Mason Dixon (band)
| Company type | Music group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Headquarters | Beaumont, Texas , United States |
| Products | Country music |
Mason Dixon was a country music ensemble from Beaumont, Texas, featuring Frank Gilligan (vocals, bass), Jerry Dengler (guitar, banjo), and Rick Henderson (guitar). They first built a following within Texas nightclubs before extending their tours across the United States and Canada.
Career
Frank Gilligan (born November 2, 1955) and Rick Henderson (born May 29, 1953) crossed paths at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. Alongside guitarist Jerry Dengler (born May 29, 1955), a former solo performer from Odessa, Texas, they formed the group in 1979. Their debut single, "Armadillo Country," achieved regional popularity and led to a contract with Texas Records under producer Don Schafer. Released in 1983, their first album Only a Dream Away included five singles, such as a rendition of The Police's "Every Breath You Take," which charted on the Billboard Hot Country Songs listings. "Mason Dixon Lines" marked their initial music video release.
Their sophomore album The Spirit of Texas came out in 1985 and featured the single "Houston Heartache," which also charted. In 1987, Mason Dixon partnered with independent label Premier One Records to release Homegrown, delivering their first top-40 entry on the Hot Country Songs chart with "3935 West End Avenue." This accomplishment led to a Capitol Records deal, resulting in the 1988 album Exception to the Rule. The title track became their highest-charting single, reaching number 35, while "When Karen Comes Around" received exposure on CMT.
After Henderson exited the band in 1989, Terry "Caz" Casburn joined as vocalist and bassist. Although a second Capitol album titled Reach for It was recorded, it was never officially released. In 1990, Mason Dixon earned a nomination for the Academy of Country Music Award in the New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year category.
Following the group's dissolution in 1993, Gilligan moved to Tomball, Texas, undertaking various occupations before resuming his music career after overcoming colorectal cancer and neuropathy. He issued a solo album called Silver Dollar in 2015 and continues to perform in Houston and Dallas.
Albums
| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Only a Dream Away | Texas |
| 1985 | The Spirit of Texas | Texas |
| 1987 | Homegrown | Premier 1 |
| 1988 | Exception to the Rule | Capitol |
| 1990 | Reach for It |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Country | CAN Country | ||||||
| 1980 | "Armadillo Country" | — | — | single only | |||
| 1983 | "Every Breath You Take" | 69 | — | Only a Dream Away | |||
| 1984 | "Mason Dixon Lines" | — | — | ||||
| "I Never Had a Chance with You" | 51 | — | |||||
| "Gettin' Over You" | 49 | — | |||||
| 1985 | "Only a Dream Away" | 47 | — | ||||
| "Houston Heartache" | 76 | — | The Spirit of Texas | ||||
| 1986 | "Got My Heart Set on You" | 72 | — | singles only | |||
| "Home Grown" | 53 | — | Homegrown | ||||
| 1987 | "3935 West End Avenue" | 39 | — | ||||
| "Don't Say No Tonight" | 51 | — | |||||
| 1988 | "Dangerous Road" | 62 | — | Exception to the Rule | |||
| "When Karen Comes Around" | 49 | — | |||||
| 1989 | "Exception to the Rule" | 35 | 63 |
- |
"A Mountain Ago" | 52 | — |
| 1990 | "Ride of a Lifetime" | — | — | Reach for It | |||
Music videos
| Year | Video | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | "Mason Dixon Lines" | |
| 1988 | "When Karen Comes Around" | |
| 1990 | "Ride of a Lifetime" | Jim May and Coke Sams |