Interview: Chasing Dixie excited about fair performance

Herald - Tribune

FORT SCOTT, Kan.-- Fort Scott is the next stop on the list for new country music trio Chasing Dixie.

All three band members -- Alaina Whitaker, Erin James, and Andrea Young -- spoke to The Fort Scott Tribune during a telephone interview on Thursday about their history, their musical influences, and their upcoming concert at the Bourbon County Fair.

"We're super excited," James said. "We love fairs and we're looking forward to coming."

The band will be the featured entertainment act during the Bourbon County Fair, which starts Sunday at the Bourbon County Fairgrounds. The show is scheduled for 8 p.m. Thursday at the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center on the campus of Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton St.

The group formed last year after the dissolution of the band Whitaker Malloy, another country group that Whitaker was in with fellow "American Idol" finalist Kady Malloy and Whitaker's sister, Brittney Whitaker. Whitaker Malloy recorded an album in Oklahoma, but the group later disbanded before they released any music. Chasing Dixie was founded by music producer Tony Holden.

"Chasing Dixie has been in the works for awhile now," Whitaker said. "We wanted to start a girl trio, an all-girl band ... We got to something that just fit and sounded right when Chasing Dixie came together."

While the band has several similarities to the Dixie Chicks, another all-female country group, they want to establish their own sound, Young said.

"Our original intention was not to name ourselves after the Dixie Chicks," she said. "We're chasing that southern tradition. We have an affinity for southern rock music and basically all things southern ... We want to find our own sound within the parameters of country music."

Each of the band members have experience in the music industry. Whitaker, the group's lead singer, was a top 20 finalist on the seventh season of the "American Idol" television show. Young and James, who also sing and play a variety of string instruments, have already enjoyed success performing in Nashville, Tenn., and Oklahoma, where each of the members met and formed Chasing Dixie.

Young said the two greatest musical influences in her life are Dolly Parton and Sting. James said Loretta Lynn, Ricky Skaggs, and Brad Paisley are her favorite musicians, adding that Paisley is an "incredible musician."

Whitaker said Martina McBride and Celine Dion are her two greatest musical influences, adding "they are both amazing singers and I look up to them."

All three women said they would like to someday perform with Parton, Keith Urban, and even the rock band Aerosmith.

"I would love to be on stage with Aerosmith," Young said. "We all love Aerosmith songs."

Whitaker said the experience and exposure she obtained from her time on "American Idol" has been valuable.

"The exposure was awesome," she said. "It definitely prepared me and gave me a thick skin for what I want to do in the music industry."

The band has opened for Brooks and Dunn, and has also played at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Okla., with Rascal Flatts. They are performing as the opening act for several shows on country artist Keith Anderson's 2009 summer tour, and have also performed with Darius Rucker, Jason Aldean, and Rio Grande.

The trio is currently working on their debut album and will perform several original songs during their local concert.

They perform mainly in the Midwest and have several tour dates scheduled for the fall. The band will be filming footage for an episode of the Great American Country network's "Headline Country" entertainment news show hosted by Storme Warren during the band's concert in Fort Scott.

For more information on Chasing Dixie, visit the band's Web site at www.myspace.com/chasingdixie.