Dixie Melody Boys

"Ed O'Neal" redirects here. For people with similar name, see O'Neill.
Dixie Melody Boys
Origin Kinston, North Carolina, United States
Genres Southern gospel
Years active 1961 (1961)–present
Website www.dixiemelodyboys.com
Members Ed O'Neal
Doug Pittman
Aaron Dishman
Josh Garner
Past members See complete listing below.

The Dixie Melody Boys are an American Southern Gospel quartet from Kinston, North Carolina. They have been active for over 50 years.

History

The group was founded in 1961 by Avis Adkins with Eugene Payne, Ralph Walker and Tony Brown on piano; Ed O'Neal, their bass singer, joined in 1963, and subsequently became the group's leader and manager. Under O'Neal, the group has discovered singers who have gone on to become prominent in Gospel music, including McCray Dove with the Dove Brothers, Rodney Griffin with Greater Vision, Bryan Walker, who went on to become a contestant on Season 9 of American Idol and then later joined The Perrys, and Devin McGlamery with Signature Sound. The group was nicknamed the "Ed O'Neal University" because of the impact that Ed O'Neal has had on the industry of Gospel music.

The group has had more than twenty hits in the Southern gospel field, including "Antioch Church Choir", "Double Dose", "Don't Point a Finger" and "Jesus In My Boat". The group has released a large number of albums and numerous VHS videos and DVDs. They have also won countless awards and even received a Grammy nomination.

Ed O'Neal has received the Marvin Norcross Award and was inducted into the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame in 2004.

The current group has re-established themselves as one of Gospel music's top groups. The Dixie Melody Boys 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.[1] Tenor, Doug Pittman, joined the group at the National Quartet Convention in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in September 2014 to create one of the most stellar line-ups in the group's 50+ year history.

In January 2013, the Dixie Melody Boys were honored in the Southern Gospel Music Fan awards.

The group also won the Favorite Male Quartet and Favorite Bass Singer awards in 2012.[2] On November 9, 2013 the Dixie Melody Boys were presented with the 2013 AMG Sandy Hosey Lifetime Achievement Award.[3]

Personnel

Current members

Past members

Bass
Baritone
Lead
Tenor
Piano
Instrumentalist

Discography


In 2004 and 2005, the group released seven compilation albums, entitled Historic Journey vols. 1-7.

Between 2011-2015, several compilations were released:, including Ed O'Neal University: EOU Alumni Vols 1-3, Sights of Heaven, Best of Ed O'Neal, Classic Live Performances, and Radio Hits.

References

  1. ↑ Garner, Josh. "Garner Joins the DMB Group". Southern Gospel Journal. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  2. ↑ DMB. "Group Wins Top Honors". sogospelnews. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "The Dixie Melody Boys are bestowed a Lifetime Achievement Award". Artists Music Guild. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
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