Pioneers of “Rockgrass”, Hayseed Dixie kick off international tour with dates in the US

Pioneers of “Rockgrass”, Hayseed Dixie kick off international tour with dates in the US

By: Kevin Vickery 

In case you’re not familiar with the concept of “rockgrass” music, I would explain it as using traditional Bluegrass instruments like banjo, mandolin, fiddle, acoustic guitars and bass in a rocked out style. Hayseed Dixie basically invented this genre in 2001 when they released their debut album, “A Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC”.  The album featured the biggest hits of Australian hard rock band AC/DC such as “Back in Black”, “T.N.T.” and “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” all covered with a Bluegrass approach. 

I fell in love with this album from the first time I heard it and it became a major influence in my own musical endeavors. I had been playing electric bass in rock bands for many years and had been given a standard 3/4 size upright acoustic bass by a friend but was a bit intimidated by it, mostly because of it being fretless. I got over that fear by playing along to the AC/DC songs on not only that CD, but also the next two Hayseed Dixie albums, “A Hillbilly Tribute to Mountain Love” which featured their versions of rock classics by Aerosmith, Queen, Bad Company, and many others as well as their 2003 release “Kiss My Grass” which was like a KISS greatest hits album, done rockgrass style. Without those albums and their approach to mixing bluegrass and rock & roll styles, my own band of literally 20 years would not exist.

Since then, Hayseed Dixie whose name is actually a linguistic play on the phonetics of AC/DC has released 16 albums, selling over a half million copies and performed over 1,400 shows in 31 countries across the globe.

Oddly, the band formed by frontman, John Wheeler, originally from East Tennessee has seen more success in the UK and throughout Europe than they have here in the US over time. I was able to ask John who now lives in Germany about this phenomenon and he said, “The band has enjoyed the most popularity in the UK of everywhere in the world. I think part of that is the gig-going vibe of working class people in the UK. I think some of it is also because the sense of humor in the UK is very self-referential. The band is not particularly popular in Germany. I moved here in 2019 for a new adventure, and because Brexit happened in the UK and that meant that my kids would lose the right to live, be, work in 36 other European countries – rights that they were born with.  I’ve also always been very jealous of people who could speak more than one language fluently, and I wanted my kids to be able to do that.”

When asked about what lead to the formation of Hayseed Dixie and if in its original conceptual form if he thought he would still be doing it today, John added, “No. When I made the first record, it was mainly a thought experiment put onto tape – and it was actual tape at that time. Since being in college bands in the late 80’s, I’d always wondered what it would sound like if Angus and Malcolm Young (of AC/DC) had been born and raised in East Tennessee rather than Scotland and Australia. I still wonder that. But what I did was an East Tennessee guy’s take on that idea. It grew from there. Lots of acts, from Flatt & Scruggs onward, played rock songs. I do think we were probably the first band to be rock musicians playing on bluegrass instruments doing this material. I don’t know. Somebody else can decide that.”

Like most bands who’ve survived over a nearly 25 year time span, there have been personnel changes throughout the years. The original line up included brothers, Don Wayne Reno on banjo and Dale Reno as mandolinist who both are the sons of famed bluegrass musician, Don Reno. On playing with the Reno Brothers, John also added, “Yeah, there is very little that Don Wayne Reno ever played that doesn’t give me chills!”

In addition to John (Barley-Scotch) Wheeler on guitar and lead vocals who is described as, “Split right down the middle 60/40 between hillbilly philosopher savant and trailer-trash Champagne-socializer”, other current members include, Jake (Bakesnake) Byers who’s approach to the acoustic bass is like a giant, unleashed Viking, and Tim Carter on banjo whose riffs and rolls mixed with his killer backing vocals make him a perfect fit for the Hayseed sound and style.  Last, but certainly not least is “Hippy Joe” Hymas from the UK on mandolin who’s rock & roll attitude and approach to his instrument make him a major focal point of their live performances.

Their show on July 10th at Natalie’s Grandview in Columbus, OH included rockgrass covers like, AC/DC’s, “Hell’s Bell’s, Motörhead’s, “Ace of Spades”, “Don’t Stop Believing”, by Journey, and two Queen classics, “Fat Bottom Girls” and “Bohemian Rhapsody”.  They also included their rockgrassed up version of the classic, “War Pigs” by Black Sabbath which John told me was also his favorite of their cover tunes because, “It’s a sad reflection on the world that these lyrics still ring so true, and they do.”

However, not every song that they perform is a rockgrass cover.  Their set also included some of my favorites of their own original material like “Corn Liquor”, “Kirby Hill”, In the Backyard”, and “Elm Street Rock Cafe” as well as some traditional bluegrass standards like’ “Rolling in My Sweet Baby’s Arms”, “Dueling Banjos”, and “I Saw the Light”. 

Just before the show, I spoke with concert attendee, Zach Paden of Huntington, West Virginia who had made the drive to Ohio to see see the band and he said, “I’m looking forward to hopefully hearing, “Holiday in the Sun”, but really anything they play is good for me!”

Having now completed their US dates Hayseed Dixie will travel overseas to complete their current tour with dates throughout the United Kingdom through February, 2025.

The Natalie’s Grandview venue was a real gem and a great place to attend a show. They actually have 2 different settings to watch shows throughout the facility including Charlie’s Stage and The Music Hall. I was able to enjoy the delicious food and friendly atmosphere of the “Free Happening Hour” featuring jazz and blues inspired sounds of Lil Red and the Rooster before making my way into the main venue for the headline performance. 

I should add that I had not seen Hayseed Dixie perform live in 21 years since I journeyed to The Duck Room at Blueberry Hill in St. Louis, MO in 2003.  I’m so very glad that the US leg of their current tour included a stop within a reasonable drive to Columbus, OH.  I hope that in the future, when they tour again in the US, they’ll include a stop in Indianapolis where I know of a pretty decent rockgrass band that would love to open for them… please forgive the blatant self promotion.

For more information about Hayseed Dixie’s tour schedule or to purchase their albums and other merchandise please visit https://hayseed-dixie.com

If you’re going to be in Columbus, OH and want to check out events at Natalie’s Grandview visit nataliesgrandview.com