March 2004 ~ Featuring Dustin Sweatman
The most recent student to be enrolled into the prestigious 'Ed O'Neal University' is baritone vocalist Dustin Sweatman. For those of you who may not be familiar with the 'university', it's basically referring to employment with the Dixie Melody Boys. Ed O'Neal has introduced a lot of young talent into Gospel music through his group, and these young men have the opportunity to travel over 200 days a year with a living legend. In that amount of time, they can watch and learn first hand from a man who has experienced just about everything in nearly half of a century in the Gospel Music industry. Back when Rodney Griffin was with the DMB, he coined the phrase 'Ed O'Neal University' and put it on a t-shirt. Since then, Ed has given some of those shirts to various members of the Dixie Melody Boys throughout the years. I consider it a tremendous honor that last year when we worked with the DMB in Bonifay, Florida, Ed came up to me and presented me with a shirt! I often wear it when we are on the road, and I have even thought about having it framed.

When I was getting the information for this article from Dustin Sweatman, he was on the bus with Ed O'Neal. Ed wanted to know when I was going to write an article featuring him, since I've featured every other member of his group in this article (which is primarily on the younger generation). I just figured that I would surprise him by putting a picture of him on this page and telling everyone about how much I admire and respect this man! Ed is truly one of the best bass singers of all time and one of the best quartet managers. I have written articles about Harold Reed, Devin McGlamery, Eric Ollis, and now Dustin Sweatman. If it is worth saying once, it's worth saying…well four times; The Dixie Melody Boys are an awesome quartet!

Dustin Sweatman was born on June 16, 1983. He is the son of Gerald and Deborah Sweatman. He has one brother, Tim. His hometown is Cumming, Georgia. Dustin was saved in 1993 at an all day singing in Summerville, West Virginia. His home church is New Harmony Baptist Church in Cumming, Georgia. Dustin now lives in Kinston, North Carolina, where the Dixie Melody Boys are based.

Dustin and his brother Tim have a recording studio, WindyHill Records. When he is at home and has the time, he enjoys producing and recording. Dustin says that he collects Southern Gospel Music, any way that he can get it, on cd, cassette, and LP. His biggest influence has always been his family. He grew up listening mainly to the Kingsmen Quartet, so Jim Hamill and Arthur Rice are also big influences of his.

The Sweatman family has always been involved with Southern Gospel Music. Dustin was born in to it. His mom, dad, and brother all played a major role in him being involved in Southern Gospel Music. Dustin says "The one thing I can say upfront is that they never pressured me into it; it was all my own choice." His dad is still singing with EasternBound, a group that they started a few years before he joined the Dixie Melody Boys. His dad also works for the Sears-Roebuck Co., as a manager in the distribution center. His mom is an insurance agent for Farm Bureau. Before joined the DMB, Dustin was working for the local county government. They all had full-time jobs, but always found a way to be singing together every weekend. His brother is a computer analyst. Dustin states, "I guess he has most of the brains between the two of us. In his free time, my brother is still managing to keep our studio running."

Dustin started singing Southern Gospel Music with his family when he was twelve years old. They sang every weekend, about 150 singings a year, so Dustin was exposed to music a lot. At the time, Dustin was just playing the piano. A few years later, the young man that sang lead decided it was time for him to go. Dustin's dad, Gerald, said that he thought it was time for Dustin to step up and sing. Since Dustin was just a musician for so long, he had no desire to sing. He says that his dad kept encouraging him for a while until he finally gave in and started singing lead for the group. After that, you couldn't pull Dustin away from the microphone. Dustin recalls that there were so many things going on in his life at that time that were going to hinder him from singing. He prayed one afternoon that if God would just lead him and direct his singing, that he would give up everything else and concentrate on just singing.

The family group quit singing when Dustin was 17 years old. He was afraid that he might not sing with a group after that because he started working full-time with a local bank. A good friend of his, Wayne Bartlett, founder of Pure Harmony, called and asked if he would like to play the piano and sing a little so that he could stay involved with music. Dustin played and sang with them for about four months until starting EasternBound with his dad.

Dustin is thankful that God has seen fit to use him in a full-time position that allows him to sing with the greatest quartet and live out his dream at the same time. Dustin stated "I strongly believe that if God has a plan for you, he will open doors and provide a way for you to be where he wants you to be. Always stay in God's will and you will be happy."

When asked how he got the job, Dustin says, "I have always been around Ed O'Neal and the Dixie Melody Boys. My father, Gerald Sweatman, has written several songs for the group, and that is how I became acquainted with them. I went to see them in concert one night in Winder, Georgia. After the concert I spoke with Harold Reed, or I guess you could say I pestered Harold, and Ed both. Harold told me a few things that I should do to get into singing full-time in general. So I kept calling and calling Harold until one day the position came open. He asked if I would like to audition, and of course I said I was interested. After talking back and forth for about a month or so, we arranged a time for me to go up to Kinston and audition with the group. I drove up on a Monday morning and spent the night with Ed and Miss Joy. That following morning, we went to the church for the audition. After we were finished, Ed offered me the job. I was so excited, and I knew that this is what I was supposed to do. What made this day really special is that it was my birthday. So I'll never forget that day!" So Dustin joined the Dixie Melody Boys on his twentieth birthday. On the road, besides singing baritone for the quartet, Dustin helps Harold set up and take down the sound equipment.

If you have internet access, be sure to visit the Dixie Melody Boys online at www.dixiemelodyboys.com. They just recently redesigned and updated their website and it looks great, very classy. Check the back of this paper to see when the DMB will be in concert near you and make plans to attend. I hope that you've enjoyed reading all about Dustin Sweatman and the rest of the Dixie Melody Boys. Now I've got to get back on the road and make a new friend before next month.