The Dixie Hummingbirds

Artist's Website

Artist’s Website

Sharing the stage with Charlie Musselwhite are gospel legends The Dixie Hummingbirds, who celebrate their 75th anniversary this year with their newest release, Diamond Jubilation (Rounder Records 2003). The group was first organized in the 1920s in South Carolina by gospel great James B. Davis, then just 12 years old. Over the next five decades they made their mark on American audiences, playing Cafe Society (New York’s first integrated nightclub), the Apollo Theater and the Newport Folk Festival, to name a few notable performances. They group gained even greater fame in 1973, when they backed Paul Simon on his smash hit “Loves Me Like a Rock.” The Birds’ own rendition of the tune won them a Grammy in 1974. An American institution, The Dixie Hummingbirds have always remained deeply rooted in the gospel tradition and their influence has made itself known far and wide in American popular music. As Stevie Wonder points out, “They continue to press the envelope with their greatness, linking us to a rich musical heritage that keeps us in tune and in harmony with the universe and each other.”