The Dixie Bee-Liners are an intriguing story. Rumor had it Buddy Woodward was musical director for an off Broadway show and Brandi Hart was the understudy who memorized every part. The fiddler, Renee Johnson, still a teenager, had graduated from the country's only bluegrass program at East Tennessee State. The group supposedly found its guitarist, Jonathan Maness, though an internet want ad, and the banjo player, Sam Morrow, was from England, a long way from Appalachia. All of these rumors were answered once and for all during the interview.
When the group pulled up at our studios, a polite and smiling young man (Jonathan) bounced into the lobby to announce their arrival. We soon discovered the whole group carried their southern hospitality with them, including Sam the English banjo player. Not only were they pleasant, they were thirsty. It was a hot day and in their hurry to be on time they had run out of water. During a time in the music business when extensive contract riders might demand Jagermeister and Jarlsburg cheese, it was refreshing to know that plain old water was the Bee-Liners only request. There's a message in the experience about this kind of music and the people who play it.
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Copyright 2009 WKSU
