Dixie Melody Boys

The group was founded in 1961 by Avis Adkins with Eugene Payne, Ralph Walker Don Henderson and Tony Brown on piano; Ed O'Neal, their bass singer, joined in 1963, and subsequently became the group's leader and manager. Under O'Neal, the group has discovered singers who have gone on to become prominent in Gospel music, including McCray Dove with the Dove Brothers, Rodney Griffin with Greater Vision, Bryan Walker, who went on to become a contestant on Season 9 of American Idol and then later joined the Perrys, and Devin McGlamery with Signature Sound. The group was nicknamed the "Ed O'Neal University" because of the impact that Ed O'Neal has had on the industry of Gospel music.

The group has had more than twenty hits in the Southern gospel field, including "Antioch Church Choir", "Double Dose", "Don't Point a Finger" and "Jesus In My Boat". The group has released a large number of albums and numerous VHS videos and DVDs. They have also won countless awards and even received a Grammy nomination.

Ed O'Neal has received the Marvin Norcross Award and was inducted into the Southern Gospel Museum and Hall of Fame in 2004.

The current group has re-established themselves as one of Gospel music's top groups. The Dixie Melody Boys released their 50th anniversary project The Call Is Still The Same and held their anniversary reunion celebration at the National Quartet Convention. The group added newcomer, Aaron Dishman, in June 2013 and the quartet veteran, Josh Garner, to their line up in September 2013, marking a new chapter in their history.[1] Tenor, Doug Pittman, joined the group at the National Quartet Convention in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, in September 2014. Two years later at that same event, the 2016 National Quartet Convention , Ed O’Neal would introduce Willie Sawrey as the groups baritone who would also become instrumental in managing the affairs on the road. Ed O’Neal suffered an accident in April 2019 which led to the added responsibilities for his new baritone.

In January 2013, the Dixie Melody Boys were honored in the Southern Gospel Music Fan awards.

• Favorite Quartet: The Dixie Melody Boys
• Favorite Bass: Ed O'Neal

The group also won the Favorite Male Quartet and Favorite Bass Singer awards in 2012.[2] On November 9, 2013 the Dixie Melody Boys were presented with the 2013 AMG Sandy Hosey Lifetime Achievement Award.[3]

Current

• Ed O'Neal – bass (since 1961)
• Earl Roberts–bass (since 2019)
• Buddy Bates–tenor (1987–1993; Since 2019)
• Willie Sawrey – baritone (since 2016)
• Cayden Howell–lead (since 2019)

Former

Bass

• Donald Henderson
• Buddy Hawley
• Marvin Harris

Baritone

• Gene Payne 1961
• Henry Daniels
• Delmar Tillman
• Tom Jones
• Frank Sutton
• Allen O'Neal 1984–1986
• David DeLawder 1986–1987
• Nathan Widenor 1987–1991
• Bill Bass 1991–1992
• Rodney Griffin 1992–1993
• Jamie Bramlett 1994–1995
• Dave Needham 1995–1997
• Craig Singletary 1997–1998
• Kenny Cook 1998
• Derrick Selph 1998–2003
• Jeremy Wilkerson 2003
• Dustin Sweatman 2003–2004
• Andrew King 2004–2007
• Bryan Walker 2007
• Steven Cooper 2007–2013
• Aaron Dishman 2013–2016

Lead

• Avis Adkins 1961
• David Kimbrel
• John Jarmen
• Dewey Williams
• Gary Wadell
• Kent Humphries 1981–1986
• McCray Dove 1986–1998
• Jamie Caldwell 1998–2000
• Devin McGlamery 2000–2004
• Dustin Sweatman 2004–2006
• Donald Moris 2006, 2009–2012
• Bryan Walker 2006–2007
• Rob Shelton 2007–2008
• Joe Kitson 2008–2009
• Mike Rogers 2012–2013
• Josh Garner 2013-2019

Tenor

• Ralph Walker 1961
• Charles Forehand
• Bobby Craft
• Jimmy Jones
• Phil Barker 1978, 1980–1984
• Jamey Ragle 1978–1980
• Ernie Haase 1984
• Frank Sutton 1984–1986
• David Walker 1986–1987
• Harold Reid 1993–2004
• Dan Keeton 2004–2007
• Jonathan Price 2007–2010
• Matt Felts 2010–2014
• Doug Pittman 2014–2017
• Jerry Skaggs 2017-2019

Piano

• Tony Brown 1962–1965
• Greg Simpkins
• Jerry Kelso 1978–1985
• Bobby Ledford 1986–1988
• Dwight Young 1988–89
• Joe Lane 1989–1990
• Steve Wood 1990–1992
• Eric Ollis 1992–2004
• Dustin Sweatman 2004–2006 (played and sang)
• Aaron Dishman 2013–2016

Instrumentalist

• Blake Jarmin
• George Shambaugh
• DJ Johns
• JL Marslender 1974–1975
• Larry DeLawder 1986–1995
• Jeff Knight 1985–1986
• George Shambaugh (guitar) 1986
• Darren Humphrey (drummer) 1986–1988
• Craig Hamm (lead guitar) 1983–1986
• Olan Witt (drummer) 1983–1985

In 2004 and 2005, the group released seven compilation albums, entitled Historic Journey vols. 1–7.

Between 2011–2015, several compilations were released:, including Ed O'Neal University: EOU Alumni Vols 1–3, Sights of Heaven, Best of Ed O'Neal, Classic Live Performances, and Radio Hits.

• Ivan M. Tribe. Dixie Melody Boys. Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music. Routledge, 2005, p. 102.
• Ed O'Neal at the Southern Gospel Music Association
• Dixie Melody Boys at sghistory.com