The
Dixie Dregs are a
jazz fusionFusion or, more specifically, jazz fusion or jazz rock, is a musical genre that developed in the late 1960s from a mixture of elements of jazz such as its focus on improvisation with the rhythms and grooves of funk and R&B and the beats and heavily amplified electric instruments and electronic...
band formed in the 1970s. Their mostly instrumental music fuses
jazzJazz is a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
,
southern rockSouthern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of country music. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals.-1950s and 1960s – origins:...
,
bluegrassBluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and is a sub-genre of country music. It has roots in Irish, West African, Scottish, Welsh and English traditional music. Bluegrass was inspired by the music of immigrants from the United Kingdom and Ireland , and African-Americans, particularly...
and classical forms in an often unique, virtuosic style.
The Dixie Dregs evolved from an Augusta, Georgia band called Dixie Grit, formed by
Steve MorseSteven J. Morse is an American guitarist, best known as the founder for the Dixie Dregs, and the guitar player in Deep Purple since 1994....
and
Andy WestAndy West is an American bass guitarist and composer who is an original founding member of the Dixie Dregs along with Steve Morse. Since the breakup of the original band in 1983, Andy West has been on albums with Mike Keneally, Henry Kaiser, Paul Barrere, Vinnie Moore, and many others...
in 1970. Featuring Morse's older brother on drums, Frank Brittingham (guitar and vocals) and Johnny Carr (keyboards).
The
Dixie Dregs are a
jazz fusionFusion or, more specifically, jazz fusion or jazz rock, is a musical genre that developed in the late 1960s from a mixture of elements of jazz such as its focus on improvisation with the rhythms and grooves of funk and R&B and the beats and heavily amplified electric instruments and electronic...
band formed in the 1970s. Their mostly instrumental music fuses
jazzJazz is a musical art form which originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States from a confluence of African and European music traditions....
,
southern rockSouthern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of country music. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals.-1950s and 1960s – origins:...
,
bluegrassBluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and is a sub-genre of country music. It has roots in Irish, West African, Scottish, Welsh and English traditional music. Bluegrass was inspired by the music of immigrants from the United Kingdom and Ireland , and African-Americans, particularly...
and classical forms in an often unique, virtuosic style.
Formation and early years
The Dixie Dregs evolved from an Augusta, Georgia band called Dixie Grit, formed by
Steve MorseSteven J. Morse is an American guitarist, best known as the founder for the Dixie Dregs, and the guitar player in Deep Purple since 1994....
and
Andy WestAndy West is an American bass guitarist and composer who is an original founding member of the Dixie Dregs along with Steve Morse. Since the breakup of the original band in 1983, Andy West has been on albums with Mike Keneally, Henry Kaiser, Paul Barrere, Vinnie Moore, and many others...
in 1970. Featuring Morse's older brother on drums, Frank Brittingham (guitar and vocals) and Johnny Carr (keyboards). Carr was later replaced by Mark Parrish. Shortly after Steve Morse's enrollment at University of Miami's School of Music in 1971, Dixie Grit was disbanded. Morse and West continued performing as a duet, calling themselves Dixie Dregs (the "Dregs" of "Dixie Grit").
In 1973, Steve Morse (guitar), Andy West (bass), Allen Sloan (violin) and Bart Yarnal (drums) met while students at the
University of MiamiThe University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 in the city of Coral Gables, Florida within Miami-Dade County...
's School of Music to play as Rock Ensemble II. West also attended Georgia State University for a year while studying cello and music theory & composition along with Parrish. Parrish remained at GSU during the academic school years only to return to Augusta, Georgia during summer breaks - re-establishing the guitar/bass/keyboards/drums quartet with Morse, West, Parrish, and Gilbert Frayer performing as opening acts for concerts and headlining local gigs as the Dixie Dregs.
During subsequent academic school years, the remaining members of the Dregs — including Andy West — returned to the University of Miami and Mark Parrish returned to Atlanta, Georgia to complete his degree in music performance and composition at Georgia State University under the study of William Masselos, with additional studies of electronic music at Columbia University in New York City under Alice Shields - a protégé of
Wendy CarlosWendy Carlos is an American composer and electronic musician. Carlos' fame originated in the late 1960s with recordings made on the Moog synthesizer, which was a relatively new and unknown instrument at the time; most notable were L.P.'s of synthesized Bach, and the soundtrack for Stanley...
