SPOTLIGHT INTERVIEW: ED O'NEAL
SOUTHERN GOSPEL SPOTLIGHT PRESENTS
AN INTERVIEW WITH ED O'NEAL OF THE DIXIE MELODY BOYS
What can I say about Ed O'Neal! He is a living legend in the Southern Gospel Music field serving as the leader and bass singer of the Dixie Melody Boys for over 50 years. His bass voice is unmistakeable and one of the best in SG History, in my opinion. He has also been an instrumental mentor for many of today's great Southern Gospel artists such as Devin McGlamery (EHSS), Rodney Griffin (Greater Vision), and McCray Dove (The New Dove Brothers).
I recently was able to connect with Mr. O'Neal on Facebook and interviewed him for the blog.
Here is my interivew with the Dean of the EOU himself! Enjoy!
Justin Gilmore: Hello Mr. O’Neal, how did you get your start in Southern Gospel music?
Ed O’Neal: Hello! I have been singing all my life. My mom's side of the family were very good singers. As a child I went with them everywhere they went. I guess I was hooked. Gilmore: Awesome! Who are your musical influences?
O’Neal: I guess my mom was the first. When I was a very young boy, we had only two records in our home. They were Chuck wagon and statesmen. That's all I knew about groups. In fact I did not know that groups did this for a living until I was much older. These were a big influence on me. Gilmore: Great! Who is your favorite bass singer? Who is your favorite singer in Gospel or secular music?
O’Neal: George [Younce] was my favorite. He could do it all. We have so many great bass singers, it's hard to pick one. Tim Riley, Gene McDonald, and many more. Ladies would have to be Kim Hopper. For the male voice, it would be Red Foley, Jack Toney, David Felts, Josh Garner, and many many more. We are blessed. Gilmore: Speaking of bass singing, what is the lowest bass note you can hit?
O’Neal: I never work on low notes as much as tones and blend. But most nights it would be a b-flat. Gilmore: Who are your favorite groups? Past or present.
O’Neal: As far as mixed groups it would be the Hoppers, and Karen Peck& New River. Male groups would be Triumphant or Booth Bros, and of course DMB.
Gilmore: Great groups! Tell me about the early days of the Dixie Melody Boys.
O’Neal: DMB started in 1961 and I joined them a few years later. We have always been blessed to have a loyal fan base, and that's why we're still on the road. In the early years, we would do over 200 dates a year. Now we will do about 175. We have always traveled long distances. We've hit every state in the United States plus Canada. Still a thrill.
Gilmore: What an incredible journey! What has been the best part of traveling with the group?
O’Neal: I've had so many different groups of men, it's hard to say. All have been very nice to travel with.
Gilmore: Tell me about the current lineup of the group.
O’Neal: The present group is one of the best I've had. Not only are they great singers but they have taken a lot of the work off of me. Aaron, the baritone, takes care of the dates. Doug, the tenor, handles the web site and Josh, the lead, takes care of Facebook and all of social media. This leaves me with the business of the group like finance, interviews etc. This is the best I've had.
Gilmore: Awesome! What is your favorite song to sing?
O’Neal: Gosh there are so many. The most requested song and I love to sing is Antioch Church Choir. Recorded in 1981 and NO. 1 in 1982. We still sing it every night. There are so many I just cannot name one. Gilmore: Such an amazing song! What is your favorite Scripture verse?
O’Neal: There are many, I'll chose Isaiah 12/2. God is my salvation, I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Gilmore: Great word! What is something that people might not know about you?
O’Neal: I feel like everyone knows everything about me. I've been the public eye for over 50 years. If there is one thing that people may not know. When I'm at home, I don't talk too much about what I do. People in town know I'm out of town quit a lot, but don't really know what I do. Gilmore: Fascinating. What is the most memorable experience you’ve had in your years of singing Gospel music?
O’Neal: After a lot of years. The name Dixie Melody Boys has a lot of respect and the name is known all across the industry and beyond. That's a life time of work and I guard it closely. Gilmore: That’s fantastic! Any advice for aspiring Gospel artists?
O’Neal: Just let me say how I started. My two brothers and I sang as a trio. I was the youngest and when went into the Armed Services. I sang in church a lot. Organized a quartet of friends and pushed it to sing every where I could. Later in my early twenties I formed a group. After a few years, I joined another group that was more known outside the local. From there, I was called by the Dixie Melody Boys. I took over the group in the sixties and the rest in history. So just keep your interest. So my advice is start around church.
Gilmore: Great advice! What can fans expect from the group this year (CD, concerts etc.)?
O’Neal: I think they can expect the best group that I've had in a very long time. After over 50 years, I'm still excited.
Gilmore: Looking forward to what’s next for you all! Thanks for your time!
For more inforamtion on O'Neal and the group, visit www.dixiemelodyboys.com