One of the bands on my list of Progressive Rock bands is The Dixie Dregs, from right here in Atlanta. I had a hard time understanding it myself until I stopped and listened to them. You’ll hear music reminiscent of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, Rush, Yes, and the Mahavishnu Orchestra (one of the Dregs’ members since 1992 is Jerry Goodman, who played with Mahavishnu in the 1970’s), mixed in with Southern rock, jazz fusion, classical, bluegrass, and hard rock. Guitarist Steve Morse and drummer Rod Morganstein have been with the Dregs since the beginning in the early 1970’s and the band has enjoyed relatively little turnover in their forty-plus years.
In keeping with my second theme (five songs having something to do with the letter of the day), I’ll be featuring five songs on Two for Tuesdays this month.
Cruise Control – The first track on 1981’s Unsung Heroes album
Kat Food – Live at the House of Blues (that’s all it said in the description), 2000.
Take It Off The Top – A medley of rock hits from the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, 1993
Odyssey – Another from the 2000 House of Blues concert.
I’m Freaking Out – From their 1980 release Dregs of the Earth
While no longer performing, the Dregs still get together for studio work and the occasional tour while maintaining their solo careers. Steve Morse has a website here and a Facebook page.
The Dixie Dregs, your Two (plus three) for Tuesday, April 5, 2016.
Fantastic stuff! I got introduced to the Dixie Dregs by a good friend just handed me a cassette that’s all it took. I’ve seen Steve solo and with Deep Purple. He stays busy. Thanks for sharing!
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You are an encyclopedia of songs… I must say! Totally rockin’ post! Hey my friend I’ve been trying to find the link where all the letters are posted so I can copy the ones I need each day. You wouldn’t happen to know where that is do you? THANKS
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I’ve heard their music but not much of it. Thanks for the reminder! Steve Morse, as you say, was a fixture in Guitar magazines at one point.
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He’s still working quite a bit. For a while he worked with the trio of John McLaughlin, Al Di Meola, and Paco de Lucia. He’s also made a ton of instructional videos, a lot of which are on YouTube.
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That’s so cool. He crossed over into the Youtube generation.
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I too have never heard of them, but I like them thank you.. Very Nice Post… but you know that, that’s why you posted it! Right!
Welcome in the letter “D”… thank you!
Jeremy [Retro]
AtoZ Challenge Co-Host [2016]
Stop over and find a free “SIX STRINGS: BLOGGING AtoZ CHALLENGE” Here: http://www.jmhdigital.com/
HOLLYWOOD NUTS!
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I hadn’t heard much of them before writing the article, actually.
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Thanks for the introduction to Dixie Dregs. They’re good! Did they ever do any vocals?
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Never heard of them before! I have plenty of Yes albums, all on vinyl, though! Still have all the artwork posters as well.
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Mine never survived. I have the vinyl somewhere in this house, probably in the garage where I can’t get at them. I don’t have a turntable anymore, so it’s kind of moot…
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How is it that I have not ever heard of these guys before? I am really liking their sound.
Mary
Literary Gold – Free and Bargain priced books
Jingle Jangle Jungle
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Had you heard of Steve Morse? I had because I used to read the guitar magazines, but I had never really heard anything he had done. They have quite a few albums out, including a few that nice people ripped and posted to YouTube. I’ve got them in my “watch later” list…
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How could I have forgotten Dixie Dregs? And look at the young Jay Leno!!
@dcrelief from
dcrelief – Battle of the Bands
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Hard to remember Jay with dark hair, isn’t it?
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I’ve never heard of them, but I like their music! Thanks, John!
Best Wishes!
Lori
My A2Zs @ As the Fates Would Have It & Promptly Written
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There’s plenty more, as well as Steve Morse’s solo projects.
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I will have to look them up and check out more of their work and solo stuff 🙂
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