The southern rock band Dixie Desperados will play for the first time at the “Free Fridays” Concert series Friday, Oct. 17.

 

Formed in Gainesville in 1976, the Dixie Desperados include cousins Allan Lowe (guitar/vocals), Mike Chasteen (guitar/vocals), and Gregg McMillan (bass guitar/vocals), along with Jeff Sims (guitar) and Jim Milsaps (drums). Signed by Fantasma Productions, the Dixie Desperados toured the southeastern U.S. roadhouse circuit playing their brand of original southern country rock songs and opening shows for such notables as the Allman Brothers, Axe, Molly Hatchet, Charlie Daniels Band, Henry Paul Band, Johnny Winter, Three Dog Night, Grinderswitch, Louisiana Leroux, Doc Holliday, the Winters Brothers, Johnny Van Zant Band, Pat Travers and New Riders of the Purple Sage. 

 

Despite their success, the band broke up in 1983 as members went in different directions in their lives. They kept in touch, reformed the band in Gainesville in 2012 and started playing a few shows a year, as well as recording a new CD. They have gone on to play to standing room only crowds at local clubs and, in April 2013, released the CD titled Dixie Desperados.

 

The Dixie Desperados concert is one of the select “Free Fridays” classic rock concerts that are sponsored by classic rock radio station WIND-FM (92.5, 95.5, 107.9).

 

The 2014 “Free Fridays” concert series is produced by the City of Gainesville Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department. This activity has been funded in part by a Tourist Development Tax Grant from the Alachua County Board of County Commissioners in conjunction with the Alachua County Tourist Development Council, a grant from the Florida Department of State,  Division of Cultural Affairs and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture, and a sponsorship from the Downtown Hampton Inn & Suites. The concerts will play each Friday night this year from Friday, May 2 through Friday, Oct. 24 from 8-10 p.m. at the Bo Diddley Community Plaza, which is located at 111 E. University Ave. To view the complete “Free Fridays” 2014 schedule, please visit the Cultural Affairs Division website at www.gvlculturalaffairs.org. For more information on “Free Fridays,” or to schedule an interview, please contact David Ballard at 352-393-8746.