Salem County Music Scene
Rock & Soul of the 60s & 70s
We are proud to announce our newest documentary feature:
Salem County Music Scene – Rock & Soul of the 60s & 70s
.
This film will detail the music culture that thrived in Salem County during the 1960’s to late 1970s. From smoky VFW halls to high school gym dances to bars and clubs and even the Cowtown Rodeo stages, Salem County produced some of the most passionate and talented musicians of the region.
Through intimate interviews with surviving musicians, rare footage and photos, as well as studio and live recordings, the film will capture the energy, the joys, the heartbreaks and the lifelong friendships from that wonderful time in Salem County.
Expect stories of garage bands trying to turn pro, rivalries, fleeting fame, Vietnam-era stories, and the pure sound and dreams of young musicians looking to find their place in the big US music business world and their voice in their own small-town.
The Salem County Music Scene celebrates the unsung heroes of music from Salem County. It’s more than a music documentary — it’s a love letter to a generation, a place, and a sound that still resonates today.
We are currently in the pre-production and shoot stages of the film.
Photos From The Interviews
Daryl Howard of the Nu' Rons
Jim Emmons of the Neutral Spirits
Terry Buckner of the Robert Mule Band
Terry Wright of The Manhattans and The Roadrunners
Rich Watson of The GT's
The Rain Makers - (L to R) Dale Harris, Wayne Elmer & Tim Elmer
Dave Weldon, Dave Layton, Jeff Shaw, Bobby Alleger, Alan Belcher and Allen Sattler of Slayer
More Photos From The Video Shoots
-
- Daryl Howard of the Nu’ Rons
The Bands
315 London, Gospel 5, Jade, Neutral Spirits, Opus, Post No Bills, Robert Mule Band, Seven Hits And A Miss, Shabocca, Slayer, The Alternators, The Buka Bros., The Capris, The Chevelles, The GTs, The Friedles, The Funky Riders, The Manhattans, The Nu' Rons, The Rainmakers, The Roadrunners, The Semanons
Music From The Bands
The Nu' Rons - I'm A Loner
The Nu' Rons - Hurry Up Tomorrow
The Nu' Rons - All Of My Life
The Nu' Rons Disco Hustle
The Rainmakers - Jeannie Green Bean
The Friedles - She Can Go
The Friedles - I lost Her
The Friedles - Don't Tell Me What To Do
The Friedles - I'm So Glad
The Friedles - When Love
The Robert Mule Band - Funky Peaches
The Robert Mule Band - Living On Easy Street
The Robert Mule Band - Just Like The Wind
The Robert Mule Band - Crazy Blues
The Robert Mule Band - When The Time Comes
The Robert Mule Band - Shadows Of Love
The Robert Mule Band -Only Love
The Robert Mule Band - Gonna Fly
The Robert Mule Band -Soul Of A Man
The Robert Mule Band - Dry Your Weeping Eyes
The Buka Brothers Ode To Jaco
The Buka Brothers - Dance Of The Aztecs
The Buka Brothers The Third Floor
Jim Combs Band - Sing Along
About The Filmmaker - Jim Combs
Jim Combs is a South Jersey native, video & film producer, composer, keyboardist, and guitarist who has been creating media in the region for more than 50 years. Jim was born in Salem in 1959 and attended Salem High School and Glassboro State College and has deep roots in the very community this documentary celebrates. He currently lives in Mullica Hill.
Professional background
Since 1980 Jim has written, produced, directed and edited a wide range of projects—from point-of-sale videos, TV commercials and training films to corporate identity pieces, music videos and documentary work. He is also an active composer who has scored many of his own productions as well as projects for other producers.
Starting in 1980—more than a year before MTV launched on August 1, 1981, Jim co-produced a music video with PRISM TV of his song "Sing Along" ( click to view). The video was shot on the “Schooner American” boat located in Cape May, NJ.
In 1983, Jim began directing, producing and editing training video programs for various utilities such as, PSE&G Gas (click to view), PSE&G Salem & Hope Creek Nuclear Plants (click to view), Limerick Nuclear Generating Station and Oyster Creek Generating Station. During this time Jim also freelanced as a camera operator, director, lighting director and producer for DPR Productions (Newfield, NJ) and The Media & Marketing Group (Cherry Hill, NJ).
1988 and 1989 Jim directed and produced two music videos " The Light" (click to view) and " Life In A Cage" (click to view) for the Philadelphia rock band Doctor Bombay for the album "Car Crash Rage".
In 1999 Jim co-wrote, directed and co-produced a local cable series “ The Sonny & CC Show" (click to view), starring Sonny Averona Jr. and Craig Canter (C.C.). Thirteen episodes were produced and aired on Atlantic City Cable WWAC-53 (later WMCN).
In 2002, Jim Combs and Sheila Raman advanced to the second and final round of the Sundance Writers Lab for their feature film script Something Happens To A Man.
In 2006, Jim launched the Not-For-Profit company Firefighters Needed (click to view), that produced recruitment and community-outreach media for volunteer fire companies across the United States and Canada. This media included video programs/DVD’s, TV commercials (click to view) and other media marketing materials that help fire departments attract new volunteers.
In 2020 Jim shifted his primary focus to composing and producing original music while continuing selective video projects.
2026 Jim's short film “ Morning Songs of South Jersey – Money Island Road - click to view” with an original score featuring musicians from Italy, Venezuela, North Macedonia, Argentina and Brazil) received the Salem County Film Festival Spotlight Award.
Jim's photographs and production music have been downloaded tens of thousands of times on the on-line media provider on Pixabay and Pexels.
Current project
Jim is the writer, director & producer of the feature documentary "Salem County Music Scene – Rock & Soul of the 60s & 70s".
Musical work
As a composer and multi-instrumentalist, Jim creates symphonic, jazz, contemporary jazz, jazz-rock and atmospheric musical works that involve musicians from more than 26 countries. Recent and ongoing projects include:
- Electromagnetic Garden (in progress, 2026) – A collection of atmospheric jazz.
- Morning Songs of South Jersey ( audio + video, projected completion fall 2026).
- Fables (2025) Contemporary jazz pieces based on world fables.
- Analog Buildup (2024) A collection of Jazz/Rock and Atmospheric compositions.
- Portrait Of A Setting Sun (2023) Symphonic tone-poems.
- 3*6*9 (2022) A collection of Jazz/Rock and Atmospheric compositions based on the life of Nikola Tesla.
- Keepsakes (2021) A collection of Jazz/Rock and Atmospheric compositions.
- Waiting (2020) A collection of Jazz/Rock and Atmospheric compositions.
Jim's music is available on all the major streaming outlets and has accumulated over 100 thousand plays worldwide (click to view).
Jim Combs Media
Through his company Jim Combs Media, he also offers website design, print design, photography, video and audio production services to clients across the United States and beyond.