.
First recording
At the time, the University of Miami hosted a lively musical community, including future greats
Pat MethenyPatrick Bruce Metheny is an American jazz guitarist and composer....
,
Jaco PastoriusJohn Francis Anthony "Jaco" Pastorius III was an American jazz musician and composer widely acknowledged for his skills as an electric bass player....
,
Danny GottliebDanny Gottlieb is a freelance drummer who has performed as part of the Pat Metheny Group and Mahavishnu Orchestra. He is also a member of the University of North Florida jazz faculty, where he teaches as a fulltime Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies.- Biography :Danny graduated from the...
,
T LavitzT Lavitz is an American jazz-rock/fusion keyboardist, composer and producer. He is best known for his work with the Dixie Dregs and Jazz Is Dead.-Biography:Born on April 16, 1956, T Lavitz grew up in New Jersey...
and
Bruce HornsbyBruce Hornsby is an American singer, pianist, accordion player, and songwriter...
.
Rod MorgensteinRod Morgenstein is an American drummer and music educator. He is best known for his work with the late '80s heavy metal band Winger and with the jazz fusion band Dixie Dregs. He also played with Fiona, Platypus and Jelly Jam. He has also done session work with Jordan Rudess including his ventures...
was asked to fill in as drummer after a surfing accident disabled Yarnal. In 1974, during the school years at UofM, keyboardist Frank Josephs was added to their lineup. In 1975, the group's first effort,
The Great Spectacular (named by ex-"Dixie Grit" second guitarist and singer, Frank Brittingham) was recorded at the University. Approximately 1,000 copies of the original LP were pressed. The album was reissued in 1997 in CD form.
Signed to Capricorn
Based on the strength of a three song demo and a tip from former Allman Brothers Band members
Chuck LeavellChuck Leavell is an American pianist and keyboardist, who was a member of The Allman Brothers Band during the height of their popularity, a founding member of the jazz-rock combo Sea Level, a frequently-employed session musician, and later, the keyboardist for Eric Clapton and The Rolling...
and Twiggs Lyndon,
Capricorn RecordsCapricorn Records is an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia. Capricorn became famous for its role in spearheading Southern rock, with The Allman Brothers Band at the forefront, but also including the Marshall Tucker...
signed them in late 1976 to record
Free Fall (1977). Former Dixie Grit/Dixie Dregs keyboardist Mark Parrish rejoined the group later that year. The moderate success and critical acclaim of "Free Fall" led to their 1978 effort,
What If, supported by their first tour with dates in New York, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas, Arizona, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and California.
Their third album,
Night of the Living Dregs (featuring Morse, West, Sloan, Parrish, and Morgenstein), was released in April 1979, gaining the band their first Grammy nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance - won that year by
Paul McCartneySir James Paul McCartney, MBE , is an English singer-songwriter, poet, composer, multi-instrumentalist, entrepreneur, record and film producer, painter, and animal rights and peace activist. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings, McCartney is the most successful songwriter in the history of popular music...
's band
WingsWings was a rock group formed in 1971 by ex-Beatle Paul McCartney and his wife Linda McCartney. The group was the only "permanent" group that any of the former members of the Beatles were ever involved with after their break-up...
.
Night of the Living Dregs included studio recordings as well as compositions performed live and recorded at the
Montreux Jazz FestivalThe Montreux Jazz Festival is the best-known music festival in Switzerland and one of the most prestigious in Europe; it is held annually in early July in Montreux on the shores of Lake Geneva.- History :...
on July 23, 1978.
Ken ScottKen Scott is an English record producer and recording engineer.-Career:Scott started at the age of 16 working in the tape library at Abbey Road Studios...
-
The BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960 who became one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed bands in the history of popular music...
' and producer/arranger
George MartinSir George Henry Martin CBE is a British record producer, arranger and composer. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"—a title that he owes to his work as producer of all but one of The Beatles' original records, as well as playing piano on some of The Beatles tracks—and is...
's right-hand man and engineer - produced both Dixie Dregs albums
What If and
Night of the Living Dregs.
