Juke In The Back

Matt The Cat
  • 4.9 (65)
  • Music History
  • Weekly

At the end of the Second World War, economics forced the big bands to trim their once great size and thus, the Jump Blues combo was born. Between 1946-1954, rhythm and blues laid the tracks for what was to become Rock n’ Roll. So how come, 75 years later, this vibrant and influential music is still so unknown to so many? Matt The Cat is going to change that with the radio program, “Juke In The Back.” These were the records that you couldn’t hear on the jukebox in the front of the establishment. To hear all this great 1950s rhythm & blues, you had to go to “Juke In The Back.”

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    Episode #861 – R&B Influences: The Mills Brothers

    Air Week: November 2-8, 2026 R&B Influences: The Mills Brothers On a weekly basis, Juke In The Back consistently points out how the Rhythm & Blues music played on the program influenced those that came later, mostly in the Rock n’ Roll genre. What about the music the influenced and inspired the highly influential records played each week on our ol’ Rockola Juke? This week, Matt The Cat begins a sporadic series on the music that influenced the R&B that we love so dearly. What better way to begin such a series than with a program highlighting the granddaddy of vocal groups and doo wop music: The Mills Brothers. The four brothers (John Jr., Herbert, Harry and Donald) were born in Piqua, OH in the early Twentieth Century and began singing tight barbershop harmonies. They became the first African-Americans to host a national radio show in 1930, largely based on their ability to imitate musical instruments with their mouths along with their close harmonies. This led to a record deal with Brunswick and their first hit, “Tiger Rag.” More hit records, radio show appearances, movie cameos and shows followed through the early 1980s, making them one of the longest running groups of all-time. Their group harmony set a new standard, picked up by the Ink Spots, Ravens, Orioles and later the Flamingos, Clovers, Moonglows, Cadillacs and countless other rock n’ roll doo wop groups. The Mills Brothers are the launching pad for nearly every vocal group the followed and it’s a great pleasure and honor to feature their incredible sound on this week’s Juke In The Back. LISTEN BELOW

  2. Oct 25

    Episode #860 – Spooky Halloween Rhythm & Blues

    Air Week: October 26-November 1, 2026 Spooky Halloween Rhythm & Blues Halloween has always been a frightfully good time of the year for the “Juke In The Back.” This year, Matt The Cat, along with Miss Rosie and Bobby The Bobcat bring you a cauldron of ghoulishly spooky tunes from the 1940s and ’50s. The program is heavy with devilish doo wop delights from The Cadillacs, The Del Vikings, The Verdicts, The Coasters, The Checkers and The Daylighters. There are tunes by Chuck Berry, Mad Man Jones and Louis Armstrong that will make your skin crawl, while Eugene Fox lays a cautionary tale on our ears about the dead returning to keep the living in line. So keep your spooks close, but your records closer and dig on some rarely heard haunted tunes on this week’s Halloween “Juke In The Back.” LISTEN BELOW

  3. Oct 18

    Episode #859 – Louis Jordan, Pt. 6 – 1950-56

    Air Week: October 19-25, 2026 Louis Jordan, Pt. 6 – 1950-56 The “Juke In The Back” presents Part 6, the final part of our mammoth, 6 part series, on the most important musical figure of the 1940s, Louis Jordan. He was the most successful African-American artist of the decade, selling millions of records to both Black and White audiences. Jordan charted 57 singles between 1942 and 1951, scoring 18 #1 R&B hits and 54 top 10s. Several of his records even crossed over into the Pop Top 10, which was an almost unheard of feat at the time. Matt The Cat closes the series focussing on 1950 through ’56, just as Rock ‘n Roll was breaking. Jordan scored his 18th and final #1 R&B record in 1951 with “Blue Light Boogie Pt. 1 & 2” and experimented with fronting a big band for a time in ’52. By the end of ’53, Jordan’s 15 year stint with Decca Records ended. He next recorded some stellar sides for Aladdin Records, Vic, X and Mercury, but the hits were long gone. The singles on this week’s program show that even in the lean times, Louis Jordan still put out quality records. He made some strong efforts at trying to capture the Rock n’ Rollers, but his time in the musical limelight was over. There is no denying that Louis Jordan is almost single-handily responsible for the development of post War Rhythm & Blues as well as the birth of Rock n’ Roll. The “Juke In The Back” is proud to have dedicated 6 programs to this legendary performer and American Icon. LISTEN BELOW

  4. Oct 11

    Episode #858 – Louis Jordan, Pt. 5 – 1948-50

    Air Week: October 12-18, 2026 Louis Jordan, Pt. 5 – 1948-50 The “Juke In The Back” presents Part 5 of our mammoth, 6 part series, featuring the most important musical figure of the 1940s, Louis Jordan. He was the most successful African-American artist of the decade, selling millions of records to both Black and White audiences. Jordan charted 57 singles between 1942 and 1951, scoring 18 #1 R&B hits and 54 top 10s. Several of his records even crossed over into the Pop Top 10, which was an almost unheard of feat at the time. Part 5 of our series focuses on mid-1948 thru the beginning of 1950. During this time, Jordan only scored 2 #1 records and so it has become a much overlooked period in his career, even though he released some very strong singles. We’ll hear two songs that were featured in motion pictures as well as 2 duets, one with Martha Davis and another one with Ella Fitzgerald. Though the hits weren’t as strong as previous years, Jordan did score a career highlight with “Saturday Night Fish Fry,” which topped the R&B Chart for an impressive 12 weeks. His competition in the R&B Field was getting much stronger, but Louis Jordan and His Tympany Five continued to record and release top-notch material. Pianist Bill Doggett is even featured on a few sides. This is the second to last part of my loving tribute to the great and influential Louis Jordan. LISTEN BELOW

  5. 07/28/2020

    Juke In The Back Promo

    1940s & â€50s Rhythm & Blues At the end of the Second World War, economics forced the big bands to trim their once great size and thus, the Jump Blues combo was born. Between 1946-1954, rhythm and blues laid the tracks for what was to become Rock n†Roll. So how come, 70 years later, this vibrant and influential music is still so unknown to so many? Matt The Cat is going to change that with the radio program, “Juke In The Back.” These were the records that you couldnâ€t hear on the jukebox in the front of the establishment. To hear all this great 1950s rhythm & blues, you had to go to Juke In The Back.

  • 5 Episodes

4.9
out of 5
65 Ratings

About

At the end of the Second World War, economics forced the big bands to trim their once great size and thus, the Jump Blues combo was born. Between 1946-1954, rhythm and blues laid the tracks for what was to become Rock n’ Roll. So how come, 75 years later, this vibrant and influential music is still so unknown to so many? Matt The Cat is going to change that with the radio program, “Juke In The Back.” These were the records that you couldn’t hear on the jukebox in the front of the establishment. To hear all this great 1950s rhythm & blues, you had to go to “Juke In The Back.”

Information

  • Creator
    Matt The Cat
  • Years Active
    2011 - 2026
  • Episodes
    5
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Juke In The Back

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