On the radio: Here's the music that powers Daytona Jeep Beach
When tens of thousands of Jeeps roll into Daytona Beach in mid-April for the annual Jeep Beach event, expect the music blasting from custom sound systems to reflect the free-spirited lifestyle long associated with the iconic brand.
Now in its 21st year, Jeep Beach has harnessed that connection through its own Internet radio station, Jeep Beach Radio, a year-round 24/7 platform for music and Jeep-oriented programming.
This year, the radio station, which debuted in 2021, has spawned its own daylong Jeep Beach Radio Music Fest on the closing weekend of the 10-day event that runs from April 19-28 in Daytona Beach.
For Charlene Greer, the event’s executive director and chairwoman, the connection between the Jeep lifestyle and music is a potent one that’s too big to ignore.
“It’s such a life of adventure and freedom, riding with the top down, the doors off, the music playing, just singing songs making memories and connecting the Jeep experience to songs,” Greer said.
“I can hear a song and immediately connect it to a moment we had cruising down (State Road) A1A with the top down.”
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In surveys of those attending the event, others shared the same passion, she said.
“Jeep Beach Nation really wanted more music. It becomes such as iconic moment in their lives, so we’ve connected the Jeeping experience with some of their favorite artists.”
Playlist reflects that ‘no two Jeepers are alike’
On Jeep Beach Radio, based in a studio on North Halifax Avenue in Daytona Beach, the mix is primarily music from an array of genres and musical acts seemingly unbounded by traditional radio formats.
On a recent afternoon, the playlist included “Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2, “Castaway” by Boston-based reggae act Elovaters, “Flood” by Christian rockers Jars of Clay, “Good For You” by pop star Selena Gomez (featuring A$AP Rocky) as well as The Who’s classic “Pinball Wizard.”
“The audience is as eclectic as Jeep Beach Nation is,” Greer said. “They represent every walk of life.”
Programming for the station is handled by Rob Fiorino, Ed LaComb and Tom Karkut, a trio of radio veterans who now own and operate Daytona Beach-based Digital Sound and Video. The company produces digital programming such as commercials, voiceovers and imaging to radio stations nationwide.
Although Jeep Beach is a client, there’s a more personal relationship, said Fiorino, who first teamed with LaComb to host and DJ Jeep Beach events roughly 15 years ago when the duo had launched their own Internet radio station, Daytona Surf.
They talked with Greer and her husband, Kurt, the event’s vendor director, about the possibility of launching an online radio station tied exclusively to the Jeep Beach.
When the station launched, just ahead of Jeep Beach in 2021, the focus was solely on offering information and promotion tied to the event, its schedule and other important updates for those attending. In the years since, a formidable array of music has been added to the mix, as well as an assortment of weekly themed programs produced at the Daytona Beach studio.
Listeners can stream programming 24/7 by visiting jeepbeachradio.com, through the Jeep Beach mobile app, through the TuneIn or Live365 online radio apps or Amazon's Alexa.
Musically, the station specializes in defying traditional formats, Fiorino said.
“No two jeepers are alike and that’s how we do the music,” he said. “There’s rock, classic rock, alternative rock, country, pop, yacht rock, reggae, Caribbean. We have about 400 to 500 songs for each of those formats.”
Jeep Beach Radio Music Fest builds connection
Additional programming includes the weekly “Tiki Island Happy Hour,” free-wheeling conversation from Charlene and Kurt Greer that airs at 5 p.m. Fridays. There’s also a weekly podcast, “Jeep Beach News & Views,” that typically debuts midweek. More user-oriented shows such as “Off Road Tool Box” and “Behind the RV” offer technical tips for making the most of the Jeep experience.
Over the past year, the number of Jeep Beach listeners has grown 15% to roughly 40,000 listeners that have tuned in for more than 60,000 hours of programming, according to the station’s tracking. Those listeners represent more than three dozen countries internationally, ranging from England, Germany, Canada and Brazil to Austria, the Philippines, Nigeria and South Africa.
That interest has inspired a bigger foray into live music at this year’s Jeep Beach.
On April 26, the event will host the inaugural Jeep Beach Radio Music Fest on the infield at Daytona International Speedway.
On the bill for the show is country singer-songwriter Lee Brice (“One of Them Girls”), country star Craig Morgan, the Wailers, singer-songwriter Maggie Rose and California-based sibling duo the Wheeland Brothers.
Those registered for Jeep Beach can buy reduced price tickets to the music fest during registration. For others, general admission tickets are available for $75 at jeepbeach.com.
The multi-act music festival expands on a "post-Main Event" concert by pop singer-songwriters Colbie Caillat and Tim Montana on the closing weekend of last year’s event.
“That was really an ice breaker to see if we can integrate music into this,” Greer said. “When we did surveys at last year’s event, that’s the thing we heard the most from people: ‘More live music! More live music!’”
At the same time, Greer hopes the music festival will entice more local residents to attend Jeep Beach, an event that has become beloved for its charitable contributions to an array of organizations throughout Volusia and Flagler counties.
Incorporated as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity in 2017, Jeep Beach Inc. has donated over $4.3 million to area charities over the past decade through the event’s annual weeklong fund-raising efforts. Recipients include the Boys & Girls Clubs of Volusia & Flagler Counties; the NASCAR Foundation; the Childhood Cancer Foundation, as well as more than 70 additional nonprofit groups.
“We exist to raise funds for those nonprofits, and they are serving so much of our population here,” she said. “We want our general public here to embrace the experience of Jeep Beach. It’s not just for jeepers. We want our community, neighbors and friends to be able to come out and enjoy the show, to be entertained by the music that we absolutely love.”
If you go
WHAT: Jeep Beach
WHEN: April 19-28
WHERE: Jeep-oriented events throughout Daytona Beach, including Daytona International Speedway, Hard Rock Hotel, One Daytona.
ONLINE: jeepbeach.com
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Take a listen to tunes that power Daytona Jeep Beach Radio
