Ten On Ten - Dixie Melody Boys

The Dixie Melody Boys are celebrating 50 years in Southern Gospel music.  With a group that has such a long recording career, it is tough looking at their discography to determine the ten best albums of the group’s history.  With Ed O’Neal at the helm for the last 50 years the group has made a name for themselves in this industry.  With that, I think I was able to narrow it down.

The Dixie Melody Boys ten best albums are:

1. Antioch Church Choir (Uncle Jesse) (1982)
2. No Compromise (1993)
3. Too Much Thunder (1984)
4. Masterpiece (1994)
5. Live! (1980)
6. Old Time Religion (1996)
7. The Sing-Sational (1979)
8. Ridin’ High (1989)
9. Heading Home (1999)
10. And Friends Live (1982)

• It is no surprise the Dixie Melody Boys best recording contains the group’s biggest and most notable song; “Antioch Church Choir”.  The song about Uncle Jesse is still sung by the group today and to date is the group’s only #1 hit.
• The group has had two great vocal periods.  First, the late ’70′s / early ’80′s vocal line-up of Phil Barker (Tenor), David Kimball (Lead), Tom Jones (Baritone) and Ed O’Neal (Bass) was one of the finest of the groups 50 years on the road.
• Second, was the mid ’90′s vocal line-up of Harold Reed (Tenor), McCray Dove (Lead), any baritone at this time period and Ed (Bass).
• The group landed two live recordings in the list of ten.  Their 1980 Live! album, recorded in Ephrata Pennsylvania and the 1982 And Friends Live which also featured special guests Sam Goodman, the Rex Nelon Singers and the Easter Brothers.
• The group started moving toward a more contemporary country sound in the mid 1980′s.  The 1984 recording, Too Much Thunder, had great song selection and is one of the group’s ten best.
• The 1999 recording Heading Home is the last album to land in the top 10 for the Dixie Melody Boys.  It has been a while since the group has released a ‘landmark’ recording.
• The 2000′s has been littered with a bunch of classic quartet style recordings and previously released music.  I would consider this the forgotten period of the Dixie Melody Boys discography.
• The group’s latest effort, The Call Is Still The Same, is a step in the right direction for the group’s future recordings.  A strong recording honoring the group’s 50 years.
• The forgotten gem among the top ten recordings is the 1996 recording Old Time Religion.
• 50 years is a milestone very few groups attain.  I am glad to see Ed O’Neal still giving it everything he’s got.  One of Southern Gospel’s true living legends and a true gentlemen.

***NEXT UP ON TEN ON TEN:  PERRYS***

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