‘Down at the Barbershop’ grows since April 1 debut

This weekly radio show has been no joke since its inception on April 1.

“Down at the Barbershop” airs 10 a.m.-noon Fridays on WLSC-AM 1240 “Tiger Radio,” in a live remote from the Loris Barber Shop, 4011 Meeting St.

This informal gathering and musical celebration, even for anyone who doesn’t need a hair trim, has become a newfound community hub that “Banana” Jack Murphy, general manager and co-owner of the area’s only classic country station, sees potential in growth, not only to honor radio’s roots and value, but to welcome all kinds of local musicians to perform.

Speaking last week, before a onetime break on July 1 for the host venue, Murphy said a best-of “Down at the Barbershop” broadcast on WLSC will start the Independence Day weekend, and the gatherings will resume July 8.

Question: How did this innovative hometown show idea come up?

Answer: Jason Porter, the proprietor of the Loris Barber Shop, ... moved 2-3 years ago into a former Horry County State Bank location ... and he said, “Maybe you could do a show here, like in “The Andy Griffith Show,’” where a barber shop and the Floyd character were key to that. ...

Q. | Why was Friday the best day of the week for this venture?

A. | We talked about doing the show on Saturday, when we might get more musicians and people coming in. ... It’s not scientific, though, I tend to listen to the radio more on Friday, then on Saturday, I cut the grass and have a “honey do” list, and probably others do the same.

Q. | Has it been easy to find participants from the talented base across Horry County?

A. | We were fortunate to have Big Bam Boom for the first broadcast ... as our go-to guy. He lives over here, between Loris and Green Sea. He said, “I want to be part of this; this is going to turn into something. He comes out of the kindness of his heart. He also expanded his library of what he plays, with some classic country and some gospel. ...

We’ve had a traveling bluegrass group playing churches across the area. ... It’s been easy for some folks to make time for us, because their schedules are more different than professional musicians’. ...

Alan Bibey, who has been named one of the top mandolin players in the world. who lives down in the Surfside Beach area, ... he’s played with just about everybody in bluegrass. When we had him here, that was a tremendous honor for us, a little feather in our cap.

Q. | With such pleasant feedback from audiences and participation by artists in the show, does this sprout other ideas for outreach?

A. | This was just an idea, and it became a hit. ... It could be a 30-minute weekly TV show. ... We have plenty of room to grow, and we’re going to outgrow the barber shop. There’s a back room in that old bank building where the vault is and that could be the backdrop.

Q. | Having a locally owned radio station these days – almost as rare as finding spotting a white pelican along the ocean in Myrtle Beach – how special is keeping a core in the community, through “Down at the Barbershop”?

A. | Being local, that’s what sets us apart. ... And we’ve had to get clever. It’s made me a better broadcaster, with the station’s signal, and embracing the Internet.

Q. | A friend just relayed me a copy of an intriguing Bravo documentary from the 1990s called “Rock ’n’ Roll Invaders: The AM Radio DJs.” By programming music on your AM station, how does a piece of Americana live on, even if the demographics of listeners are older?

A. | You go into some areas, and people still listen to AM radio, and it’s still great radio. A lot has to do with news/talk and sports – that’s the key. The Myrtle Beach market is a strange animal, with sports and news/talk stations on the FM dial, because in large markets, they’re on AM. ...

We got on to the Internet, so we do have some young kids listening.

You can watch live streaming of “Down at the Barbershop” at www.tigerradio.com, and we will eventually expand that. I would like to have three cameras there. I am engineering the show as I do it, and I’ve been asked, “How do you mix and host a show at the same time?”

Q. | Are plans to increase WLSC’s transmission power from the 1 kilowatt level on the horizon, to widen the station’s reach across the Grand Strand?

A. | We had fired this up to the max, but we had a lightning strike, and it’s a transmitter issue. A signal update is in the works. ...

Also with access to our audience, last month, we had more than 1,100 calls [to 843-733-3153 or 213-493-0145] to listen to our station.

Q. | Listening this week to Tiger Radio, I’ve heard hits by such titans as George Strait, Anne Murray, and the late George Jones. The nearest classic country stations of which I know and tune in when traveling are WNBB-FM 97.9 “The Bear” in New Bern, N.C., and WGCO-“Hank” FM 98.3 in Savannah, Ga. Since Tiger Radio shifted to its classic country format in September, how has the reception among listeners been?

A. | People, they find it; I think they discover it, and it’s a hit. People tell me they work in Loris, Longs, Little River or North Myrtle Beach, and they tune in. ...

And our “Down at the Barbershop” fans, they’re just regular folks. ... People are showing up with their instruments, wanting to play. One guy bought a set of bongos, and he said, “I want to come in and play.”

Other local airwaves updates

▪ This past spring, Joule Broadcasting LLC, the trust with the “News talk that matters” signal simulcast on WJXY-FM 93.9 and WXJY-FM 93.7, in Horry and Georgetown counties, respectively, added Larry Elder’s syndicated show from Los Angeles, airing 3-6 p.m. Mondays-Fridays. Listeners to this program, known as “Elderados,” are invited reach the host – author of three books – at 888-971-7243 (SAGE), www.larryelder.com or www.elderstatement.com. Elder’s show succeeds the time slot occupied formerly by Hugh Hewitt, who shifted into morning drive, carried by the Salem Radio Network on other stations nationwide.

▪ Colonial Media and Entertainment of Bradford, Pa., has acquired WMIR-AM “Rejoice” 1200 (800-614-9821 or colonialme.wix.com/myrtle-beach#!rejoice/c1znj), with gospel programming, and begun simulcasting on 103.5 FM from Atlantic Beach, with plans to add 95.5 FM from Conway in later summer, said Jeff Andrulonis, Colonial’s chairman and chief executive officer. Colonial also has purchased the assets of WNMB-AM 900, and it continues with plans to bring the oldies station back on the air, with hopes for autumn, since its signal went silent in November with the sale of the land containing its broadcast tower sold to developers.

▪ Fans of Christian/gospel formats have gained two other outlets since autumn: WXMB-FM 101.5, a low-power signal based at Calvary Chapel Myrtle Beach, 316 Bush Drive, off Fantasy Harbour Boulevard, just north of George Bishop Parkway – www.wxmbfm.com – reach host at 843-903-3534 or www.ccmyrtlebeach.com; and WGHJ-FM 105.3 (formerly “Cool” WODR, with oldies/beach music), GNNradio, from the Good News Network and syndicated across the Southeast from Appling, Ga. – 800-926-4669 or www.gnnradio.org.

▪ A reminder for Myrtle Beach Pelicans fans who miss having the local radio gamecasts as of this year: All games, with Scott Kornberg’s play-by-play, are streamed at www.myrtlebeachpelicans.com/broadcast, the MiLB (Minor League Baseball) First Pitch app, and TuneIn, a free download on all mobile devices. Also, WPDE-TV 15 will air five Sunday home games, all starting at 6 p.m. and with Kornberg joined in the booth by Lloyd Merritt, a former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher and professional team manager, instructor and scout: June 26 and Aug. 7 against the Carolina Mudcats, from Zebulon, N.C.; July 24 vs. the Potomac (Va.) Nationals; and Aug. 21 vs. the Lynchburg (Va.) Hillcats.

This story was originally published June 26, 2016 at 5:00 AM with the headline "‘Down at the Barbershop’ grows since April 1 debut."