Somers Point will cap its “First in the Nation” beach concert season with a historic homecoming: Mitch Ryder — the Detroit rock icon who played Somers Point before breaking big nationwide — will headline with the Tony Mart Allstars on Friday, Sept. 12, at 7 p.m. on the Somers Point Beach.
From the early 1950s, when drummer Len Carrie and his Krackerjacks helped swing Tony Mart’s, through the golden age of the 1960s as Bob Dylan recruited Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson away from Conway Twitty and Tony Mart’s, Somers Point welcomed many of rock ’n’ roll’s biggest names. Of that era’s regulars, Ryder remains the standard-bearer.
The concert will feature Ryder’s multi-million-selling hits, including “C.C. Ryder/Sock It to Me,” “Good Golly, Miss Molly,” and “Devil With a Blue Dress On.” Fans can also expect “Sock It to Me, Baby!,” which reached No. 6 nationally even as censors once bristled at its title — the same phrase that became a running joke on TV’s “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.”
The lineup also includes:
- Danny Eyer, the beloved South Jersey singer-guitarist, opening with music of Bill Haley and Del Shannon.
- Howard Isaacson, performing his No. 1 smooth-jazz hit “Daylight.”
- Waynard Scheller, world-class keyboardist and musical director of Dead Zep.
- Dan Burke and “Big Bob” Ernano, saluting Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band.
- Twisted Livin’ Band, rising blues-rock artists from South Jersey, kicking off the party.
The free, family-friendly show will deliver a 2 1/2-hour celebration of Somers Point’s musical legacy and a grand finale to a dream season of Legacy Concerts on the Beach, now presented by Tony Mart Cares at the historic bayside venue where Tony Mart’s made history from 1945 until “Eddie and the Cruisers” took its final bow in 1982.
Legacy Patron Program: Supporters can become patrons of the “First in the Nation Celebration” with a donation of $100 or more. Patrons will be listed on the Legacy Patron roster and receive photo opportunities and a keepsake poster the night of the show. To participate, email tonymartpresents@gmail.com or speak with a member of the Tony Mart team at the beach concert or on Facebook.
Let the good times roll.
