhattans, Wayne Jackson of The Memphis Horns, Teresa James, Don Wise, General Johnson, Dionne Warwick, Pat Upton of Spiral Staircase, Sonny Turner of The Platters, Andy Kim and others.

y is one of my favorite artists. When Godfrey burst on to the beach music scene in 2002, it seemed as though he was an overnight sensation. I fondly recall the SOS of 2002 when Rickey was performing on the deck in North Myrtle Beach at H’s and then over to The Pad. His stage presence was and remains…remarkable. His guitar play was incredible. His unique voice is captivating.