Switch to Arista
In 1979, Capricorn Records declared bankruptcy, and the band was signed by
Arista RecordsArista Records is an American record label. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment and operates under the RCA Music Group. The label was founded in 1974 by Clive Davis, who formerly worked for CBS Records...
in January 1980, to create three albums, and keyboardist Parrish left and was replaced by T Lavitz. Later that year,
Dregs of the Earth (featuring Morse, West, Sloan, Lavitz, and Morgenstein) was released.
Parrish went on to play piano and keyboards for vocalists
Andy WilliamsHoward Andrew "Andy" or "Paul" Williams is an American pop singer. Andy Williams has recorded 18 gold and three platinum certified albums. When Ronald Reagan was president, he declared Andy's voice to be "a national treasure". He had his own popular TV variety show from 1962–71...
,
Roberta FlackRoberta Flack is an American singer, songwriter and musician who is notable for jazz, soul, R&B and folk music. Flack is best known for singles such as "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "Killing Me Softly with His Song", and "Feel Like Makin' Love", as well as "Where Is the Love" and "The...
,
Natalie ColeNatalie Cole is an American singer, songwriter and performer. She achieved success in her early career as an R&B star, but smoothly changed her repertoire toward a more pop and jazz oriented musical style in the early 1990s...
,
Luther VandrossLuther Ronzoni Vandross was an American R&B and soul singer-songwriter, and record producer. During his career, Vandross sold over twenty-five million albums and won eight Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance four times...
,
Peabo BrysonPeabo Bryson is a two-time Grammy Award-winning American R&B and soul singer, born in Greenville, South Carolina...
,
Celine DionCéline Marie Claudette Dion , CC, OQ is a Canadian singer, occasional songwriter, actress, and entrepreneur. Born to a large, impoverished family in Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to...
,
Regina BelleRegina Belle is a multi Grammy award winning singer-songwriter who first surfaced in the late 1980s. She is notable for her Grammy award winning duet with Peabo Bryson, "A Whole New World".-Biography:...
,
Deborah GibsonDeborah Ann "Debbie" Gibson is an American singer-songwriter who was a teen pop icon. She was popular in the late 1980s and the early 1990s...
,
Pat BooneCharles Eugene Boone , known professionally as Pat Boone, is an American singer, actor and writer who was a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He sold over 45 million albums, had 38 Top 40 hits and starred in more than 12 Hollywood movies...
and daughter
Debby BooneDebby Boone is an American singer and theater actress. She is best known for her 1977 hit, "You Light Up My Life," which spent a record ten weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won her a Grammy Award the following year for Best New Artist...
,
Glen CampbellGlen Travis Campbell is a Grammy and Dove Award-winning and two time Golden Globe-nominated American country pop singer, guitarist and occasional actor...
, guitarist
Larry CoryellLarry Coryell is an American jazz fusion guitarist.-Biography:Coryell was born in Galveston, Texas on April 2, 1943. After graduating from Richland High School in eastern Washington, he moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington. In 1965, Coryell moved to New York City where he...
, won an Angel Award as co-producer (where he arranged and played all the instrumental segments) of a Christian album, and has been Musical Director, Conductor, and keyboard instrumentalist with touring stage shows of
Cats,
Meet Me in St. Louis,
The Wizard of Oz,
Little Shop of Horrors,
Nunsense,
Brigadoon,
The Phantom of the Opera,
Anything Goes, and Broadway stage shows.
Name change
For
Unsung Heroes, released in 1981, the band changed their name to
The Dregs in an effort to gain more commercial appeal. Violinist Sloan was replaced by
Mark O'ConnorMark O'Connor is an American bluegrass, country and classical fiddler, composer and music teacher. O'Connor's music is wide-ranging, critically acclaimed, and he has received numerous awards for both his playing and his composition...
, winner of
NashvilleNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is the second most populous city in the state after Memphis. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state...
's Grand Masters Fiddle Championship for their 1982 release,
Industry Standard. This album introduced vocals for the first time as a further attempt to gain more airtime. Guest vocalists included the Doobie Brothers's
Patrick SimmonsPatrick Simmons is an American singer and guitarist best known as a member of the rock band The Doobie Brothers. He grew up in the San Jose area and went to Oster Elementary School and Leigh High School....
and Alex Ligertwood (
SantanaSantana is a band consisting of a flexible number of musicians accompanying Carlos Santana since the late 1960s. The range of these artists has varied greatly. Just like Santana himself, the band is known for helping make Latin rock famous in the rest of the world.-Overview:The band was formed in...
