The Dixie Dregs are an American rock band from Augusta, Georgia. Formed in 1970, and each of the band's next three albums would subsequently receive further Grammy nominations.

After Capricorn declared bankruptcy in 1979, the band signed with Arista Records, releasing the album Dregs of the Earth in 1980. The following year, the band changed their name to The Dregs, releasing two albums under this name, Unsung Heroes (1981) and Industry Standard (1982), which was the only album by the band to feature vocals. The band disbanded in 1983. After reuniting in 1988, the Dixie Dregs released Full Circle in 1994, and the live albums Bring 'Em Back Alive (1992) and California Screamin (2000).

History

Formation and early years

The Dixie Dregs evolved from an Augusta, Georgia, band called Dixie Grit, formed by Steve Morse and Andy West in 1970. The band featured Morse's older brother Dave 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 duo, calling themselves the 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 Miami'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 and 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 (drums) performing as opening acts for concerts and headlining local gigs as 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 protégée of Wendy Carlos.

First recording

At the time, the University of Miami hosted a lively musical community, including future professional musicians Pat Metheny, Jaco Pastorius, Danny Gottlieb, T Lavitz and Bruce Hornsby. Rod Morgenstein 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 Leavell and Twiggs Lyndon, Capricorn Records signed them in late 1976 to record their debut album Free Fall (1977).

In the late 1980s, the group reunited for a tour featuring former members Morse, Morgenstein (who was also playing with Winger), Lavitz, and Sloan.

The first show of the reunion tour dubbed "Dawn of the Dregs" took place on February 28, 2018, in Clearwater, Florida. It featured the original lineup of Steve Morse (guitar), Andy West (bass), Rod Morgenstein (drums), Allen Sloan (violin), and Steve Davidowski (keyboards)

Musical style

Performances consist entirely of instrumentals, with Industry Standard (1982) being the only album by the band to contain vocals. Members are noted for their virtuoso playing, and the band's music incorporates elements of many genres, which makes the sound difficult to classify; they have been categorized as a jazz rock, progressive rock or southern rock band. The band's influences include The Allman Brothers Band and Mahavishnu Orchestra. The Boston Herald described the band's music as a fusion of rock, jazz, country, and classical music. Guitarist Morse has said, "“We rarely think of labels,” explained bandleader Steve Morse, “but if we did, it would be something like ‘electronic chamber music.’”

While the Chicago Tribune categorized their music as a fusion of jazz rock and country music, The Christian Science Monitor has defined it as a fusion of bluegrass and classical music. The Times described the Dregs music as a fusion of progressive rock, heartland rock, and jazz.

Personnel

Members

;Current members

  • Steve Morse – guitar <small>(1970–1983, 1988–present)</small>
  • Andy West – bass guitar <small>(1970–1983, 1988, 1999, 2017–present)</small>
  • Rod Morgenstein – drums <small>(1973–1983, 1988–present)</small>
  • Allen Sloan – violin <small>(1973–1981, 1988–1992, 1999, 2017–present)</small>
  • Steve Davidowski – keyboards <small>(1975–1977, 2017–present)</small>

;Former members

  • Frank Brittingham – guitar, vocals <small>(1970–1971)</small>
  • Dave Morse – drums <small>(1970–1971)</small>
  • Johnny Carr – keyboards <small>(1970)</small>
  • Mark Parrish – keyboards <small>(1970–1971, 1973, 1977–1978)</small>
  • Bart Yarnold – drums <small>(1973)</small>
  • Gilbert Frayer – drums <small>(1973)</small>
  • Frank Josephs – keyboards <small>(1974–1975)</small>
  • T Lavitz – keyboards <small>(1978–1983, 1988–2010; his death)</small>
  • Mark O'Connor – violin <small>(1981–1983)</small>
  • Dave LaRue – bass guitar <small>(1988–2017)</small>
  • Jerry Goodman – violin <small>(1992–2017)</small>

;Substitute musicians

  • Jordan Rudess – keyboards <small>(1994, 2024)</small>

Timeline

<div class="left" >

</div>

Lineups

{| class="toccolours" border=1 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 style="float: width: 375px; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; border-collapse: collapse; border: 1px solid #E2E2E2;" width=99%

|-

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1970<br>As "Dixie Grit"

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1970–1971<br>As "Dixie Grit"

