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PRESS
Bluegrass
Music Profiles Magazine
An
Interview with Michelle Nixon & Drive, April 13, 2004
Reprinted
with permission from Bluegrass
Music Profiles Magazine
BMP:
What is the latest Michelle Nixon & Drive news?
MICHELLE: The most exciting thing has happened! We
are going to have our first charted song in October. The song
Harlan, written by Tom T. and Dixie Hall is our first song
to chart off the new CD. This is a large achievement for us
all! We also did a taping for CMT.com/No Cover, New Voice
on September 29th before going to IBMA.
BMP: Where did the name Drive come from?
MICHELLE: Well, without drive in your bluegrass I feel
it is quite boring and that is something we feel we have -
so what better name than Drive. A friend actually pointed
out to me that I always say that and it would be a great name.
BMP: Tell me about your new Pinecastle project.
MICHELLE: We are quite pleased with our current project.
We feel that it is better than our last one and that is something
every artist hopes for. You always want to top the last. I
was honored to record Tom T. and Dixie Hall's songs. They
are great songwriters, but even greater people. We had a wonderful
time recording at their studio also. I think we all gained
five pounds by the time we finished the project. They really
feed you good! I also love recording my own material. The
guys are so supportive and also love doing my original tunes.
The song Let Me Be Your Escort is a really cool song and I
dreamed the song after seeing a picture of a soldier being
taken to heaven with the help of an angel. The photographer,
Tim Johnson, definitely struck a cord with me. I guess you
could say I'm a sucker for a slow love song. One Small Miracle
just gets me every time I sing it.
BMP: Introduce me to Drive and tell me a little about
each member.
MICHELLE: The best band a girl could have. Vernon Hughes
- mandolin and vocals - has been my singing partner for at
least 10 years. He is one of my best friends and I love singing
with him every time we take the stage. He lives in Harrisonburg,
Virginia where he also has his business Blue Ridge Woodworks.
Vernon also makes mandolins. Eddie Shifflett - guitar and
vocals - is just a great guy. He makes us laugh and keeps
us all smiling. He's a great guitar player and he's always
right there to help me with anything. Eddie lives in Earlysville,
Virginia with his wife Julia. Justen Haynes - fiddle - is
a remarkably talented person. He plays everything that has
a string. He is currently a senior at Shenandoah College.
Justen lives in Lady Smith, Virginia. This is one fine fellow.
Jason Davis - banjo - I call him our Boy Wonder. He is awesome
on the banjo. Sometimes I can hardly believe he is only 15
years old. His parents are so supportive. They even homeschool
him so he can travel with our group. He's a great guy. Jason
lives in Dinwiddie, Virginia. Jim Green - bass and vocals
- is a great bass player. He is a fun ol' guy to hang around
with too. He lives in Farmville, Virginia.
BMP: Tell me about your background in bluegrass?
MICHELLE: I was born and raised in Goochland, Virginia.
This is where I still live with my husband, Nick Nixon, raising
our children. I have a hair salon beside our home. Yep, I'm
the singing hairstylist. My clients say they know when I am
not feeling so well because I do not sing to them. I was raised
loving music and started singing when I was very young. My
whole family is musically inclined. I always sang in church
and in school. We had no family gathering that my grandmother
didn't play the piano. When I was about 14 my parents took
me to the gigs so I could get in. I think this band was called
The Silver Dollar Band. We did good old country music. I love
Loretta Lynn and Emmy Lou Harris. Myself and Nick had a very
well-known regional group called Slate River Band for about
10 years. We had a large time and met some great people. We
played country with a twist of bluegrass. Then our fiddle
player, Jim Skelding, introduced me to Vernon and bluegrass.
I was bitten by the bug and hooked and have been singing it
since. I love the music and the people. I feel very blessed
to have been given this talent and I try hard to always give
God the glory. We are also very thankful that Pinecastle saw
something in our group and signed us on. They are a wonderful
label. It is like being part of a big family.
BMP: Anything you can say about your next project and
plans for the future?
MICHELLE: Oh, we are always looking for songs. I have
written a few already for the next project. We are looking
ahead and honored to be able to do another project for Pinecastle.
We are not sure when it will be, but it will be a great time
whenever we do.
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