INSIGHT Magazine September 2015 | Page 10

Music INSIGHT Southern Rock, revised edition by Benjamin Nunnally Y ou may not realize it, but you've seen the Dixie Kin Band playing shows around Anniston for years. The group previously performed as the Amberson-Baggett Band, laying down hard Southern rock that won over fans local and abroad, with listenership stretching to France, Italy and even Turkey. After a brief hiatus, the band is back with a new name as part of a renewed commitment to creating original Southern rock, which also includes plenty of new developments. “We’re all from Alabama, the Heart of Dixie,” said singer Ted Amberson, speaking about the decision to pick the new name. “Half of us are family, so it made sense.” Though the name has changed, the band is still jamming on material that fans know and love, opening with Southern rock strutter "High Time" from their first album at a recent Cheaha Brewing Company show. It's still big and bombastic, punctuated by a strong rhythm section, with tight solos and Amberson's big vocals. The live sound is strengthened by a lineup change, shifting Luke Baggett from bass to accompanying lead guitar alongside his father, Michael Baggett, and bringing in new guns Tom Nance on bass and Redd Jones on the drums. When the band cranks it up for a September 2015 INSIGHT