Dixie Hayride

Billboard October 14, 1956
The only mention of the Florence based Dixie Hayride

There were many country stage shows bearing the word "Dixie" in it and Alabama shows were no exception. While there were shows like the Dixie Barn Dance or the Dixie Jamboree, the name "Dixie Hayride" was applied to at least three shows in the mid-1950s!

This post concentrates on the live stage show "Dixie Hayride" out of Florence, Alabama. The cast of the show included straight forward country artists like Dexter Johnson, Kelso Hurston, and Dixie Hayriders (probably the show's house band). However, located in the northeastern corner of the state, Florence was not too far away from Memphis, and the ongoing list of Dixie Hayride entertainers include some names that might be familiar with Memphis music fans like Buddy Bain and Kay Wayne, Maggie Sue Wimberly, Junior Thompson, and an artist named Mason Dixon (which could have been Walter "Tex" Dixon but might have actually been Merle "Red" Taylor, who recorded rockabilly for Meteor Records under this name at the time). The first three of those also recorded for Meteor Records at the time. Thompson was a Florence, Alabama, native.

While the cast of the show included some well-known names, other details like venue, radio station, emcee, and duration, escapes my knowledge, unfortunately. There were two other shows of the same name in Alabama but they were not related to all accounts. The first one was a Saturday afternoon DJ show on WMGY in Montgomery and the second one was a weekday DJ show hosted by Wally Horton on WSGY out of Birmingham. 

If anyone knows more about the Dixie Hayride, please share your information with us!

Sources
• Various Billboard issues
• Various Birmingham News advertisements
• Mason Dixon Rockin' Country Style entry (possibly incorrect info)