Reflections on the SOS Midwinter Break: A Beach Music Journey

Hey there, folks, it's Jim Quick here, your friendly neighborhood beach music troubadour. If you've ever caught me and Coastline tearing up the stage with some soulful shag rhythms, you know I'm all about that Carolina sound. I've been touring the Southeast for over 34 years now, and at one time we were cranking out more than 250 shows a year. We dropped sixteen albums along the way. But today, I want to take y'all on a little trip down memory lane about one of my favorite traditions: the SOS Midwinter Break in North Myrtle Beach. As someone who's performed at countless SOS events, including those electric Midwinter gatherings, this one's close to my heart. Let me tell you how it all started and why it's become the heartbeat of our shag community.

Back in the beginning, around 1980, the Society of Stranders – or SOS as we all know it – was just a spark of an idea. It all kicked off with that first proclamation from the City of North Myrtle Beach, recognizing the "Strand" – that's Ocean Drive, or O.D. to the locals – as the epicenter of shag dancing and beach music. Shag itself? Oh, that's got roots going way back to the late 1940s in the African American communities along the Carolina coast, where folks started swinging to those smooth beach tunes. By the time SOS formalized in the early '80s, with its officers and board history tracing back to 1984, it was all about preserving that lifestyle – the dance, the music, the good times on the beach.

You know, the Spring Safari in April and the Fall Migration in September were already huge—those 10-day blowouts where thousands of us would descend on Ocean Drive for non-stop shagging, live bands, and catching up with old friends from across the Carolinas. But folks started craving something in between, especially during those long, cold winter months when the beach felt a million miles away. The demand was clear: the community needed a midwinter pick-me-up to keep the spirit alive year-round, a shorter weekend getaway to shake off the January blues, refresh those dance steps with workshops, and reunite without waiting another six months. That's how the Midwinter Break (or Winter Workshop, as some still call it) came to be added as the third pillar—starting as a smaller, more intimate event but growing into its own beloved tradition, ensuring we'd have that SOS magic three times a year instead of just twice. It was all about keeping the groove going strong, no matter the season.

The Midwinter Break emerged as one of SOS's three big annual shindigs, alongside the Spring Safari and the Fall Migration. It's always been that mid-January escape from the winter blues, drawing thousands of us shaggers to North Myrtle Beach for a weekend of non-stop dancing and tunes. I remember my first time playing there – must've been back in the early 2000s, right around when I was really hitting my stride with Coastline. We'd set up at spots like Fat Harold's Beach Club, and the energy was electric. Folks from all over the Carolinas would flock in, bundled up against the January chill but heating up the dance floor with moves that could melt ice.

Over the years, Midwinter has grown into something legendary. By the 2010s, it was attracting thousands of dancers each year, turning O.D. into a pulsating hub of beach music. We've had vinyl parties, dance lessons, live bands like mine belting out classics, and reunions that feel like family gatherings. SOS itself became the umbrella for dozens of shag clubs across the Carolinas, keeping the spirit alive through these events. And let me tell ya, performing for SOS crowds is a rush like no other. I've shared stages with legends – bands like Band of Oz, The Catalinas, The Embers, and The Castaways – and we've all contributed to that raw, honest Southern tradition.

Fast forward to today, and Midwinter is still going strong. Take this year's event, set for January 15-18, 2026 – it's promising another unforgettable weekend with beach music, shag workshops, and that classic O.D. vibe. The association meeting on Saturday, January 17th, at 10:00 A.M., is where they hash out the future, but the real magic happens on the dance floors of clubs popping with DJs and live acts. I've got songs like "Mama's Drinkin' Liquor Again" and "Turn Me Over" that were born from this scene, and every time I play 'em at Midwinter, it feels like coming home.

What makes SOS Midwinter special to me? It's more than just an event; it's a lifeline for our culture. In a world that's always changing, this break reminds us to slow down, shag a little, and groove to the music that's defined the Carolinas for generations. If you haven't been, grab your dancing shoes and join us in North Myrtle Beach. Who knows – you might even catch me and Coastline lighting up the stage at Fat Harold’s. Until then, keep the beach music playing.

Yours in rhythm,

Jim Quick

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