AMY TURNER

The Dixie Echoes have a new tenor, and he grew up listening to the very group he now calls home.

Jonathan Rigdon, 23, from Brandon, Mississippi, has been named the quartet’s new tenor vocalist. For Rigdon, this is more than a new job, it is the fulfilment of a lifelong dream built on a deep love of classic Southern gospel music.

“Growing up, I loved hearing groups like The Dixie Echoes, The Inspirations, The Hinsons, The Florida Boys and The Cathedrals,” said Rigdon. “I’m so honoured to now be a part of this legendary quartet.”

Those words speak to something important. Rigdon does not simply know the sound of the Dixie Echoes, he was shaped by it. That kind of foundation is exactly what the group says drew them to him.

Scoot Shelnut, speaking on behalf of the quartet, made clear the feeling is mutual. “We’re excited to have this great young man come aboard, and with his love of classic quartet singing, he’s going to fit right in with us,” he said.

At just 23 years old, Rigdon brings youth to a group with decades of history behind them. But it is his respect for that history and for the traditional quartet style that seems to matter most to those who know the Dixie Echoes best.

The group is already looking ahead. The Dixie Echoes are working on new music and hope to have a new recording ready by the Memphis Quartet Show.