NEW BOOK: "Wildwood Music Memories" by Taylor N. Henry & Rob Ascough

WILDWOOD -- Once dubbed Las Vegas by-the-sea, the Wildwoods were famously a nightlife mecca. Fans filled nightclubs, music icons performed their hits, and new genres were born. This history will be the subject of an upcoming book by two Wildwood Historical Society board officers to be released by America Through Time on November 24, 2026.  

Wildwood Music Memories: Entertainment & Nightlife, Volume I, 1885-1969 takes readers on a historical and nostalgic trip through the Wildwoods’ legendary live music scene from the resort’s beginnings to its heyday. It is the first in a series that will span decades, genres, and venues.  

At their height, Wildwood and North Wildwood were as happening as New York, Miami Beach, or Las Vegas. From hotspots like the Starlight Ballroom to the Surf Club, the Riptide to the Rainbow, and Club Avalon to the Manor Supper Club, readers are transported back to when the Treniers and Bill Haley & the Comets sparked a rock & roll revolution, Chubby Checker launched a world-altering dance craze, and the Isley Brothers performed with an unknown Jimi Hendrix.  

Generations of fans arrived by train – and later the Garden State Parkway – and danced to jazz, swing, rhythm & blues, country western, and rock. And it all happened in bars, cafés, and nightclubs in the Wildwoods, New Jersey.  

Book release party & signing 

The Wildwood Historical Museum at 3907 Pacific Avenue will host the authors for a book release party and signing on Sunday, December 13, 2026 from 2 to 4 pm. Books will be available for purchase.  

Both authors have published local history books before. Historical society president Taylor N. Henry, MA, wrote Wildwoods Houses Through Time (2018).  

“Wildwood, music, and history are passions of mine, so it was a dream to combine them,” Henry said. “I am extremely proud of this series and cannot wait to share what we’ve uncovered through hundreds of hours of research.” 

Treasurer Rob Ascough co-authored Images of America: Hunt's Pier (2011). He is also editor of RollerCoaster!, the official magazine of American Coaster Enthusiasts. 

"I've been vacationing in the Wildwoods my entire life, and studying its music history enabled me to appreciate the area on an entirely different level,” Ascough said. “It really is a special place, regardless of one's musical interests." 

Where to buy 

The book retails for $26.99 and can be preordered on Amazon and Through-Time.com. After the release, it will also be sold at Hooked on Books and the Wildwood Historical Museum gift shop and online store (WildwoodHistoricalMuseum.com/shop).  

Volume II 

The second book in the series is expected to be released in 2027. Wildwood Music Memories: Entertainment & Nightlife, Volume II will cover the Wildwoods’ music scene from 1970–2026. In addition to Wildwood, North Wildwood, and Wildwood Crest, it will also span nightlife in Diamond Beach, West Wildwood, and Shawcrest, including venues like the Playpen, Oasis, Stardust, and Wildwood Convention Hall. To learn more about this America Through Time release, visit www.Through-Time.com.  

To stay informed about release dates and events, please follow the Wildwood Historical Society on Facebook or Instagram, and visit their website, WildwoodHistoricalMuseum.com.