Wednesday, June 30, 1999
Wednesday, June 30, 1999 |
| Medallions
swing into town By MICHAEL BOYLAN Summertime in the South means hot weather, cool beverages, Braves baseball, and The Swingin' Medallions. Known in this region as the premiere party band of the South, the Swingin' Medallions have been entertaining fans since 1964. They will entertain all of their local fans Friday night as they kick off the Fourth of July weekend festivities in Peachtree City. The Medallions got together at Lander University in Greenwood, S.C. Their roots were in early rhythm and blues, and they played what was called beach music, frat rock, or shagging music. Their show is high energy and full of good feeling. The Swingin Medallions' first hit was “Double Shot (of my Baby's Love).” It was a million seller in 1966 and sent the boys on their way to fame. In 1966 and 1967, the Medallions had two other songs in the top 40, “She Drives Me Out of my Mind” and “Hey, Hey, Baby.” Other songs the group recorded were, “Summer's Not the Same this Year”, “I don't want to lose it for you”, “I found a rainbow”, and “Where do you go to get soul”. The band has only one original member left, John McElrath. Over the years, as members have come and gone, the band has remained an eight-piece outfit, usually with at least a four-piece horn section. The Medallions are gearing up for a big summer tour around the South. They will play at 8 p.m. Friday, July 2 at the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater in Peachtree City and then will tour a lot of the Carolinas and Florida. They will play with Drivin N Cryin in Jekyll Island in August. Lewis Grizzard wrote about the Swingin' Medallions in a 1993 column that, “Even today, when I hear the Swingin' Medallions sing “Double Shot(of my Baby's Love),” it makes me want to stand outside in the hot sun, with a milkshake cup full of beer in one hand and a slightly drenched 19-year-old coed in the other.” The Swingin' Medallions promise a high energy, good-timey show to kick off the long weekend. Tickets for the July 2 show are $15 for adults and $12 for children. Call 770-631-0630 for information.
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