Our DJs

Kathy Carroll, aka “Kathy K”

Kathy learned DJ skills from Bob Arthur (King Arthur's Court DJ's) in 1984. A whole new world was now opened to her that enabled her to be a stay-at-home mom raising her three girls. After 16 years playing music, she and Ron walked into the Szechuan Inn one night and heard Doo Wop Jack’s beach music. A new life of music, dancing and friendships with the D.C. Hand Dance Club and the Maryland Hand Dance Assn was born. Kathy has been a part of the D.C. Hand Dance Club since 2000. She credits Doo Wop Jack with paving the way for her to learn and play Carolina Beach Music. Fourteen years later, her love for the music and the club has grown, and she hopes that DCHDC and its members will continue to be a large part of her life into the future. Kathy K was inducted into the D.C. Hand Dance Club’s DJ Hall of Fame in 2011.

Ron Carroll

Ron began his DJ career in 1986 after filling in for Kathy at one of the clubs she played every week. After that, he was hooked. He always liked music, especially 50’s and early 60’s, but never thought he would become a mobile DJ. From then on, he began playing music solo whenever he was needed. When he and Kathy heard Doo Wop Jack at Szechuan Inn one Friday night, he knew he wanted to play Beach Music. He credits Jack with helping him with his music collection. And the first place he played was the 94th Aero Squadron in College Park, MD. Ron says, although he still plays music at other functions, his work for the D.C. Hand Dance Club is his most satisfying.

Warren Rye

Having grown up in the Southeast D.C. area, Warren is a longtime hand dancer and one of the few who still collects Doo Wop music on vinyl records. He has been with the club since its conception and served his DJ apprenticeship with DJ "Tommy D" Dickerson. He has been a DJ for the D.C. Hand Dance Club for many years. - Sadly we have lost Warren as our DJ.

Jay Brown, aka Dr. Jay

DJ Dr. Jay began his career in 1998 at the Arch Social Club in Baltimore, MD. From there he began playing Friday happy hour at the Volcan Blazers Fire Fighters Club. This led to an opportunity to deejay for Baltimore hand dancers. In his search to expand and find new music, he learned about the D.C. Hand Dance Club at Coconuts in Crofton, MD. There he met DJ Tommy D and other DJ’s at DCHDC venues. After joining the Club, John Samuels invited him to play the 94th Areo Squadron in College Park, MD. Jay maintains a busy schedule with the DCHDC's weekly and monthly rotation of venues, monthly Saturdays at the Bowie Elks Lodge, and for the last six years, Friday nights at the Arch Social Club playing Hip-Hop, R&B, and club music. Jay says hand dance music is the most satisfying because of the variety as well as the social and friendly atmosphere of the D.C. Hand Dance Club.

Buddy Mastin, aka “Buddman”

DJ Buddman has been in the music business since graduating from Bladensburg High School in the 70’s. His involvement in music includes playing in bands, enjoying a stint as a sound engineer as well as booking and managing bands. He also had his own talent agency in the 80’s booking local and national acts in the DC area. He began his career as a DJ in the early 80’s as another outlet for his love of music. One day, he stumbled across a CD in the record store called Beach Music Anthology Vol. 1 and fell in love with music all over again. He started coming to hand dance night at the 94th Aero Squadron in College Park, MD and noticed they were playing a lot of those same songs. It wasn’t too long before John and Caroline Rattcliffe invited him to play for the Club. He observed, "I think John’s exact words were, 'If I let you play, will you leave me alone?' And since that first night I played at Coconut’s, I have been playing for the greatest group a DJ could wish for. I know if the dance floor is not full, it’s my fault."