).
Industry Standard provided the Dregs with another Grammy nomination for Best Rock/Jazz Instrumental Performance. The recent name change, vocal additions and a grueling touring schedule did nothing to improve sales and the members of The Dregs parted for individual projects.
Reunion
In the late 1980s, the group reunited for a tour featuring former members Morse, Morgenstein (who was also playing with Winger), Lavitz and Sloan. Their return was complemented by a "Best Of" release entitled
Divided We Stand (1989). Bassist
Dave LaRueDave LaRue is a bassist who has performed with the Dixie Dregs since 1988 and with the Steve Morse Band since 1989. He also has worked with Dream Theater's John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy and Jordan Rudess...
completed the line-up for a seven date tour culminating in the 1992 live album
Bring 'em Back Alive. Violinist Jerry Goodman, of
The Mahavishnu OrchestraThe Mahavishnu Orchestra was a jazz-rock fusion group, led by John McLaughlin, that debuted in 1971 and dissolved in 1976 and reunited briefly from 1984 to 1987.-First Mahavishnu Orchestra:...
fame, filled in for Sloan, who was frequently absent as a result of his busy medical career. They signed a deal with former label
Capricorn RecordsCapricorn Records is an independent record label which was launched by Phil Walden, Alan Walden, and Frank Fenter in 1969 in Macon, Georgia. Capricorn became famous for its role in spearheading Southern rock, with The Allman Brothers Band at the forefront, but also including the Marshall Tucker...
for their first studio album in years entitled
Full Circle in 1994.
Today
The Dregs to this day remain a loose collection of its former members, reuniting briefly for short tours and rare studio work. 1997's releases were
The Great Spectacular in April and
King Biscuit Flour Hour Presents (originally recorded in 1979 for the King Biscuit radio show) in September.
California Screamin (2000) is a curious mix of live recordings from the performances at the Roxy TheatreThe Roxy Theatre is located in the historic downtown section of Clarksville, Tennessee in the United States. Standing on a corner of the Public Square it offers live theater shows to the public offering a wide variety of selection in the spirit of literary theater...
in August 1999. This release features older compositions and covers of the Allman Brothers Band's "Jessica", and Frank ZappaFrank Vincent Zappa was an American composer, electric guitarist, record producer and film director. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa wrote rock, jazz, electronic, orchestral, and musique concrète works. He also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album...
's "Peaches en Regalia" (with Dweezil ZappaDweezil Zappa is an American rock guitarist.-Early life:Zappa was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Adelaide Gail Sloatman, who worked in business, and musician Frank Zappa. He is the second of four siblings: his older sister, Moon Unit, younger sister Diva and younger brother Ahmet. He...
sharing guitar lead). 20th Century Masters: The Best Of The Dixie Dregs
and the DVD Sects, Dregs and Rock 'n' Roll were released in 2002.
Current line-up
- Steve Morse
Steven J. Morse is an American guitarist, best known as the founder for the Dixie Dregs, and the guitar player in Deep Purple since 1994....
- guitar (1972 - Present)
- T Lavitz
T Lavitz is an American jazz-rock/fusion keyboardist, composer and producer. He is best known for his work with the Dixie Dregs and Jazz Is Dead.-Biography:Born on April 16, 1956, T Lavitz grew up in New Jersey...
- keyboards (1978 - Present)
- Rod Morgenstein
Rod Morgenstein is an American drummer and music educator. He is best known for his work with the late '80s heavy metal band Winger and with the jazz fusion band Dixie Dregs. He also played with Fiona, Platypus and Jelly Jam. He has also done session work with Jordan Rudess including his ventures...
- drums (1973 - Present)
- Jerry Goodman
Jerry Goodman is an American violinist best known for playing electric violin in the bands The Flock and the jazz fusion Mahavishnu Orchestra. Goodman actually began his musical career as The Flock's roadie before joining the band on violin. Trained in the conservatory, both of his parents were...
