I'd like to use this month's article to answer several recent questions that the Dixie Echoes have been asked recently. First off, we were at the National Quartet Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, when hurricane Ivan hit our hometown of Pensacola, Florida. We weren't there for the storm, but the Lord looked after our houses. All of the Dixie Echoes and our families were so blessed by not having any major damage. Our homes are all standing, not leaking, and basically unharmed. We had several trees fall, but luckily they did not hit any of our houses. The city of Pensacola has a lot of cleaning up to do. Most people weren't as fortunate as we were. Please keep these folks in your prayers. As for us, we made it fine.

Billy Todd, now our former bass singer, performed his last concert with the Dixie Echoes on September 26, 2004. That concert just happened to fall on his 75th Birthday! He is now at home, but probably still picking up limbs and debris in his yard left from hurricane Ivan.

On October 30, 2004, I arrived in Live Oak, Florida, at the Suwannee River Jubilee, and took the stage for the first time with our new bass singer, Tracy Crouch. Tracy is a fellow Louisiana boy. He is twenty-six years old, and is doing a good job with the Dixie Echoes. I will soon have some new photos of the Dixie Echoes with Tracy on my website www.stewartvarnado.com. I have been with the Dixie Echoes a little over six years now, and already a group veteran. Ha! Singing tenor for the group is eighteen-year-old David Robinson from Morris, Alabama. David joined the Dixie Echoes back in April of 2004.

This past month the Dixie Echoes have been very busy performing at several of the greatest Southern Gospel concerts including Inspiration Park, Meremac Caverns (with the Lesters from St. Louis, MO), Dollywood (in Pigeon Forge, TN), Country Village (in Tickfaw, Louisiana), and many other wonderful events. I'm ready for the upcoming Holiday season when we will be able to stay home for a couple of weeks and spend some time with our families.

During the next few months, I will be making several trips to Temple, Georgia, to play on recording sessions for various artists at Red Hill Digital Studios. Last month, I shared a little bit about the studio and the owner (Jason Singleton). I enjoy going up and jamming in the studio with other great musicians like Ricky Free, Scoot Shelnut, and Adam Borden. The last time that I was up there, Ricky brought their pianist with him. Scott McDowell, pianist for Brian Free & Assurance, is an excellent pianist. I had him go to the piano and play some for us, and I was amazed at the talent that this young man has. I might even have to get him to show me a few things next time I'm up there.

We have been so busy lately, and most of our concerts have been by ourselves, so I haven't had much of an opportunity to interview any of my friends. I must either be getting lazy, or just don't have many friends! Well, in the next few months, I think you are going to enjoy getting to know a few new guys that I want to introduce to you, including Scott McDowell. We might even visit with some newcomers like Tim Lovelace and Mike Hopper.

If you have internet access, please be sure to visit my website and email me. I would love to hear from the readers, and hear some suggestions of people that you would like to read about. I could ramble on for pages, but I'm going to stop now and give ya'll some time to read the other great articles in the U.S. Gospel News. Isn't this a great publication? Share a copy with a friend and pass along some good reading about Southern Gospel Music.

Since I usually share a photo every month of a friend of mine, and didn't feature anyone this month… Thought I'd reach into my photo album and give the readers a good laugh. Guess who this third grader is.