Dixie Melody Boys

Last updated

Dixie Melody Boys
Origin Kinston, North Carolina, U.S.
Genres Southern Gospel, Christian, Country Gospel, Contemporary Christian
Years active1961 (1961)–2023
LabelsDemco, BMC, QCA, Custom, Benson, Greentree, Morningstar,
Past membersSee complete listing below.
Website www.dixiemelodyboys.com

The Dixie Melody Boys were an American Southern Gospel quartet from Kinston, North Carolina formed in 1961 and retired in 2023. The group was known for giving many young Southern Gospel and Christian artists their start in the gospel music industry and their innovation in the Christian music field.

Contents

History

The modern Dixie Melody Boys began in the spring of 1962, but they were not the first group to employ the name. An earlier Dixie Melody Boys had been associated with the Stamps-Baxter songbook company around 1950 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. In 1955 the group reformed and consisted of Asbury Adkins (tenor), Bill Nelson (lead), Clovis Simpkins (baritone), Jim Terry (bass) and Johnny Bruce (pianist). Simpkins left after a short time and Homer Fry became the baritone. This early version of the Dixie Melody Boys dissolved in 1957, but would reform again in 1961. Members of the group around this time included Ralph Walker (tenor), Avis Adkins (lead), Gene Payne (baritone), Marvin Harris (bass), and a young teenager named Tony Brown (pianist). Brown went on to play with JD Sumner And The Stamps Quartet. [1]

Bass singer and eventual long term group owner Ed O'Neal arrived in the mid-1960s initially to "fill in" at the bass position. O'Neal eventually purchased the group and relocated them to Kinston, North Carolina. The group had success initially as a regional group. In 1970, O'Neal attended the National Quartet Convention as a fan in Memphis, Tennessee and noticed the event included an amateur stage where up-and-coming talent was allowed to perform a couple of songs for exposure. O'Neal and his group performed at the NQC the following year, the first year it was held in Nashville, Tennessee. This expanded their reach and helped the group transition to full-time. The group had their first commercial success with their 1978 album Sending Up Some Boards. Then in 1982, the group's song "Antioch Church Choir" reached the number one position on the Singing News monthly airplay chart. The song would become the signature song of the group over the duration of the group's existence.

DMB Band Period (1982-1986)

In an attempt to reach younger gospel music fans, the group added a full on-stage band and started to include country, pop, and soft rock sounds into their music both onstage and on their record releases. The group started to go by the name "The DMB Band" for this period of time. The group's new sound was criticized by traditional southern gospel fans and certain writers for outlets such as The Singing News fearing that the group would be moving into the direction of becoming a full contemporary christian band such as The Imperials or The Oak Ridge Boys, however the new sound was overall well received by most fans. The group would return to a traditional southern gospel quartet style in 1987. [1]

Ed O'Neal University

Over the past 55 years, the group has had dozens of members, many of whom moved onto other gospel quartets or started solo careers that are notable in the gospel and christian music field. This led to current Greater Vision lead singer and bass guitarist Rodney Griffin, who sang with the group from 1992-1993 to nickname the group Ed O'Neal University as a training ground for many current prominent gospel artists. Among the notable southern gospel artists that sang with the Dixie Melody Boys are Devin McGlamery, Ernie Haase, McCray Dove, and record producer Tony Brown. In 2011, the group released their 50th anniversary project The Call Is Still The Same and held their anniversary reunion celebration at the National Quartet Convention. The group added newcomer, Aaron Dishman, in June 2013 and the quartet veteran, Josh Garner, to their line up in September 2013, marking a new chapter in their history. [2]

Awards

In 2000, O'Neal was awarded the Marvin Norcross Award, an annual award given to the Southern Gospel artist that has made distinct contributions to the music. In 2004, O'Neal was inducted into the Southern Gospel Hall of Fame. In January 2012, the Dixie Melody Boys were honored in the Southern Gospel Music Fan awards. and won Favorite Quartet and Favorite Bass Singer. The group also won the Favorite Male Quartet and Favorite Bass Singer awards in 2013. [3] On November 9, 2013, the Dixie Melody Boys were presented with the 2013 AMG Sandy Hosey Lifetime Achievement Award. [4]

Personnel

Final Lineup

Former

Bass

Baritone

Lead

Tenor

Piano

Instrumentalist

Discography

In 2004 and 2005, the group released eight compilation albums, entitled Historic Journey vols. 1–8.

Between 2011–2015, several compilations were released:, including Ed O'Neal University: EOU Alumni Vols 1–5, Sights of Heaven, Best of Ed O'Neal, Classic Live Performances, and Radio Hits.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Quartet</span> Ensemble of four singers and instrumental performers

In music, a quartet is an ensemble of four singers or instrumental performers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Oak Ridge Boys</span> American country and gospel vocal quartet

The Oak Ridge Boys are an American country and gospel vocal quartet originating in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Since 2024, the group consists of Duane Allen, Ben James, William Lee Golden, and Richard Sterban. The group was founded in 1943 as the Oak Ridge Quartet. They became popular in Southern gospel during the 1950s. Their name was changed to the Oak Ridge Boys in the early 1960s, and they remained a gospel group until the mid-1970s, when they changed their image and concentrated on country music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jake Hess</span> Musical artist