- violin (1992 - Present)
- Dave LaRue
Dave LaRue is a bassist who has performed with the Dixie Dregs since 1988 and with the Steve Morse Band since 1989. He also has worked with Dream Theater's John Petrucci, Mike Portnoy and Jordan Rudess...
- bass guitar (1988 - Present)
Former members
- Allen Sloan, M.D. - violin (1973 - 1981, 1992)
- Frank Josephs - keyboards (1974 - 1975)
- Steve Davidowski - keyboards (1975 - 1977)
- Mark Parrish - keyboards (1977 - 1978)
- Jordan Rudess
Jordan Rudess is a progressive rock keyboardist best known as a member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater.-Biography:...
- keyboards (1994, filled in for T Lavitz)
- Mark O'Connor
Mark O'Connor is an American bluegrass, country and classical fiddler, composer and music teacher. O'Connor's music is wide-ranging, critically acclaimed, and he has received numerous awards for both his playing and his composition...
- violin (1981 - 1982)
- Andy West
Andy West is an American bass guitarist and composer who is an original founding member of the Dixie Dregs along with Steve Morse. Since the breakup of the original band in 1983, Andy West has been on albums with Mike Keneally, Henry Kaiser, Paul Barrere, Vinnie Moore, and many others...
- bass guitar (1972 - 1988, 2000)
- Snowy White
Snowy White is an English guitarist, primarily known for having played with Thin Lizzy and with Pink Floyd and, more recently, for Roger...
- guitar
Discography
- The Great Spectacular
The Great Spectacular is the first Dixie Dregs album. It was published in 1975.-Track listing:#"Refried Funky Chicken" – 3:50#"Holiday" – 3:55#"Wages Of Weirdness" – 3:54#"T.O...
(1975 - released on CD April 1997)
- Free Fall (May 27, 1977)
- What If
-Track listing:#"Take It Off The Top" – 4:07#"Odyssey" – 7:35#"What If" – 5:01#"Travel Tunes" – 4:34#"Ice Cakes" – 4:39#"Little Kids" – 2:03#"Gina Lola Breakdown" -Track listing:#"Take It Off The Top" (Morse) – 4:07#"Odyssey" (Dixie Dregs) – 7:35#"What If" (Morse) – 5:01#"Travel Tunes" (West)...
(March 1978)
- Night of the Living Dregs
Night of the Living Dregs is an album by Dixie Dregs, released in 1979. The first half of the album was recorded in the studio, and the second half at the Montreux Jazz Festival on July 23, 1978...
(1979)
- Dregs of the Earth
Dregs of the Earth is an album by Dixie Dregs. It received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.-Track listing:All tracks are written by Steve Morse.#"Road Expense" – 3:24#"Pride O' the Farm" – 3:40#"Twiggs Approved" – 4:29...
(1980)
- Unsung Heroes
Unsung Heroes is the fifth Dixie Dregs album, published in 1981. It received a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Instrumental Performance.-Track listing:All tracks are written by Steve Morse.-Personnel:The DREGS:...
(1981)
- Industry Standard
Industry Standard is a 1982 album by The Dregs. It is their only album featuring vocals and garnered the group their fourth Grammy nomination.-Track listing:All tracks are written by Steve Morse, except where noted.#"Assembly Line" – 4:25...
(1982)
- Off the Record
Off the Record is a 1988 e.p. c.d. by The Dregs. It is a limited edition promotional item for Ensoniq, released as a disc single.- Track listing :# "Leprechaun Promenade" – 6:24# "Take It Off The Top" – 4:24...
(1988) (Demo for EnsoniqEnsoniq Corp. was an American electronics manufacturer, best known throughout the mid 1980s and 1990s for its musical instruments, principally samplers and synthesizers.- Company history :...
synthesizers)
- Divided We Stand (1989)
- Bring 'Em Back Alive (1992)
- Full Circle (June 7, 1994)
- King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents (September 16, 1997)
- California Screamin' (February 1, 2000)
- 20th Century Masters: The Best Of The Dixie Dregs (March 26, 2002)
- Sects, Dregs and Rock 'n' Roll (DVD, December 2002)
- From The Front Row... Live! (Dolby 5.1 DVD-Audio, 2003)
External links
- http://www.michaelmastro.com/photo_dregs.html The Dixie Dregs first promo photograph, by Michael Mastro, who also shot the photographs on the back of "What If".