The album called Carolina Chuckles is a collection of stories told by Ken Mann host of the morning show on WNHW, Nags Head and WYND, Hatteras

The idea to make a comedy tape came about three years ago. After recording several of Mann's public appearances, his talk at a dinner for the Lions Club Visually Impaired Fishing Tournament was chosen and edited to create the album.

Mann said "The great thing about Carolina Chuckles is all the stories are good jokes the whole family can listen to, laugh and not be offended. Laughter is good for the soul.". In addition to telling stories on the radio, Mann is a musician and often tells jokes when he performs with the band, The Captains Crew. Some of the tales are about his family, going to school in Manteo, and attending the Country Music Awards in Nashville, Tennessee.

The "Songs and Legends of the Outer Banks" is an album of songs based entirely on Outer Banks themes, including some well-known legends such as Blackbeard, the Wright Brothers, and the Midgetts of Chicamacomico.

Other real and fictional "legends" include: The Outer Banks Ponies, Hatteras Hattie, Whalebone Junction, Buffalo City, I See A Light (About lighthouses), a tribute to The Farmers of the Sea (Commercial fishermen) and an outright love song to a "sunny seaside home" called: My Heart Will Always Be In Carolina.

The ink is barely dry on some of the songs, all twelve of them authored since November of 1995 by nationally known songwriters Billy Edd Wheeler ("Jackson," "Coward of the County," "Ode to the Little Brown Shack Out Back"), Paul Craft ("Brother Jukebox," "Dropkick Me, Jesus," "Midnight Flyer") and Chet Atkins, CGP, the most recorded solo guitarist of all time. Collaborating with this talented trio was Ken Mann of Wanchese who co-authored many of the songs and supplied local insight and information.

Ken Mann, radio personality and musician in his own right, says his favorite song on the album is The Wings of Man, about the Wright Brothers. A natural choice, since he is president of the First Flight Society and a member of the First Flight Centennial Commission.

Titled Songs & Legends of The Outer Banks, the album has a country sound, with several songs reflecting a folk or pop flavor, as performed by Wheeler and Craft, with man of their Nashville friends singing and strumming along.

The album has a diverse sound, from the bluegrass arrangement of "The Story Of Job", a song written by member Jim Kelly and featuring Bill Keith on banjo. To the contemporary sound of "God Give Me Strength", written and sung by Eddy Francis.

Keith a former member of Bill Monroe's Bluegrass Boys, also plays on a big band flavored rendition of "Just A Close Walk With Theme", with Roy Murray on horns and Ken Mann on Piano. Murray a former member of the Latin rock group Malo, played the trumpet on the seventies hit "Suavecito". Mann recently gained recognition as a co-writer of the album "Songs and Legends Of The Outer Banks" with Billy Edd Wheeler, Paul Craft, and Chet Akins.

The harmony vocals of Connie Francis are heard throughout the album, and she sings lead on two songs, "They cried", written by Patty Griggs of Powell Point and "Amazing Grace", the album's title cut.

In addition to "The Story Of Job", Kelly wrote four more of the songs, including the christian country "When Mama Prays For Me". Group member Jack Cahoon Jr. played bass and sang harmony, and Irvin Ambrose played acoustic lead guitar. Others contributing their talents were Ray Evans, drums, and Lenny Ski, fiddle.

The Captains Crew plays at churches and festivals throughout North Carolina and has performed at the State Fair on several occasions.

The Album was recorded at The Sound to Sea Studio in Manteo N.C. and is available on cassette.

• The Lighthouse
• Lift Me Up To The Mountain Top
• I'll Fly Away
• Mansion Over The Hilltop
• Clinging To A Saving Hand
• He
• He's In The Midst
• Wayfaring Stranger
• That's Him
• Ragged Old Flag

THE LIGHTHOUSE

"THE LIGHTHOUSE" BRIGHTENS COUNTRY GOSPEL SCENE

Country Gospel with a "dinner on the grounds" ‘feel’ marks "The Lighthouse", the latest release by the Wanchese-based Captain's Crew. With a helping hand from country legend George Hamilton IV, the group's new disc combines crystal clear vocals, down-home harmony and solid instrumental work. The album pays homage to the great gospel standards like, "I’ll Fly Away" and "'Wayfaring Stranger", topped off with a moving rendition of Johnny Cash's "Ragged Old Flag", by Hamilton and the Crew's Ken Mann. What makes the disc sparkle is the vocal work by Connie Francis and Connie Bateman. Backed by simple, clean arrangements, their voices ring with the purity found in recordings by Emmylou Harris, Allison Krauss and others. Mix in the deep resonant voices Of Jim Kelly and Eddie Francis, and you have the full rich sound the group has become known for. With Rocky Creef on bass, Sue Waters on fiddle, Rex Mann on drums, and special guest guitarist, Irvine Ambrose, the blend of vocals and music is complete. For fans of good old country gospel, the music of revivals and reunions, church camps and homecomings that help shape the soul of rural America, "The Lighthouse" will brighten your disc collection.

Order An Outer Banks Christmas

The Christmas Song
Mary Did You Know
Come on Ring Those Bells
Silver Bells
What Child is This
Christmas Guest
Do You Hear What I Hear
There's A New Kid In Town
Little Drummer Boy
Breath of Heaven
White Christmas
Beautiful Star of Bethlehem

Order Shipwrecked on Jesus

I Brought You To Jesus
Love Is Free
Church In The Wildwood
Goodbye World Goodbye
Shipwrecked On Jesus
Winter Time
Why Am I So Low
Don't Look Back
When He Was On The Cross (I Was On His Mind)
When You Call Jesus
Won't You Come And Follow Me
Angel In The Sky
God Sent His Only Son