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1971–1973

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1973

|-

| valign=top |

  • Frank Brittingham - guitar, vocals
  • Johnny Carr - keyboards
  • Dave Morse - drums
  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Andy West - bass guitar

| valign=top |

  • Frank Brittingham - guitar, vocals
  • Dave Morse - drums
  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Andy West - bass guitar
  • Mark Parrish - keyboards

| valign=top |

  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Andy West - bass guitar

| valign=top |

;As "Rock Ensemble II"

  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Andy West - bass guitar
  • Allen Sloan - violin
  • Bart Yarnall - drums

;As "Dixie Dregs"

  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Andy West - bass guitar
  • Mark Parrish - keyboards
  • Gilbert Frayer - drums

|-

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1973–1974

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1974–1975

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1975–1977

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1977–1978

|-

| valign=top |

  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Andy West - bass guitar
  • Allen Sloan - violin
  • Rod Morgenstein - drums

| valign=top |

  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Andy West - bass guitar
  • Allen Sloan - violin
  • Rod Morgenstein - drums
  • Frank Josephs - keyboards

| valign=top |

  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Andy West - bass guitar
  • Allen Sloan - violin
  • Rod Morgenstein - drums
  • Steve Davidowski - keyboards

| valign=top |

  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Andy West - bass guitar
  • Allen Sloan - violin
  • Rod Morgenstein - drums
  • Mark Parrish - keyboards

|-

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1978–1981

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1981–1983

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1983–1988

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1988–1992

|-

| valign=top |

  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Andy West - bass guitar
  • Allen Sloan - violin
  • Rod Morgenstein - drums
  • T Lavitz - keyboards

| valign=top |

  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Andy West - bass guitar
  • Rod Morgenstein - drums
  • T Lavitz - keyboards
  • Mark O'Connor - violin

| valign=top |

Group disbanded

| valign=top |

  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Rod Morgenstein - drums
  • T Lavitz - keyboards
  • Dave LaRue - bass guitar
  • Allen Sloan - violin

|-

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 1992–2010

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% | 2010–2017

! bgcolor="#E7EBEE" valign=top width=25% |2017–present

|-

| valign=top |

  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Rod Morgenstein - drums
  • T Lavitz - keyboards
  • Dave LaRue - bass guitar
  • Jerry Goodman - violin

| valign=top |

  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Rod Morgenstein - drums
  • Dave LaRue - bass guitar
  • Jerry Goodman - violin

| valign=top |

  • Steve Morse - guitar
  • Andy West - bass
  • Allen Sloan - violin
  • Rod Morgenstein - drums
  • Steve Davidowski - keyboards

|}

Discography

Studio albums

  • Free Fall (1977)
  • What If (1978)
  • Night of the Living Dregs (1979)
  • Dregs of the Earth (1980)
  • Unsung Heroes (1981)
  • Industry Standard (1982)
  • Full Circle (1994)

Demo releases

  • The Great Spectacular (1976 - released on CD April 1997)
  • Three song EP for promotional purposes. 100 copies pressed. Two different labels - red, and yellow
  • Off the Record (1988) (demo for Ensoniq synthesizers)

Live albums

  • Bring 'Em Back Alive (1992)
  • King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents (September 16, 1997)
  • California Screamin' (February 1, 2000)
  • From the Front Row... Live! (Dolby 5.1 DVD-Audio, 2003)

Compilations

  • Best of the Dixie Dregs (1987)
  • The Best of the Dregs: Divided We Stand (1989)
  • 20th Century Masters: The Best of the Dixie Dregs (March 26, 2002)

Video albums

  • Sects, Dregs and Rock 'n' Roll (DVD, December 2002)
  • Live at Montreux 1978 (DVD, 2005)

Singles

  • 1976: "Cruise Control"/"Refried Funky Chicken"/"Cosmopolitan Traveler" (self-released)
  • 1978: "Take It Off the Top"/"Little Kids"
  • 1979: "Punk Sandwich"/"Country House Shuffle"
  • 1980: "Pride O' the Farm"/"The Great Spectacular"
  • 1981: "Cruise Control"/"Go for Baroque"
  • 1982: "Crank It Up"/"Bloodsucking Leeches"

References

  • The Dixie Dregs first promo photograph, by Michael Mastro, who also shot the photographs on the back of What If