The Dixie Flyers
The Dixie Flyers were the houseband at Miami's Criteria Studio, purchased in 1970 by Atlantic Records. Their name derived from a literary reference to writer William Faulkner which likened him to a south-bound train in the phrase ‘When the Dixie Flyer comes down the track you'd better get out of the way’. Prior to their work for Atlantic at Criteria, the Flyers had performed on Tony Joe White's CONTINUED (1969) album for Monument and then behind Betty LaVette on her remarkable He Made A Woman Out Of Me for Lelan Roger's Silver Fox label, cut the same year in Memphis. The group was assembled by pianist Jim Dickinson (b. James Luthor Dickinson), the nucleus of which had previously worked with producer Sam Phillips. Mike Utley (keyboards), Tommy McClure (bass) and Sammy Creason (drums) were joined by ex-Mar-Kay Charlie Freeman (guitar) in what was one of the last great house rhythm sections. Their finest sessions included those for Aretha Franklin's SPIRIT IN THE DARK and Brook Benton's Rainy Night In Georgia (both 1970). However, the studio could not support a full-time group as much of its work came from self-contained units, including the Allman Brothers Band and Derek And The Dominos. The group left their Miami enclave at the end of 1970, touring north America and Europe with Rita Coolidge. They disbanded in March 1972, leaving Dickinson's eclectic solo album, DIXIE FRIED (1971), as a fitting testament to their skills. The pianist later returned to Memphis, where he has worked with such disparate acts as Big Star, Ry Cooder and Green On Red. Charlie Freeman died as a result of pulmonary edema on 31 January 1973 following years of narcotic abuse.