The Bluegrass Blog » Dixie Hall

Oh, Christmas Candle

Guest Contributor — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 18:33:44 +0000

This post comes as a contribution from Dixie Hall, one half of the songwriting powerhouse Tom T. and Dixie Hall, who manage both Good Homegrown Music and Blue Circle Records.

Several years ago, we were enjoying a visit to Bluebird Hill (our Clinch Mountain home in Hiltons, VA) and received news of a mysterious fire at the church. A candle had somehow self-ignited and smoldered for many hours creating much cleanup work of smoke damage.

As hard as I tried, I could not get Tom T.’s interest in this subject as a song idea until later that week when we received a phone call from Linda Lay & Stony Point requesting a Christmas song p.d.q.

Although a totally different story, the candle thought came through for us and we worked out Oh, Christmas Candle. Since then it has also been recorded by Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Tom T. sings Dixie and Tom T.

John — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 13:08:18 +0000

With all the support the bluegrass world has received from Tom T. and Dixie Hall this past few years, many have wondered when Tom T. might release a bluegrass project himself. Not only had the songwriting duo contributed dozens of songs for bluegrass artists – and recorded and released a good many bluegrass projects on their Blue Circle label – they also made a generous donation to the International Bluegrass Music Association last year, when they bequeathed the royalties from their publishing company, Good Homegrown Music, to IBMA upon their deaths.

Well, today’s the day for the Tom T. bluegrass project. Blue Circle has released Tom T. Hall sings Miss Dixie & Tom T., a collection of 12 songs they wrote together, sung by Tom T., and featuring a superstar gathering of bluegrass pickers. The concept for the CD began as a Christmas gift from Tom T. to Dixie. He presented her with a card that read:

"To Miss Dixie. This is good for a c.d. We’ll record in our studio; you choose the songs and the pickers. You produce and I’ll do songs we have written together. Local and Pal will handle (canine) security. We will call the project TOM T. HALL SINGS MISS DIXIE & TOM T. Merry Christmas! Love, T."

Guest performers include Earl Scruggs, Kristin Benson and Tim White on banjo, Wayne Benson on mandolin, Mike Bub and Ben Isaacs on bass, Tom T., Robert Bowlin and Terry Eldridge on guitar, Glen Duncan on fiddle and Randy Kohrs on resonator guitar. Assisting Tom T. with harmony vocals are Don Rigsby, Sonya Isaacs, Josh Williams and Rebecca Isaacs Bowman.

Radio promos have been sent and July 3 marks the official release date. A couple of audio samples are available on the Blue Circle site, and samples for all the tracks can be found on CD Baby.

Carolina Road the CD

Brance — Sun, 22 Apr 2007 12:06:57 +0000

Here’s a CD release that slipped under the radar the end of last month. Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road have released a new self-titled CD, Carolina Road. The recording is on the Blue Circle Records label and was released on March 29, 2007.

The title cut on the CD was written by Dixie and Tom T. Hall and sung by new band member (guitar) Jerry Butler. Lorraine Jordan also contributes lead vocals and mandolin. Josh Goforth provided fiddle and vocals. Ben Greene played banjo and contributed vocals. Todd Meade holds down the low notes on the bass. Kim Gardner guests on dobro.

Tom T. Hall commented on the band:

We are proud and honored to claim Carolina Road, not only as Blue Circle recording artists, but as friends and heroes. Lorraine has made great choices with her selection of band members.

Audio samples are not yet available on the band’s website.