runawaydixie.com/bio.htm

Biography

About the Trio…

RUNAWAY DIXIE

(Short Bio)

When three of Australia’s most versatile musicians/fulltime entertainers step on to a stage together, you have to expect an exciting performance.
Such is the case with RUNAWAY DIXIE featuring VIRGINIA HERMEL (Coad), LYNETTE COAD and JIM HERMEL.

The RUNAWAY DIXIE band officially formed in early 2009 and their first album was released in 2009.

All band members were born in SA, and the trio is based in South Australia.

RUNAWAY DIXIE have now released six albums, and were nominees in the 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 GOLDEN GUITAR AWARDS OF AUSTRALIA.

2016 'Bluegrass Recording Of The Year' with their original 'Lonesome & Blue' from the 'Bayou Queen' album.
2017 'Instrumental Of The Year' with their original instrumental 'Roundabout' from the 'Poor Man's Gold' album.
2018 'Bluegrass Recording Of The Year' with their original song 'Southbound Train' from the 'Poor Man's Gold' album.
2019 'Instrumental Of The Year with their original instrumental, 'Tele Rambler' from the 'Face The Wind' album.

The group has also achieved several TSA Songwriting Awards for their original material.

RUNAWAY DIXIE covers a broad spectrum of music from traditional Bluegrass & Gospel, to vibrant Country classics, along with their own original material.

In May 2017, RUNAWAY DIXIE represented Australia at the Mississippi State Bi-Centennial Celebrations as part of the Jimmie Rodgers Festival in Meridian, Mississippi USA.

The combination of Jim's driving vocals and Virginia and Lynette’s dynamic vocals and harmonies, along with the trio’s multi-instrumental skills make RUNAWAY DIXIE a dynamic “must see” act!

RUNAWAY DIXIE

(Long Bio)

The RUNAWAY DIXIE band officially formed in early 2009 and their first album was released in 2009.

JIM HERMEL

JIM HERMEL is no stranger to the Australian Country music world with a career
spanning 40 years, numerous bands, and many overseas tours.

Highlights of his overseas tours include performing with Jerry Lee Lewis at the Jerry Lee Lewis Showroom, Nashville, Tenn. in 1980.

Along with his well known Country and Country Rock style as a dynamic vocalist and lead guitarist, Jim also plays banjo and has a deep love and appreciation for Bluegrass and Gospel and the forming of the trio with Virginia and Lynette Coad has given him the opportunity to explore this field with much success.

VIRGINIA & LYNETTE COAD

Both fulltime entertainers and successful artists in their own right, Virginia & Lynette are no strangers to Australian Country Music.

Their appreciation for Gospel, Bluegrass, and Classic traditional country music, along with being award winning songwriters, versatile multi-instrumentalists, also being two of the most diverse and dynamic lead and harmony vocalists in Australia today, completes the combination with JIM HERMEL as one of the most dynamic Bluegrass/Gospel/ & Country Music Trio entertainment packages in Australia.

Photo by John Elliott

THEIR ACT

RUNAWAY DIXIE covers a broad spectrum of music from traditional Bluegrass & Gospel, to vibrant Country classics, and their own original material.

The combination of Jim's driving vocals and the girls dynamic vocals and harmonies, along with their multi-instrumental skills make them a dynamic “must see” act!

AUSTRALIAN PERFORMANCES

Regular concert tours throughout Vic., N.S.W., Qld, & S.A.

Festival appearances include:- Marilyn's Country Muster - Smoky Bay SA,
Tamworth Country Music Festival (annual concert show), Boyup Brook Festival WA,
Bunbury Country Music Festival WA, Leeton CMF NSW, Barooga CMF, Tooleybuc CMF,
Camooweal Drovers Festival QLD, Nanango CMF, Corowa CMF Vic. Laura CMF SA,
Lake Charlegrark Country Music Marathon and many more.

INTERNATIONAL PERFORMANCES

RUNAWAY DIXIE represented Australia in the USA in Meridian, Mississippi, as part of the Mississippi State Bi-Centennial Celebrations, which were held in conjunction with the
Jimmie Rodgers Festival in May 2017.

Appearances included major exposure via Mississippi Television, Radio and Newspapers.
Performances at the event included appearing at the Peavey Auditorium, Meridian, Mississippi.

