Article from the St. Louis Java Journal:

http://www.javajournalonline.com

Chasing Dixie~ From St. Louis to Nashville and Beyond

by Marian Rein

           The odds of a young music group hitting it big in this day and age are slim to none. When a group does attain national recognition and that group has a root in our hometown—it’s thrilling.
            Chasing Dixie, a dynamic young country trio, is now on its way to making a national name for itself. In 2007, music producer Tony Holden began scouting for talent. After a long audition process, he found three girls whose individual talents blended into a country music trio with the power and skill to excel at a national level. Their vocal and instrumental talent, along with vibrant personalities, combined just the right sound and stage presence to make Holden’s vision a reality.
            The group’s lead singer, Alaina Whitaker, is best known for competing on the hit television show, American Idol, in 2008. At the age of 17, with her powerful voice, this Tulsa native became a top-10 finalist on the show. Despite her young age, Whitaker is a seasoned performer, with more than 50 first-place trophies and awards from singing competitions across the country.
            Erin James, singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Maryland, had previously been working on a solo career in Nashville. She spent her days working as an emergency room nurse and her weekends playing shows with her band at honkytonks around the country. Her talents once landed her on a tour playing with country legend, Ronnie Dove.
            Andrea Young, also a Nashville veteran, is an accomplished violinist who began playing at the age of two at the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Suzuki violin program. At 18, she began teaching with Nora Teipen at Teipen Performing Arts in University City, Missouri. “Nora has always been like a second mom to me. I’ve actually grown up working at the school. The reason I have been financially secure is that she is the most flexible and generous boss ever, allowing me to take off months at a time for my career,” said Young.
            With a supportive boss as well as a loving family cheering her on, Young has been able to travel the world, playing her fiddle. “One of the highlights of my career has been playing with the legendary St. Louis group, Pavlov’s Dog, for a crowd of 54,000 at the Arrow Rock Festival in the Netherlands,” Young said. “Last year, I played with Sixwire for Country Music Television’s segment,
‘Can You Duet.’ Another highlight is that every night last summer I played for Halfway to Hazard, and we opened up on Tim McGraw’s tour. And best of all, on the fourth of July, I got to play the big stage with Tim, right here in St. Louis in front of all my family and friends.”
            Now in her twenties, Young brings her high-level performing experience to Chasing Dixie with their premiere performance on March 30, which was her debut in Nashville as an artist rather than a “hired gun.”
            So what’s on the horizon for Chasing Dixie? Storme Warren, a host on Great American Country, will feature the band on an episode of his show, Headline Country, this summer. Plus, the group recently filmed a reality show pilot they are hoping will find a home and air sometime this fall.  “We’re planning to hit the road this summer with our friend and mentor, Keith Anderson. He has been instrumental in getting Chasing Dixie off the ground. We can never thank him enough.” Anderson travels all over the country and has been known to pack the house in St. Louis. According to Young, there’s a good chance that Chasing Dixie will be playing in St. Louis, soon.
            Yes, the girls have an impressive lineup, in addition to writing appointments with some of Nashville’s best, including Jeffrey Steele, the Warren Brothers and Keith Anderson, but these are not simply stardom-seeking young women. These are serious musicians who are dedicated to their profession. “We’re having a great time performing, and each of us want to continue to develop our sound,” said Young.
            Asked if she would like to make any shout-outs, Young responded, “My thanks to KIX102.5 in Joplin, Missouri, for helping us get our start on the radio. I’d also like to thank Cowgirl Punk Clothing for outfitting us, LGBMedia for generously handling much more than publicity, Leroy Anderson for his prayers and for always being there, Joe Miller for his dedication, Tina Holden for her belief, D. Scott Miller for producing our demos and sharing his wisdom, and our family, friends and rowdy Chasing Dixie Street Team. And of course,  Java Journal for helping to share our story! Thanks to all of you.”
            [Writers note: I’ve known Andrea Young for many years. Not only is she known as an outstanding violinist, she’s an extraordinary person. With her loving spirit, vibrant personality and dedication to her students, it was clear that she would rise to become a national performer. Java Journal was fortunate to have Andrea grace the cover of its first issue in April 2007. My best wishes to Andrea and Chasing Dixie.]