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.


697 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Episode #208 - The Moonglows, Pt. 1
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
The Moonglows were one of the few groups to come out of the post World War II, pre-Elvis era, who were extremely talented and had the sales figures...

Bought by Royalton Community Radio, WOUB, WLPR , 90.5 WSNC, KSRQ and more


  • Added: Apr 27, 2014
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 6
Episode #207 - The Robins
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
The "Juke In The Back" features The Robins, one of the earliest and most influential R&B vocal group to come out of Los Angeles in the late '40s an...

Bought by KTRT RADIO INC, WOUB, 90.5 WSNC, WLPR , KSRQ and more


  • Added: Apr 19, 2014
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 6
Episode #206 - Roy Brown
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
"Juke In The Back" features one of early R&B's greatest blues shouters, Roy Brown. From his early hits for the DeLuxe Label in the late 1940s to hi...

Bought by KPVL, WOUB, 90.5 WSNC, WLPR , and KSRQ


  • Added: Apr 13, 2014
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 5
Episode #205 - Sam Cooke
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
Few African Americans accomplished so much (songwriter, revered singer, entrepreneur) during the 1950s as the legendary Sam Cooke. This week, Matt ...

Bought by KPVL, WRNC-LP, WOUB, 90.5 WSNC, WLPR and more


  • Added: Apr 06, 2014
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 6
Episode #204 - Paul Gayten
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
Pianist Paul Gayten is one of the true unsung heroes of R&B and rock n' roll, but he is often overlooked in the history of the genre. Matt The Cat ...

Bought by KPVL, WOUB, WRNC-LP, 90.5 WSNC, WLPR and more


  • Added: Mar 30, 2014
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 6
Episode 203 - New Orleans R&B, Pt. 3
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
This week, it's part 3 of "Juke In The Back"'s 3 part series on the great, influential and infectious music that came out of New Orleans, one of Am...

Bought by WRNC-LP, WOUB, 90.5 WSNC, WLPR , KPVL and more


  • Added: Mar 23, 2014
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 6
Episode #202 - New Orleans R&B, Pt. 2
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
This week, it's part 2 of "Juke In The Back"'s 3 part series on the great, influential and infectious music that came out of New Orleans, one of Am...

Bought by WRNC-LP, WOUB, WLPR , 90.5 WSNC, KPVL and more


  • Added: Mar 16, 2014
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 6
Episode #201 - New Orleans R&B, Pt. 1
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
This week, "Juke In The Back" begins a 3 part series on the great, influential and infectious music that came out of New Orleans, one of America's ...

Bought by WOUB, WLPR , 90.5 WSNC, KPVL, WRNC-LP and more


  • Added: Mar 09, 2014
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 6
Episode #200 - The Spiders
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
New Orleans is not known for its R&B vocal groups. In a city where jazz, blues and zydeco thrive, one vocal group rose to the top: The Spiders. In ...

Bought by WRNC-LP, WOUB, WLPR , 90.5 WSNC, KPVL and more


  • Added: Mar 03, 2014
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 6
Episode #199 - Aladdin Records Story, Pt. 2
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
This week, "Juke In The Back" features the conclusion of our 2 part series on Aladdin Records. Matt The Cat features Aladdin's releases from 1950-5...

Bought by WOUB, WLPR , WRNC-LP, 90.5 WSNC, KPVL and more


  • Added: Feb 22, 2014
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 6
Episode #198 - Aladdin Records Story, Pt. 1
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
The "Juke In The Back" presents part 1 of a 2 part series on Aladdin Records. Aladdin was one of the independent LA record labels that launched in ...

Bought by WRNC-LP, WOUB, WLPR , 90.5 WSNC, KPVL and more


  • Added: Feb 16, 2014
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 6
Episode #197 - Little Willie John
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
This week, the "Juke In The Back" features one of the great big talents of early R&B, Little Willie John. From interviews with people who knew Will...

Bought by WRNC-LP, WOUB, WLPR , WEZU, 90.5 WSNC and more


  • Added: Feb 09, 2014
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 7
Episode #196 - 1954: Jukebox Rhythm Review, Pt. 2
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
1954 was a pivotal year for American Music. The lines between Rhythm & Blues and Pop were getting blurred as more and more R&B records crossed over...

Bought by KFOK-LPFM, WOUB, WLPR , 90.5 WSNC, WRNC-LP and more


  • Added: Feb 02, 2014
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 7
Episode #195 - 1954: Jukebox Rhythm Review, Pt. 1
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
1954 was a pivotal year for American Music. The lines between Rhythm & Blues and Pop were getting blurred as more and more R&B records crossed over...

Bought by KFOK-LPFM, WOUB, WLPR , WRNC-LP, 90.5 WSNC and more


  • Added: Jan 26, 2014
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 7
Episode #194 - Big Jay McNeely
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
Matt The Cat is joined by the greatest of all the West Coast Sax Honkers, Big Jay McNeely. You'll hear Big Jay tell his story in his own words as M...

Bought by KFOK-LPFM, WOUB, 90.5 WSNC, WRNC-LP, and KSRQ


  • Added: Jan 19, 2014
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 5
Episode #193 - Chuck Berry: His First Year
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
This week, Matt The Cat looks at Chuck Berry's very first year of recording, featuring everything he recorded between May, 1955 and April, 1956. Yo...

Bought by WRNC-LP, WOUB, and KSRQ


  • Added: Jan 12, 2014
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 3
Episode #192 - The Swallows
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
Eddie Rich, the original lead tenor of The Swallows, one of the greatest and most underrated R&B vocal groups of the 1950s joins Matt The Cat for a...

Bought by WOUB, WRNC-LP, WEZU, and KSRQ


  • Added: Jan 05, 2014
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 4
Episode #191 - Faye Adams
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
This week's "Juke In The Back" highlights the short, but important career of Faye Adams. DJ Alan Freed called her "The little gal with the big voic...

Bought by WOUB, KPVL, and WRNC-LP


  • Added: Dec 29, 2013
  • Length: 59:00
  • Purchases: 3
Episode #190 - R&B Christmas Leftovers & New Year's Resolutions
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
Matt The Cat has dug up some more R&B Christmas treasures and added a few tunes about New Years for this week’s continuation of the “Juke In The Ba...

Bought by KPIP-LP, WVAS, KSRQ, and WOUB


  • Added: Dec 22, 2013
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 4
Episode #189 - R&B Christmas
From: Matt "The Cat" Baldassarri
Series: Juke In The Back With Matt The Cat
Caption: Juke In The Back with Matt The Cat, Credit: Public Domain
The entire "Juke In The Back" is loaded with the greatest R&B Christmas records from the late 1940s and 1950s. It's the yuletide soul that came bef...

Bought by KPIP-LP, WOUB, WRNC-LP, KPVL, and KSRQ


  • Added: Dec 15, 2013
  • Length: 59:01
  • Purchases: 5

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