Jake Hess was an American Grammy Award-winning southern gospel singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Younce</span> American singer

George Wilson Younce was a Southern gospel bass vocalist, known for performing with Southern gospel quartets, especially The Cathedral Quartet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Jordanaires</span> American vocal group; back-up singers for Elvis Presley and other artists

The Jordanaires were an American vocal quartet that formed as a gospel group in 1948. Over the years, they recorded both sacred and secular music for recording companies such as Capitol Records, RCA Victor, Columbia Records, Decca Records, Vocalion Records, Stop Records, and many other smaller independent labels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. D. Sumner</span> Musical artist

John Daniel Sumner was an American gospel singer, songwriter, and music promoter noted for his bass voice, and his innovation in the Christian and Gospel music fields. Sumner sang in five quartets and was a member of the Blackwood Brothers during their 1950s heyday. Aside from his incredibly low bass voice, Sumner's business acumen helped promote Southern Gospel and move it into the mainstream of American culture and music during the 1950s and 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Imperials</span> American Christian music group

The Imperials are an American Christian music group that has been active for over 55 years. Originating as a southern gospel quartet, the innovative group would become pioneers of contemporary Christian music in the 1960s. There have been many changes for the band in membership and musical styles over the years. They would go on to win four Grammys, 15 Dove Awards and be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

The Statesmen Quartet were an American southern gospel quartet founded in 1948 by Baptist Minister Hovie Lister. Along with the Blackwood Brothers, the Statesmen Quartet were considered the most successful and influential gospel quartet of the 1950s and 1960s and had a wide influence on artists during that time from the gospel, country, pop, and rock and roll genre. Along with hits spanning many decades, The Statesmen Quartet had many notable successes including being the first Gospel group to receive endorsement deals. Additionally, they made television commercials, appeared on numerous radio and TV shows, and were signed to RCA Victor before launching their own record label, Skylite Records, with The Blackwood Brothers.

The Happy Goodman Family is a Southern gospel group that was founded in the 1940s by Howard "Happy" Goodman and performed together for several decades. The Happy Goodmans achieved significant popularity in the 1960s. In 1968, they won the first Grammy Award to be awarded for a gospel album by a gospel group.

Gold City is an American southern gospel quartet based in Gadsden, Alabama. Formed in 1980, the group was one of the most successful quartets through the 1980s and 1990s, charting ten number one hits in Singing News magazine and being host to many icons in the Christian music industry, including Brian Free, Ivan Parker, Mark Trammell, Mike LeFevre, and Tim Riley.

The Cathedral Quartet, also known as the Cathedrals, was an American southern gospel quartet who performed from 1964 to December 1999. The group's final lineup consisted of Glen Payne (lead), George Younce (bass), Ernie Haase (tenor), Scott Fowler, and Roger Bennett.

The Kingdom Heirs Quartet is a Southern gospel quartet based at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

The Florida Boys were a male vocal quartet in Southern gospel music. The group was founded in 1947 by J. G. Whitfield. Originally named The Gospel Melody Quartet, the group was renamed in 1954. From the 1950s until 2007, the group was led by Les Beasley as lead/guitar, Glen Allred as baritone, and Derrell Stewart at piano, and featured many notable tenors and basses. In 1999, the Florida Boys were inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. The group, led by Charlie Waller in its later years, officially retired in 2016.

Billy Todd was the bass singer for the Florida Boys Quartet in the Southern Gospel music industry from the 1950s to 1972. By the end of his tenure with the Florida Boys, he was one of the most popular performers in Southern Gospel music, winning the Singing News Fan Awards for Favorite Bass Singer the first two years it was awarded (1971–72).

Greater Vision is an American Southern gospel music trio founded in 1990. It is one of Southern gospel's most popular trios and has been noted for their prolonged commercial and musical success spanning over three decades. As of 2017, the group is made up of Gerald Wolfe, Rodney Griffin, Chris Allman and Jon Epley. Over the last several years, this trio has consistently been named Southern gospel's top male trio, winning the Singing News Awards and have placed numerous top songs on the Southern Gospel Charts and Radio.

The Triumphant Quartet is an American Southern Gospel group that group consists of David Sutton (tenor), Clayton Inman (baritone), Sean Barber (lead), and Eric Bennett (bass).

The Marvin Norcross Award is awarded yearly in the Singing News Fan Awards ceremony to honor an individual selected by the staff of the Singing News magazine who has made distinct contributions to Southern gospel music over his or her career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Kingsmen Quartet</span> US Gospel musical quartet

The Kingsmen Quartet is an American Southern gospel vocal quartet.

The Singing Americans were a Southern Gospel group based in Maiden, North Carolina. They are best known for being a stepping stone to popular singers, such as Mark Flaker Ivan Parker, Danny Funderburk, Clayton Inman, David Sutton, Michael English, Mark Fain, Taylor Barnes, and Jeff Easter. The group was popular throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.

References

  1. 1 2 "Southern Gospel History - Dixie Melody Boys". Southern Gospel Music Association. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  2. Garner, Josh. "Garner Joins the DMB Group". Southern Gospel Journal. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  3. DMB. "Group Wins Top Honors". sogospelnews. Retrieved September 4, 2014.
  4. "The Dixie Melody Boys are bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award". Artists Music Guild. Archived from the original on December 12, 2013. Retrieved December 14, 2013.