Brett Barest
When I first met Brooks Dixon back in 2015, he was a recent Clemson graduate, young engineer, and singer/songwriter who was honing his skills as a solo artist around the Upstate. He was a seasoned veteran of Clemson’s Moe Joe Coffee and had just played his first festival by opening up the Albino Skunk Music Festival in Greer. I knew then that he was an artist I would be paying attention to for a while and, well, here I am more than five years later doing just that.
An accomplished and inspired songwriter, Brooks Dixon now has three EP’s as well as 2019’s Pocketful of Dreams which was nominated for Best Album at the inaugural Upstate Music Awards earlier this year. Back when shows were a regular thing, he could still be found doing his solo thing but, also, leading his own five piece ensemble The Brooks Dixon Band. Given how much of himself he has dedicated to his journey and just how many different bands he has shared stages with, I am long overdue in asking him which artists on the local scene he enjoys the most. I expected a talented batch of artists and, as usual, Brooks’ list did not disappoint. Here is what he had to say…
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Nathan Angelo
Brooks Dixon says: “I was fortunate to meet Nathan early on after moving back home post college. Love his voice, and songwriting especially. Nathan actually helped produce some on our latest album.”
My Girl My Whiskey and Me
Brooks Dixon says: “Some of my oldest musician friends in town, love their sound, energy, and their chemistry.”
Lisa Stubbs/Mourning Dove
Brooks Dixon says: “I was first exposed to Lisa by herself when I hosted a songwriters in the round at Moe Joe Coffee, and I absolutely adore Lisa’s voice and writing”
Weekend Things to Do in Greenville & The Upstate of South Carolina
Jacob Johnson
Brooks Dixon says: “Jacob’s playing and overall persona captured me the first time I saw him play. I feel pretty cool saying he’s my friend and that he performed at my wedding rehearsal dinner.”
Rush Morgan
“Rush and I go way back, and it’s been so fun to see him evolve as a performer, songwriter, and downright solid guitarist. That dude just loves to be playing music.”
Finally, in the unlikely event you have not listened to Brooks Dixon himself, now is the time to remedy that. All of his releases are available on Spotify, from his independently recorded and released Stone Pile EP from 2014 to his most recent Pocketful of Dreams, and everything in between. Even better, as I am typing this I just received a notification that the full band will be on the outside stage at Quest Brewing on Thursday, September 10. Study up on five years of great music (and counting) and get ready to head outside for a Brooks Dixon show and a craft brew in just a few weeks. Lord knows we have earned it.
More Articles in the Artist Picking Artists Series
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Upstate Live Music Calendar
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