2016, 2017, 2018 & 2019 GOLDEN GUITAR AWARDS OF AUSTRALIA
nominees:-

2016 'Bluegrass Recording Of The Year' with an original 'Lonesome & Blue' from their 'Bayou Queen' album.

2017 'Instrumental Of The Year' with their original instrumental 'Roundabout' from their 'Poor Man's Gold' album.

2018 'Bluegrass Recording Of The Year' with their original song 'Southbound Train' from their 'Poor Man's Gold' album.

2019 'Instrumental Of The Year' with their original instrumental 'Tele Rambler' from their 'Face The Wind' album.

RUNAWAY DIXIE
have released 6 albums.

'Golden Mile' (2009)
(Title track 'Golden Mile' winner of "TSA Gospel Song Of The Year" 2010)

'Breakdown' (2013)
(TSA Finalist tracks)

'Bayou Queen' (2015)
('Golden Bridge' 2016 TSA "Gospel Song Of The Year" winner )
(2016 Golden Guitar Awards - Bluegrass Recording of the Year Finalist - 'Lonesome and Blue')

'Poor Man's Gold (Late October 2016 on Digital release & Hard copy November 2016)
(2017 Golden Guitar Awards - Instrumental Of The Year finalist - 'Roundabout' & 2018 'Bluegrass Recording Of The Year' with their original song 'Southbound Train'.)

'Face The Wind' (mid December 2018)
Contains 2019 Golden Guitar finalist 'Instrumental Of The Year' track - Tele Rambler

'Ticket To Mars' (May 2021)

SINGLE
'Southern Rose'
Released Thursday 24th of September 2020 by Runaway Dixie as a
digital download single via Runaway Dixie's Desert Records Digital Download site.

SINGLE

'Coming Home'
Released 20th of April 2021 via
https://desertrecordsproduct.com/runaway-dixie

SINGLE

'Lonesome Highway Blues' 2023 via

https://desertrecordsproduct.com/runaway-dixie

SINGLE

'Territory Skies' June 4th 2024 via

https://desertrecordsproduct.com/runaway-dixie '

RUNAWAY DIXIE -
FINALISTS & AWARDS

2010 TSA TSA GOSPEL SONG OF THE YEAR 'Golden Mile'

(V & J Hermel) >

2016 CMAA GOLDEN GUITAR FINALIST
2016 GMMA GROUP OF THE YEAR FINALIST
2016 TSA GOSPEL SONG OF THE YEAR
'Golden Bridge'

( Virginia Hermel (Coad) >

2017 GMMA GROUP OF THE YEAR WINNER
2017 CMAA GOLDEN GUITAR FINALIST
2018 CMAA GOLDEN GUITAR FINALIST
2019 CMAA GOLDEN GUITAR FINALIST

2022 - AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY MUSIC PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS - Best song - When Only Real Country Will Do.

2022 - TSA BLUEGRASS SONG OF THE YEAR - Coming Home

2024 TSA BLUEGRASS SONG OF THE YEAR 'Lonesome Highway Blues'.

2024 ICMA AWARD - MOST POPULAR INDEPENDANT COUNTRY BAND

Who plays what ?

JIM HERMEL — Vocals/Banjo/Slide, Rhythm, & Electric Lead Guitar/Blues Harmonica.

VIRGINIA COAD — Vocals/Harmonies/Lead Acoustic and Rhythm
Guitar/’Fiddle’/Mandolin/Piano/Dobro/Lapsteel/Accordion.

LYNETTE COAD — Harmonies/Harmonica/Bass/Drums.

WHY???

One of the questions we get asked the most is -

HOW COME EVERY PHOTO NO MATTER HOW RECENT
LOOKS ALMOST LIKE THE LAST ONE eg SAME CLOTHING - ??

The ANSWER IS VERY SIMPLE:

The Runaway Dixie trio is actively part of so many other family connected bands, it is very important that Runaway Dixie appear as an 'individual' act in whatever photo we are advertised or promoted in as 'Runaway Dixie'.
Runaway Dixie's performance and music style is very different from our other bands.

And YES, whilst it may LOOK like we have been wearing the SAME clothes for the last whatever years, we can assure everyone that our clothes ARE new versions carefully selected to look the same or simular so they always fit our Runaway Dixie image and everyone knows we are in 'Runaway Dixie format' and can expect 'Runaway Dixie music' from us, especially if we are booked or appear in spots between our other family bands on stage. :) :) :)

Runaway Dixie (c)