Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat

Series produced by Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri

Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
Image by: Public Domain 
Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat 

Matt The Cat presents the soul that came before rock n' roll: 1950s rhythm and blues. Each week, this underrated and rollicking music plays on that old Rockola Jukebox in the back.

If you wanted to hear rhythm & blues during the 1950s, you couldn't get it from the juke box in the front. No, no! In order to hear that glorious, down and dirty R&B, you had to go to the low-lit, spit-shined "Juke In The Back." These songs are the building blocks of rock n' roll. These are the records that inspired Elvis and single-handedly led to the rock n' roll explosion of the mid-1950s. Big Joe Turner, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Ruth Brown, Ray Charles, Wynonie Harris, LaVern Baker, Roy Brown, Joe Liggins, Professor Longhair and many more take center stage on The Juke In The Back. Matt The Cat hosted a similar program on XM Satellite Radio called "Harlem" and now he brings this great music and information to PRX.


698 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
Little Miss Cornshucks was an influential figure in post WWII Rhythm & Blues. Lavern Baker copied Cornshucks' country girl stage act down to the na...

Bought by Royalton Community Radio, KJZX-Austin, KSRQ, WHRV, WVTF and more


  • Added: Oct 09, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 10
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
The "Juke In The Back" features The Ravens, an R&B vocal group that set the stage for all the groups that would follow. With Jimmy Ricks' bass lead...

Bought by Royalton Community Radio, KTRT RADIO INC, KSRQ, KJZX-Austin, WHRV and more


  • Added: Oct 02, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 10
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
Drop a nickel in the ol' Rockola Juke as Matt The Cat dedicates the entire hour to the great little Nashville R&B label, Excello Records. From The ...

Bought by Royalton Community Radio, KJZX-Austin, KTRT RADIO INC, WHRV, WUTC and more


  • Added: Sep 25, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
Vocalese is a musical sub-genre of Jazz and R&B that burst on the scene in 1952 and was practically gone by 1954. Before it departed, King Pleasure...

Bought by Royalton Community Radio, KJZX-Austin, WHRV, KSRQ, WUTC and more


  • Added: Sep 18, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
The entire "Juke In The Back" this week features Motown's biggest acts, BEFORE there even was a Motown Records and before those acts were household...

Bought by Royalton Community Radio, KJZX-Austin, WHRV, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, WUTC and more


  • Added: Sep 11, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
This week, the "Juke In The Back" honors one of the silent architects of Rock n' Roll, Richard Barrett. On the surface, he's known today to fans of...

Bought by Royalton Community Radio, KSRQ, KJZX-Austin, WHRV, WUTC and more


  • Added: Sep 04, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 10
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
It's part 2 of our 2 part series on Wynonie "Mr. Blues" Harris, one of the greatest blues shouters of all time. Matt The Cat focuses on Harris' hit...

Bought by Royalton Community Radio, KSRQ, WHRV, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, WOUB and more


  • Added: Aug 28, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
The "Juke In The Back" is overflowin' with records by one of R&B's greatest blues shouters and entertainers: Wynonie "Mr. Blues" Harris. Part 1 of ...

Bought by WHRV, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, WUTC, KMXT, WOUB and more


  • Added: Aug 21, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
Elvis Presley's early music was a blend of Hillbilly, Country, Gospel and R&B. This week's "Juke In The Back" explored the enormous debt Elvis owed...

Bought by WHRV, WUTC, WOUB, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, KTRT RADIO INC and more


  • Added: Aug 14, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
Jimmy Preston made a major contribution to early Rock n' Roll by ushering in the era of the screamin' sax. He is mostly remembered today for his or...

Bought by KCSM, KJZX-Austin, WHRV, WUTC, KSRQ and more


  • Added: Aug 07, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 11
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
Many 1960s soul legends had their start in 1950s R&B and this week, the "Juke In The Back" takes a listen to Billy Stewart's early records. We'll a...

Bought by WHRV, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, WUTC, WYAP, WOUB and more


  • Added: Jul 31, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
The "Juke In The Back" honors Little Esther, the 14 year old phenom that scored 3 #1 hits in 1950, singing with Johnny Otis' musical ensemble. She ...

Bought by KCSM, Royalton Community Radio, WHRV, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, WUTC and more


  • Added: Jul 24, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
John Lee Hooker was one of the most influential and important musicians of the 20th Century. He single-handedly invented his own electric guitar bo...

Bought by KCSM, Royalton Community Radio, KTRT RADIO INC, WHRV, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio and more


  • Added: Jul 17, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
The Cadillacs were one of the most versatile R&B vocal groups of the 1950s, handling uptempo gems like "Speedo" and classic doo wop ballads like "G...

Bought by Royalton Community Radio, KSRQ, WHRV, WUTC, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio and more


  • Added: Jul 10, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
Next to the Johnny Otis Orchestra, no R&B act was bigger in 1950 than Larry Darnell. The Columbus, OH native scored the first #1 rhythm record of 1...

Bought by Royalton Community Radio, WHRV, WUTC, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, WOUB and more


  • Added: Jul 03, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 6
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
What’s more American than celebrating America’s birthday with some good ol’ red, white and Rhythm & Blues about THE Fourth of July staple: food? Di...

Bought by Royalton Community Radio, KSRQ, WHRV, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, KCSM and more


  • Added: Jun 26, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 9
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
The "Juke In The Back" is jumpin' with a whole program dedicated to the short-lived 1950s record label started by songwriters Jerry Leiber & Mike S...

Bought by KCSM, Royalton Community Radio, WHRV, KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio, KMXT and more


  • Added: Jun 19, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 7
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
The "Juke In The Back" is proud to feature Jimmy Coe, a great 1950s saxophonist, bandleader and session man that is often ignored today. His 3 sing...

Bought by KCSM, Royalton Community Radio, KNCT FM, WHRV, WUTC and more


  • Added: Jun 12, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 10
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
This week, the "Juke In The Back" focuses on the great Howlin' Wolf's earliest recordings. Before he became a huge star on Chess Records in Chicago...

Bought by KCSM, KSRQ, Royalton Community Radio, WHRV, WOUB and more


  • Added: Jun 05, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 8
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
The Juke In The Back is jumpin' this week with records from the Vita Label and its direct predecessor, Mambo Records. Mambo hit the ground running ...

Bought by KCSM, KNCT FM, KTRT RADIO INC, Royalton Community Radio, KSRQ and more


  • Added: May 29, 2022
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 9